10 Reasons why the Detroit Tigers winning the 2011 World Series would be good for baseball

The Tigers dramatic win on Saturday and blow out win last night put them front and center on my baseball mind today. This team could very well be warming up to a long October run and be a real potential World Series winner. Now is as good a time as any to do the Detroit entry for the Why Each Team's Potential World Championship Would Be Good For The Game series.

Recently the AL Central winner has been an after thought at best in the post season. The last three Central teams have won a combined one post season GAME in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

But a combination of big bats, a great manager and a world beating ace could put an AL Central entry in the ALCS for the first time since the 2007 Indians, in the World Series for the first time since the 2006 Tigers or join the 2005 White Sox as the second ever champ from the Division.

Why would a fan outside of Michigan want to see a title in Motown? I have a few reasons.

10 Reasons why the
Detroit Tigers
winning the 2011 World Series
would be good for baseball

1. A Tiger title would put Jim Leyland among the elite managers in history

I already think Jim Leyland belongs in the Hall of Fame, and not just because he looks like a baseball manager sent from Central Casting. He has pennants in both leagues, a World Series title and turned around three franchises. But a World Series title in both leagues would put him with Sparky Anderson and Tony LaRussa as the only ones to pull off that feat.

Plus a title in Detroit would be probably be less bittersweet than his ring: The soon to be dismantled 1997 Florida Marlins.


2. Another title helps put Dave Dombrowski back among the elites.

Dombrowski doesn't look that old until you have him stand next to all the young GMs around baseball today. I suppose he would have to be considered part of the "Old School." While Brad Pitt isn't about to play him in a movie any time soon, he was the 31 year old GM who helped assemble a very talented Expos team. Then slapped together a World Champion in Florida and made sure that when it was dismantled, solid players came back in return. Many of the 2003 World Champion Marlins were acquired by Dombrowski. Then he turned around a disastrous Tigers team. As more and more GMs get Hall of Fame consideration, a Detroit title could put Dombrowski in Cooperstown.

3. A ring for baseball lifer Gene Lamont.

Lamont has put in 47 years of his life to professional baseball. He's been a player, minor league coach and manager and been a loyal lieutenant to Jim Leyland for many seasons.

He also won manager of the year in 1993 leading the White Sox to the ALCS and later managed the Pirates. Oddly he hasn't been hired as a manager since.

He was managing in the Royals organization in 1985, so I think he may have a ring from that year. Let's drop the "I think" and get him a big league ring. He's put in the time.


4. A title would put a positive spotlight on Miguel Cabrera.

Cabrera has had far too many negative headlines over the last few seasons, mainly about his fight with alcohol. Hopefully he is battling those demons. What he brings to the field is nothing short of extraordinary. Year in and year out he puts up MVP caliber numbers. The players that Baseball Reference compares him to at this age are people like Frank Robinson, Ken Griffey Jr, Orlando Cepeda, Mickey Mantle and Hank Aaron. In other words he is a Hall of Famer if he can keep his life together.

Another shot of October glory could help cement a potential wonderful legacy. He won a title in 2003 with Florida. (Doesn't it seem like EVERYONE in Detroit also won in Florida? For the record, Tigers pitcher Brad Penny also has a Florida ring!)


5. An overdue ring for Carlos Guillen

Guillen hasn't been much of a factor this season other than getting into a spat with Angels pitcher Jered Weaver. But he's had a nice 13+ season career with memorable highlights (a Division Series ending walk off bunt for the Mariners in 200... a 1.625 OPS in Detroit's 2006 Division Series victory over the Yankees.) And he has shown toughness (coming back from Tuberculosis to play in the 2001 ALCS) and will someday be a big league coach or manager.

He has been underrated his whole career, despite a few All Star appearances and a top 10 MVP finish in 2006. Players like Guillen deserve a title.


6. The National Anthem as sung by Eminem

I don't care about or listen to rap. But even I would be curious to hear Marshall Bruce Mathers III do his rendition of The Star Spangled Banner.

Oh yeah, there are lots of Motown artists who will no doubt make their dutiful appearance. But nobody will get Slim Shady's press.



