Marty, This is being written the morning after the ninth inning. It is still not known how today’s games play out. The likelihood is that the season is over for the Giants today but it matters litttle. No matter how today’s games end, the season is over. The Giants will not be successful in a playoff, if, by some unlikely scenario, they get that far. This season’s last column is not premature.

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The day that Sabean made the ill-fated trade, Nathan for Pierzynski, was the day the Giants relinquished any hope for a completely successful year. When one looks back on this year it will evoke the disappointed thought that it could have been different. Nathan is one of the two or three best relievers in the game. Pierzynski has been a total disaster. When the season was on the line, this past six weeks or so, he failed dismally.

Perhaps Sabean’s judgment respecting Pierzynski, when the trade was made, based on prior performance, was not totally misguided. However, there was no crying need for a catcher with his record. The Giants had a catcher, Torealba, whose past record gave hope that he could perform at a level not very much different than Pierzynski. The fatal mistake made by Sabean was in trading Nathan for him.

The Giants had already lost their closer, Nen. Sabean was willing to rely on finding a closer to replace Worrell on his current staff, not that Worrell was a traditional closer. If he had re-signed Worrell he should still have been looking for a closer. Not re-signing Worrell made the need for a proven closer more urgent.

Nathan had given promise that he was equal to the task. He had a very successful season behind him as a setup man. If Sabean insisted on finding a closer among the pitchers in his offseason bullpen, Nathan was a prominent choice. The failure to recognize Nathan’s promise was a failure which it is difficult to justify today. This is not necessarily hindsight. There was much opinion, at the time the trade was made, that it was going to come back to haunt them. It has. Nathan pitching and Torealba catching would have the team in the playoffs today.

It is disappointing for a number of reasons. There is a future to contend with. It is difficult to believe that Pierzynski will be re-signed. The Giants will have given up an essential key to a winning year and received nothing in exchange. Furthermore, this team deserved more from management. They were a gutsy team all year. They repeatedly lost games they would have won if their bullpen was capable of holding on to a three or four run lead in late innings.

There were outstanding performances during the year. Bonds doesn’t require further accolades. Sabaean has to find a right fielder to hit behind Bonds this coming year. He owes it to Barry, who has played his heart out for this club. He has to allow Barry sufficient at bats to give him a shot at Aaron’ record.

Snow has been a wonder since coming off the DL. He has never performed as well. The first base job is his to lose next year. As Alou has recently said, Feliz has earned a full time role. Where that leaves Alfonzo is a puzzle Sabean must deal with.

The rotation appears to be surprisingly strong. Tomko is one of the pleasant surprises. Lowry is another. The bullpen needs a complete overhaul, from closer on down the line. Shortstop could stand improvement although Cruz played as well as one could have expected. They could have been successful with him. Durham, these past six weeks, played exceptionally well, both in the field and at bat. He is a welcome addition.

A closer, a productive hitter to back up Barry, and a bullpen which can protect a lead in late innings. That is the task facing Sabean. It was the job he faced at the beginning of this year. He was not up to the task then. It is to be hoped that he does better this coming off season.

Ed