From the get-go there was something otherworldly about the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers. The signs of an ET sort of season set in early, around November of last year, to be exact.

Their top star, Manny Ramirez, who bears a striking resemblance to the dreadlocked "Predator" of sci-fi movie fame, was an off-season holdout, refusing to play by the rules of cause-and-effect, give and take, every motion sets into effect a counter-motion aspect of bargaining physics.

The Dodgers offered once, and offered big, and Ramirez and agent said, "Offer again!" On this big-blue planet that's not the way you play catch, ping-pong or any responsive sport, negotiation among them. Offers are supposed to evoke counter-offers, especially in a declining economy.

Late to the game, literally, Ramirez got to spring training with little time to get into shape. By his own admission, when opening day arrived, he was at "50%" capability. His hamstring acted up, so he needed rest just as he was supposed to be going all out.

Then, the 50 game failed drug test suspension hit him.

Still, the interplanetary Dodgers continued to play in the stratosphere, without Ramirez.

But even the wizardry of manager Joe Torre and the buoyant play of near-rookies and grizzled but still good veterans couldn't keep this team from defying the laws of gravity forever.

On Earth, the perpetual motion machine has yet to be invented. If you want your engine to keep running, you need gas, or batteries, or hydrogen, steam, or solar propulsion, bio-fuel, or a combination.

Teams don't stand still, they improve or degrade. Without continuous improvement, entropy sets in; people wear out, much as the Dodgers pitching and clutch hitting is doing.

The team had a chance to refuel and to upgrade by signing ace pitcher Roy Halladay, who pitches deep into games. But management passed, and brought in a lower octane closer, instead.

No longer the best team in baseball, the Yankees are, at 30 wins over .500, the Dodgers have fallen back to Earth.

For them, that's all too normal; not paranormal.

Their Stargate for 2009 may have closed.