7. A Tiger championship would make Mike Illitch the greatest figure in Detroit since Henry Ford.

When Little Caesar's founder Mike Illitch took over the Detroit Red Wings in 1982, the team hadn't played in a Stanley Cup Final since 1966 and hadn't won since 1955. Under his ownership they won the Cup in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008 and made 2 other Finals appearances.

When he took over the Tigers from Domino's Pizza founder Tom Monaghan in 1992, the team was in flux. This year a fifth title in Detroit from a Mike Illitch team could be won.

If they win, maybe he should sell the Tigers and buy the Lions.


8. A World Series title could cement Justin Verlander's legacy at age 28.

He has already been a Rookie of the Year, an All Star and a Cy Young contender. He will no doubt win the Cy Young this season and having passed the 100 win mark at a young age, he is a legit candidate to someday pass 300.

All his legacy needs is a World Series title and good health and we might be seeing a Hall of Famer emerging. In the post Steroid era, a new generation of ace pitchers are dominating and doing so into October. Last year Tim Lincecum, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee left their indelible marks. Now it is Verlander's turn.


9. A new Tigers championship would help celebrate their underrated legacy

When you think of the great winning baseball franchises, chances are most wouldn't list the Tigers. But go back and look at the great teams and titles they have won and you'd be surprised what a great history they had.

A quick glance at my Homegrown vs. Acquired entry for the Tigers shows Hall of Famers like Hank Greenberg, Ty Cobb, Charlie Gehringer, Heinie Manush, Harry Heilmann, Jim Bunning, Hal Newhouser, Mickey Cochrane, George Kell, Sam Crawford and Goose Goslin, whose walk off single clinched the Tigers first ever World Series title. They would the World Series in the 1930s, 1940s, 1960s and 1980s.

They would feature one of the game's greatest characters with Mark Fidrych. They would have a mind bogglingly deep team in 1984 who got off to a dizzyingly amazing start led by the future Hall of Fame manager, Sparky Anderson. Then they won it all, going 7-1 in the post season.

The Tigers won a heart stopping Division race in 1972 and again in 1987. And won the 2006 pennant on a walk off homer by Magglio Ordonez.

Tiger fans of all generations have had remarkable highlights. But it has been 27 years since they have won it all. It is time for a new generation of Tiger fans to have THEIR title.



10. No city could use a moment to celebrate more than Detroit

It's no secret that Detroit has had a rough few decades. The city has become worse than a punch line. It has become a symbol of pity for much of the country, which no doubt is the biggest insult of all.

It will take a lot to have Detroit reach its glory days as a city. But everyone I know from Detroit has a real pride in their city and hope and trust that better days are coming. A World Series title could bring the city closer together and show the country that there is still something positive in the Motor City. Sure there have been recent titles by the Pistons and the Red Wings. But the desire for a Tiger title is palpable, and hard to root against.


It's a real possibility this year in Detroit. Verlander is having one of those "I dare you to try and beat me" seasons and the lineup is strong enough to score runs in bunches. They could win it all and have everyone in Michigan say "Bless you boys."

And that's not a bad thing.


If you liked this then go ahead and read the entries for the other teams.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

CLEVELAND INDIANS
LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
NEW YORK YANKEES
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

The Jim Leyland watch begins... will he be fired or will he quit?

Less than 2 games in and it is inevitable. Jim Leyland's time in Detroit, as fun as it was in 2006 and until the last week of 2009, is going to come to an end.

Will he walk away like Lou Piniella?
Or will the Tigers just give him the axe?
Or will they "promote" him to a meaningless executive title?

But it is going to happen and probably before the All Star Break.
If they keep losing, who knows? He may not make it to May.

Make no mistake, it is going to come to a close.

I predict Jim Leyland will walk away before they can fire him, and he will do so on July 1.

Anyone else care to make a prediction?

Ladies and Gentlemen... your WORLD CHAMPION DETROIT TIGERS!!

Does anyone look at the Tigers and think they are legit pennant contender?

I mean they are the only team above .500 in the AL Central in mid June... so you'd think they'd be considered a playoff team. 

