The rest of the story

With all due respect to the major players remaining in the postseason -- the Angels, White Sox, Cardinals, Astros and Doug Eddings -- it's hard to not look ahead to what might happen when Bud Selig's World Series news blackout is lifted. (The commissioner asks teams to hold off from splashy trades and hirings so full attention can be paid to the Fall Classic.)

The Devil Rays, Marlins and A's have managerial openings, though those slots may be filled before the Series starts. The Phillies are only a few days into their search for a replacement for fired general manager Ed Wade. Tampa Bay also hasn't officially filled its GM slot -- and it may not. New owner Stuart Sternberg seems to be leaning toward a GM-by-committee model, where baseball operations head Andrew Friedman, 28, would run the team with help from a council of elders with more experience in scouting and other seamhead matters.

While all of those issues will be settled relatively soon, the following will be winterlong sagas which may not be closed until pitchers and catchers report in 2006. Here are the top three storylines to follow during the offseason.

1) The Return of Irrational Exuberance The first indication that baseball's (brief) era of fiscal responsibility was over came last winter, when several teams spent lavishly to lure mediocre pitchers. Kris Benson, Carl Pavano and Matt Clement all cashed in despite having losing career records. Factor in the fat deals given to Jaret Wright and Russ Ortiz, among others, and you have what might be the most irresponsible set of contracts ever handed out in one offseason.

General managers might outdo themselves this winter, however. Thanks to nouveau revenue streams such as the Internet, satellite radio and overseas broadcasting, the game is taking in more cash than ever. And thanks to revenue sharing, every team gets a significant cut. Clubs like the Yankees and Red Sox are no longer the only players in the free-agent game. One party crasher likely will be the Blue Jays, whose ownership group has promised to spend more than $200 million over the next three years.

One problem: There's a paucity of high-quality free agents available. A.J. Burnett, another high-ceiling guy with a losing career record, is the top starter available. After Johnny Damon (who played through several injuries this season) and Brian Giles (who hasn't hit more than 23 homers or reached 100 RBIs since 2002) the outfield crop drops off quickly, especially if the Yankees re-sign Hideki Matsui. Teams in need of a slugger are in trouble. There's Paul Konerko and ... and ... anyone feel like taking a chance on Nomar Garciaparra

Someone will. With money burning holes in their pockets, general managers will hand out contracts players don't deserve. Get ready for a wave of deals that teams will regret a year from now, and beyond.

2) The Manny Show Oh, to be one of the ottomans in Larry Lucchino's office. Earlier this week Manny Ramirez, the subject of constant trade rumors the last three seasons, requested a sitdown next month with Boston's owners and front office staff. His status isn't on the agenda, however. Ramirez reportedly wants to discuss the direction of the franchise: What free agents are being pursued, what the payroll will be next year, whether the Red Sox will be a playoff team, etc.

The idea sounds like a sitcom pitch -- I wonder if Manny will ask to have the meeting in his office inside the Green Monster -- but this could be a watershed winter for Ramirez and the Red Sox. Sources close to Ramirez have said since the season ended that Manny is happy in Boston and doesn't want to be traded, an apparent reversal of what he was telling his pals during the season. (Assuming, that is, that he gets assurances next month that the Red Sox aren't planning a rebuilding project.) But the Red Sox are still eager to shed Ramirez's mammoth contract, which has three years and $60 million left on it. Expect the inevitable Manny-to-the-Mets-for- Carlos Beltran rumor to surface around the winter meetings. And expect the reports out of Camp Ramirez to vacillate between love and hatred for Boston all winter.

Trading Ramirez would be a mistake for Boston. In spite of his many foibles --we're not just talking about not running out ground balls; he has developed a disturbing habit of turning doubles into singles -- his offensive production (he tied a career high with 45 home runs and drove in 144 runs) probably wins more games for the Red Sox than his nonchalance costs them. The legend of David Ortiz has grown in part because, with Ramirez hitting behind him, he's feasted on hittable pitches from teams worried about facing Manny with a runner on base. There's a reason the most feared left-handed hitter in the league had fewer intentional walks than Aubrey Huff (13), Jacques Jones and Joe Mauer (12 each) and as many as Victor Martinez (9).