Amaury– You are right about the Western Division and the Giants chances. They are starting to look up. This from one who has written them off a number of times already. However, this is not the same club it was a short time back. When the season opened the team was giving us Perez at shortstop and Snow on first. This was the weakest offensive combination in the majors. Today they are playing Feliz at shortstop and Minor on first. Minor, of course, still has to prove himself. We remember what his efforts produced when he was up before and first base then was his for the taking. He didn’t take it.

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Now he shows up older, thinner and claiming that laser surgery allows him to see a curve ball. We shall find out. All I can say is that in the two games he has played he looks a hell of a lot better than Snow—which may not be saying much. When Snow comes off the DL they might consider handing him his release and paying him for the rest of the year to take his defense someplace else.

With Durham’s return, healthy at last, it is to be hoped, and if Minor can hit near the neighborhood he was hitting in when at Fresno, the Giants have a far different line-up than they started with. Considerably more impressive. Feliz still has to learn where the strike zone is but watching his greatest supporter, Barry, should be a continued learning experience in patience. When that one good pitch comes over, swing at it. Keep in mind what they say about Barry. If he swings at the pitch it’s a strike. If he let’s it go by, it’s a ball.

In right field,Tucker is looking more like a major leaguer. Pierzynski is starting to hit. Bonds is showing few signs of aging. We all get a sore back upon occasion.

However, when all is said and done, they still need a couple of starting pitchers. A closer, someone like Joe Nathan, for instance, (by the way, didn’t they once have a closer resembling Joe Nathan?) would come in handy.

The season has a long way to go. There seems little reason why the Giants won ‘t be competitive the rest of the way. If I had to choose beteen The Giants and the Dodgers, it becomes a no-brainer. The Dodgers can’t hit and their pitching is not as great as they originally thought. The competition is San Diego.

The Giants are in the chase! So much for earlier disaster warnings. By way of self-justification, this isn’t the same team. The absence of Snow, alone, is some cause for optimism.

Ed