Yet who out there thinks they'll be at the top at the end of September?

The Twins are inevitably going to go on a roll and pass this Tigers team, right? Or maybe the White Sox will get hot.

At the end of the year, we'll forget Detroit contended at all.

Right?

But then I thought back...

Last October, I saw how the Phillies got no respect at all even during the playoffs. Throughout the season the Angels, Red Sox or Rays were going to an inevitable showdown with the Cubs or maybe the Manny led Dodgers.

In the end, it was Philadelphia.

In 2007, the Rockies weren't on the playoff radar in mid September. In mid June they were a .500 team. And although they didn't win it all, they did raise a pennant.

In 2006 the Cardinals were beaten and bruised and were barely over .500 when they stumbled into the playoffs. Instead of meekly going out, they won a Series and all of the other playoff teams have been haunted ever since.

Remember how the White Sox nearly coughed up their big lead in 2005? There were even Chicago writers saying they had peaked too early and weren't going to be a playoff factor. Besides, the AL playoffs were going to be an inevitable Red Sox/Yankees ALCS rematch. Instead there was a parade in Chicago.

In 2003 at this point the Florida Marlins were a sub .500 team. By the end of the year they ousted the Cubs in the NLCS and then matched their World Series title total.

In 2002, the Angels looked good, but the class of the American League were the Yankees and the A's. Except that neither of those teams made it out of the Division Series and the Angels gave Anaheim, California AND Los Angeles a ring.

Are you beginning to see where I am going with this?

Chances are the team that will be celebrating in October will be one that makes us all say "Who saw THAT coming?"

Jim Leyland could push all of the right buttons.

Justin Verlander could turn it on and dominate in October the way that Cole Hamels did last year.

A hitter like Miguel Cabrera could catch fire and terrorize some pitchers.

There might be an unlikely hero who blasts his way into Detroit sports lore.

"A walk off home run by Don Kelly!!!"

So say it softly in your head, everyone expecting the inevitable Red Sox or Yankees World Series versus the Dodgers.

The team you just dismissed could be the one planning a parade.

HALL OF FAME OR NOT: MANAGER EDITION

Last Spring, I broke down which current players belong in the Hall of Fame or not.

It got me some attention and this interview heard in Toledo on On Sports with JP and Kevin.

And rest assured, I am working on an update of that entry for 2008.

But for some reason I didn't think of which managers should get Cooperstown consideration.

And today's division title for the Angels made me think about Mike Scioscia and his ever growing Cooperstown resume.

Here are the parameters for consideration that the staff at Sully Baseball has come up with.

1) The manager is currently managing now.
2) They have managed a World Series winner.

Sorry Bruce Bochy, Ron Gardenhire and Dusty Baker. You need to win the big Kahuna in order to get in.

So lets look at the candidates.


BOBBY COX
Case For:
14 straight division titles with 5 pennants and the 1995 World Series title. Throw in the 1985 AL East title with the Toronto Blue Jays. His Braves teams won year in and year out despite a constantly changing cast of characters. He is also as respected a manager as there is in the game.

Case Against:
Only won one World Series. Had the better team but lost in the World Series or playoffs in 1985, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003 and 2004. Was outmanaged often and his use of the bullpen was suspect to say the least. Went 1-6 in post season series in the 2000s. How much of the success was because of him or because of Leo Mazzone’s handling of the pitching staff and the rise of Glavine and Smoltz and the signing of Maddux?

Verdict: HALL OF FAMER RIGHT NOW
Winning only one World Series didn’t keep Earl Weaver or Leo Durocher out of the Hall of Fame. Al Lopez didn’t even win one! And the consistency of managing a team into the playoffs with different faces and different clubhouse leaders for nearly a decade and a half is more than enough.





TERRY FRANCONA
Case For:
Two World Series titles for a franchise that was starving for one. His calm and never panicking approach allowed the Red Sox to come back from a 3-0 deficit to the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS and a 3-1 deficit to Cleveland in the 2007 ALCS. First manager to win his first 8 World Series games. Made the playoffs in 2005 and looks ready to have them back in 2008.

Case Against:
Was he in the right place at the right time? What manager couldn’t win with a team front loaded with superstars? OK, besides Grady Little. The huge payroll and All Stars at almost every position makes filling out the line up card kind of easy. He didn’t exactly display Hall of Fame stuff as a manager in Philadelphia. Besides, shouldn’t Theo Epstein be getting the credit for this team?

Verdict: NOT A HALL OF FAMER YET
It’s early but if he stays in Boston for 5 more years and keeps them in the playoffs for most of those years and wins another World Series title, it might be enough.




CITO GASTON
Case For:
He was the first manager to win back to back World Series in the Free Agent era. His teams made the playoffs 4 of his first 5 seasons. His 1992 team lost Dave Winfield, David Cone, David Wells, Tom Henke, Candy Maldonado, Manny Lee and Kelly Gruber in the off season and yet they won the 1993 World Series. Was the first African American to manage a World Series winner. The 2008 Blue Jays have played over .600 ball since he took over the team.

Case Against:
Followed up the back to back World Series teams with 4 straight losing seasons. Was fired and couldn’t get a job for 11 seasons. GM Pat Gillick replenished the lost stars after the 1992 seasons with more stars, so his teams were always stocked with talent.

Verdict: NOT A HALL OF FAMER YET. PROBABLY TOO LATE.
His first five seasons were spectacular and we forget now what a huge task it was to repeat as World Series champs. If he turns the Blue Jays around and they win a third World Series under his leadership, it might be a career worth examining. But not yet.



OZZIE GUILLEN
Case For:
Managed the White Sox to their first World Series title since 1917. And he managed them with their most visible superstar, Frank Thomas, hurt for most of the year. The 2005 World Series roster was devoid of a legit Hall of Fame candidate or a single marquee player… and yet they matched the 1999 Yankees with a 11-1 post season record. Has a White Sox team most picked to finish near the bottom in 2008 in first place in mid September. Has a hands on and aggressive managing style, including hit and running, stealing and unorthodox bullpen management, that makes it clear he is not a “fill out the line up card and take a nap” manager.

Case Against:
Like Billy Martin, can grate on the players and the management and constantly seems on the verge of getting fired. His 2006 squad was superior in talent to the Twins and Tigers and yet finished third (despite 90 wins) and the 2007 White Sox were a disaster. The team’s success could just as easily be credited to GM Kenny Williams.

Verdict: NOT A HALL OF FAMER YET
One great season and playoff run doesn’t make a Hall of Famer. Jack McKeon and the late Dick Howser would be in if that were the case. Ozzie needs to pile up some Division Titles and another pennant and not get himself fired. Longevity will go a long way. Earl Weaver was firey too and he only won one World Series… but he stuck around and piled up the October appearances. Take note Ozzie.


TONY LARUSSA
Case For:
Along with Sparky Anderson is the one of two managers to win the World Series as a manager in both leagues. Led the Oakland A’s to 3 straight World Series appearances. Including his time managing the White Sox, he has had 12 post season appearances, 11 division titles, 5 pennants and the 1989 and 2006 World Championship. Is considered to be a superior intellect in the dugout and consistently a winner from 1983 to present.

Case Against:
Has there been a manager who has more benefited from the steroid era than LaRussa? He won the pennants in the late 80s and 1990 on the juiced up strength of McGwire and Canseco and turned a blind eye as McGwire chased down Maris in 1998. Now there are whispers of Albert Pujols and positive tests for Rick Ankiel. Are we to believe after all the books written about his intelligence that he didn’t know?

Verdict: HALL OF FAMER RIGHT NOW
I don’t like LaRussa and I made that clear. But the total tonnage of what we don’t know about the steroid era is not enough to wipe out a remarkable managerial career.




JIM LEYLAND
Case For:
Took 3 teams to the playoffs, including the 1997 World Champion Florida Marlins. If it wasn’t for Francisco Cabrera’s single he would have lead three different teams to the World Series. Took a losing Pirates franchise and led them to 3 straight NLCS appearances. Took a losing Marlins franchise and led them to the World Series title. Took an irrelevant Tigers team, just 3 years removed from a 119 loss season and brought them to the World Series in his first year. A tough and no nonsense manager who actually got Barry Bonds and Gary Sheffield to march to his beat.

Case Against:
Couldn’t win the pennant in Pittsburgh and when the stars left the team collapsed. Managed the 1998 Marlins, stripped of their World Series participants and saw them finish 54-108. His one year in Colorado was a disaster. The 2006 Tigers looked rusty and unprepared in their World Series loss to the Cardinals. Was given a $100 million plus roster for the 2008 Tigers and they stumbled badly out of the gate and have been irrelevant in a year they were supposed to be a World Series contender.

Verdict: HALL OF FAMER RIGHT NOW
If Francisco Cabrera had popped up, there wouldn’t even be a discussion here. Either way, his ability to revive moribund franchises and the respect he commands is enough for me.




LOU PINIELLA
Case For:
Pulled off one of the great World Series upsets in history when the Reds swept the A’s in 1990. Turned the Mariners, the most laughable franchise in baseball, into playoff contenders. After the Mariners lost Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Jr and Alex Rodriguez, they responded with a 116-46 record. With the Cubs has now managed three different teams into the post season. Has a firey unmistakable brand of managing he undoubtedly picked up from his former manager Billy Martin.

Case Against:
Couldn’t get the Yankees into the playoffs his three seasons as manager… The 1988 AL East was very winnable. Despite having Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr, Edgar Martinez and a host of other stars, he couldn’t win a pennant in Seattle. His 116 win team got beat badly in the 2001 ALCS by the Yankees. His three years in Tampa Bay were disastrous. His managerial decisions may have cost the Cubs the 2007 Division Series.

Verdict: NOT A HALL OF FAMER YET… BUT HE’S ALMOST THERE
He’s on the bubble right now. Some might argue he is in Jim Leyland’s position of winning only one World Series but turning franchises around. I would argue that he needs to return to the World Series as a manager. If he wins a pennant for the Cubs, he’s in… no questions asked.



MIKE SCIOSCIA
Case For:
Won the 2002 World Series, toppling the heavily favored Yankees in the first round. With 2008 already wrapped up, he has led the Angels to division titles in 4 of the last 5 seasons. Has a mixture of veterans and rookies on his team and an ever changing roster, yet like Bobby Cox the team keeps winning. The turn over in ownership and in the front office during his time shows this isn’t a manager simply benefiting from a GM’s power.

Case Against:
The 2002 World Series was lost by the Giants as much as it was won by the Angels. While he has no problem beating the Yankees in the post season (the did it in 2005 as well) they get clobbered by teams with Sox in their name. (The Angels were swept by the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007 and lost the 2005 ALCS in 5 games to the White Sox.)

Verdict: NOT A HALL OF FAMER YET… BUT PROBABLY WILL BE
It’s early but no manager in baseball is putting together a Hall of Fame resume faster than Scioscia. He has the ring and is piling up the Division Titles. He needs at least another pennant and he also needs to keep the Angels as annual pennant contenders into the next decade.



JOE TORRE
Case For:
12 straight post season appearances for the Yankees including 6 pennants and 4 World Series titles. The 1996 World Series victory was as unlikely a win in World Series history. He rattled off 4 straight pennants despite strong challenges from Oakland and Seattle. And after Steinbrenner made 19 managerial moves in 21 seasons, he gave the Yankees stability over 12 seasons. Restored the dignity and championship expectations of the Yankees with his cool and calming managerial style and developed new Yankee legends along the way. He also managed the 1982 NL West champion Braves and looks poised to win a division title in Los Angeles this year. Also was a borderline Hall of Fame player.

Case Against:
How much was his Yankees success because of him or how much was it because he walked into a good situation with a team developed by Buck Showalter and Gene Michael? His record as a Mets, Braves and Cardinals manager was not exactly stellar. (One post season appearance prior to the Yankees and it was a 3 game sweep.) Not a great strategy manager and prone to making some terrible decisions that possibly cost him the playoffs in 2002 and the World Series in 2003. Only one manager has ever blown a 3-0 series lead and that was Torre. His managing of games 5 and 6 possibly cost the Yankees the pennant. How hard is it to manage the Yankees with all that money?

Verdict: HALL OF FAMER RIGHT NOW
You think it is easy? Ask Joe Girardi! The ability to stay calm in stormy waters is his greatest asset and it led directly to the 1996 and 2000 World Championship and post season appearances in 2005 and 2007 despite terrible starts. No man in baseball is more respected and no record speaks more clearly that they deserve a spot in Cooperstown.




So there you have it.
Tony LaRussa, Bobby Cox, Jim Leyland and Joe Torre will be in Cooperstown.
Lou Piniella is a Chicago pennant away and Mike Scioscia is well on his way.

Then again if Piniella wins the World Series for the Cubs he might be canonized by the Pope

I have a solution for Marlins fans!

Hey Marlins fans.
Do you love winning the World Series but hate having to see your favorite players leave?

Well we here at Sully Baseball have the solution:

Root for the Marlins when they have a shot to win, and every other year ROOT FOR THE TIGERS

Detroit seems to be the popular destination of former Marlins

You loved the 1997 team?
Well then your manager, Jim Leyland, is waiting for your cheers in Detroit.

And how about that great finish with Edgar Renteria's single up the middle to clinch the whole thing?






You want to cheer on Edgar and let him know how happy that made you?

Get up to Detroit and give him a standing o.

Who is that on the SI cover holding up Renteria?
Why its former Marlins slugger Gary Sheffield...

Hmmmmm. I wonder where you can see him play these days? I'll give you a hint. It's in Michigan.

The architect of that team was Dave Dombrowski... who is currently calling the shots for Detroit.

You more of a fan of the 2003 team?

Fair enough.


Remember how Pudge Rodriguez got the game winning hit in game 3 against the Giants, held onto the ball to end the series, drove a dagger into the hearts of Cubs fans and celebrated in a silent Yankee Stadium to win his ring?

Guess where HE went?
I'll give you a hint. RoboCop lived there.

Remember how Miguel Cabrera exploded onto the scene in the 2003 playoffs and World Series?

Remember how he looked like the next great MVP candidate?

Well if he is going to win one, it will be in Detroit!



And what about Dontrelle Willis?
Remember how he dazzled everyone, electrified the crowd and did everything the Marlins wanted in the 2003 post season... start, relieve and even hit.

Guess where he is?
Guess!

Actually he is in Lakeland Florida trying to get his act together... but that's not the point.

The point is that by rooting for the Marlins only when they are good and rooting for the Tigers the rest of the time, you can have the World Series experience to go along side with being loyal to your favorite players.

Hey, it's cheaper than building a new park!

WORST RELIEF PERFORMANCE OF THE NIGHT

It takes a special kind of suck to have a night like Bobby Seay did last night.

I was listening to the Angels/Tigers game on my XM while driving to Los Angeles and man it was riveting. No score in the 12th but both teams had chances to rally and both teams were squashed by terrific pitching.

Every cameraman’s friend Kenny Rogers goes 7 shut out innings. Jon Garland goes 7 1/3.

Angels Scot Shields, Frankie Rodriguez and someone named Jose Arrendondo combined for 4 2/3 shut out innings. (So much for that Tiger offense.)


Tiger’s Zach Miner wiggles out of trouble and throws 2 shutout innings.

And then a rookie named Freddy Dolsi kept the shutout alive through the 10th and 11th before loading the bases with 1 out in the 12th.

In comes Seay.

Now you have the bases loaded, 1 out in the 12th and you are the road team. In other words if a run comes in, the game is over.

Obviously you want a strikeout.
Or maybe a sharply hit ball to an infielder to cut the run off at the plate.
Or a pop fly to the infield or at worst a shallow fly to the outfield.

But every scenario involves throwing a strike.

Seay throws ball 1… then ball 2 to Garret Anderson.
Even the announcers were saying “He has to throw it down the heart of the plate.”
Ball 3.

Now when you are down 3-0 and a ball means the game is over… don’t you just lob it down the heart of the plate?

Maybe he’s taking (you think?) maybe he’ll be late on his swing and pop it up.
Throw a strike and trust your fielders.

He might as well as sent them in a la Satchel Paige.

Ball 4.

A wonderfully pitched game ended because a supposed major leaguer couldn’t throw a single pitch over the plate.

Pray for Jim Leyland’s lungs.

The Bonds Era in San Francisco will be over in a week...

I wrote last October that I thought Barry Bonds should be celebrated, despite the rumors and the stuff we know because we have two eyes and a brain.

I thought the Giants were going to let him go and I felt it was an anticlimactic end to the run of seasons that saved baseball in San Francisco.

Well of course they brought him back...

Mainly there was too much dough to squeeze out of people's wallets for the Hank Aaron chase.

Well they got it... and had about as bad and boring a season you could imagine.
(So much for my prediction they would win the West)

Well now the Giants are saying "Thanks for saving the team... bye."
And Bonds has said in his official journal (as opposed to his private journal with Hello Kitty on the cover) "I just wish I had known sooner so we had more time to say our goodbyes and celebrate the best 15 years of my life."

Hey Barry... the team gave you a 162 game victory lap!
They loaded the team with quiet, steer the course, punchless veterans so you wouldn't get upset.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say the Giants have done everything to make this year all about Barry. But they also don't want him to be Belushi's The Thing That Wouldn't Leave.

So the Barry Bonds era ends in San Francisco... now what?

What should the Giants do?

First of all they have some dough to spend. And their lineup with Bonds was one of the worst I have ever seen.

They need at least 3 hitters... a right fielder, a first baseman and for the first time since 1992, a left fielder.

The temptation among Giants fans is to try and get a marquee slugger. When I was at AT&T Park last month, I saw someone with an A-Rod Giants jersey.

While A-Rod would be amazing and welcomed with open arms in San Francisco... we all saw what happened in Texas when he is inserted into a team that isn't ready.

The Giants have 3 young starting pitchers who could be the cornerstone of a great team for years to come. Lincecum is 23, Cain is 22, Lowry is 26. Even Zito, who had a dreadful first season across the Bay, is only 29.

They need need NEED an anchor in their bullpen. If they were to swipe someone from the Yankees, I think it would behoove them to at least offer Mariano Rivera a big contract.

There is a word for people who think closers are overrated: Idiots.

Having someone secure the 9th inning could go a long long way to building up the confidence of a potential Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz/Avery in a pitchers ballpark.

I'd see what they have in the minor leagues for the outfield... but they should keep bringing in speedy outfielders. Getting Rajai Davis in the bizarre Matt Morris trade should be the direction they go in.

Make the Giants like the Whitey Herzog Cardinals. Good pitching, fast outfielders and one slugger.

Spend 2008 getting an anchor for the bullpen and figuring out who the three sprinting outfielders are. And then in 2009 spend the money for the one slugger to be the last piece. But don't feel the pressure to replace Barry.

You can't get another one... even in a laboratory.


Where will Barry go?

Man... at this point, he's a part time outfielder with more baggage than Winslet in the opening of Titanic.

For anyone outside of KNBR's antena range he is public enemy #1.
And he is in such a protected coccon he makes Jim Carrey in The Truman Show look well informed.

So yeah, it might be a shock for him to go a new city and not have a standing ovation everytime he orders a ham sandwich.

But those who boo him would give him a standing ovation if he got big hits for their team. (Just look at the ovations Giambi gets every night in New York.)

The A's could use him, but not if Bonds asks for more than minimum wage.

The Angels could use another bat and having Bonds behind Vlad Guerrero would mean Vlad would see more strikes (like it matters as he swings at everything within 14 feet of the plate.)

The Tigers could use him, and Jim Leyland seems to be the only guy who would chew him out!





But how about this for a scenario?
Let's say the Mets fall out and Willie Randolph is let go.

In comes Dusty Baker to Flushing...
And he brings along his meal ticket, Mr Bonds, who comes to New York.
Both try to win that ring and have one last series in Shea!

What other Hall of Famer left the Giants to finish up in a World Series for the Mets?
His Godfather, Willie Mays!

It's worth a thought!