The sole remaining issue for the Giants is whether they are going to overcome the Braves in their race for homefield advantage and, in any event, how best to position themselves for the playoffs and the following World Series. In any short series, whether the initial five game setup or in the following seven game battles, pitching will be the usual predominating factor.

Click Below for More on the Giants, thanks Ed!The strength of their pitching, combined with the impact Bonds has on the outcome of every game he plays, a strong defense and a bench that is far better than last year’s, has produced a record that basically equals that of Atlanta and the Yankees and exceeds that of any other team. A close look at the pitching reveals some concerns as well as some decisions which remain to be made.

The major concern has to be with Tim Worrell. Worrell has done more than could reasonably have been expected of him in the closure role when the season began, with Nen having been lost for the year. At the start of the year it was still an open question respecting how the team was going to compensate for the loss of Nen. There was some talk of going to a closure by committee setup, which seldom works. Very quickly, however, once Worrell was given the opportunity to close games, he became successful in that role. Worrell does not have traditional closure pitches which are usually deemed to be necessities for the role. He doesn’t have Nen’s 95-98 mile an hour fast ball or his vicious slider thrown at 93-94 miles an hour.

He was around the plate consistently, didn’t melt down when he was in trouble, changed speeds effectively and had enough variety in his pitches to keep batters off balance. In short, he made batters hit his pitches and they weren’t being thrown where they could be belted, for the most part. It has been a long year though and Worrell for the past month has been showing undeniable signs of wearing down.

In his last appearance, for instance, with a one run lead to protect in the 10th inning against San Diego, he had trouble locating the plate and, when he did, nothing he threw was a mystery. Inevitably. he quickly lost what had been a hard to come by lead and the game. This doesn’t portend well for the future. The Giants need a closer they can depend on in the upcoming short series. Worrell may not be the saviour.

Alou, while not as committed to veterans on the club as Baker, being readier to make changes, has in the past, however, evidenced a reluctance to make a basic change in the pitching rotation or in the major relief roles. Noteworthy, his reliance on Rueter as his third pitcher in the rotation. The time may have come to consider whether someone else on the staff, Nathan comes to mind, might be more effective closing than Worrell. If that should be the case, the decision must be made immediately. Waiting until the playoffs begin is not an option.

Everyone’s role in the playoffs must not be undecided. Worrell, in all likelihood, is going to continue to be the closer. Such a decision may be fraught with peril. One would hate to see a game lost, in the playoffs, in a fashion similar to the San Diego game the other night.

The probable match up with the Braves,, in the seven game league series will come down to the pitching. The Giants can’t match the Braves in hitting, even with Barry, but they have more than held their own with Atlanta this year, and that was when Atlanta had the services of Smoltz, who may not be healthy when they next meet. Maddox isn’t the Maddox of old. Ortiz will make for an interesting challenge but if he goes up against Schmidt, a distinct possibility, the odds have to be on Schmidt. The Giants look like winners in the meeting with Atlanta.

At the moment, Alou seems to be leaning to the use of Hermanson in the bullpen. Unlike the story in this morning’s Chronicle, the selection of Correia to pitch on Sunday, rather than Hermanson, doesn’t indicate a decision by Alou to use Correia as his fourth starting pitcher rather than Hermanson.

The fourth starting pitcher is Williams, assuming Alou is determined to use Rueter as his third starter, as he has proclaimed. Rueter against that right handed Atlanta power? Not a pleasant prospect. Correia is pitching Sunday because Hermanson is going to the bullpen. Alou has more confidence, justifiably so, in the veteran playing a major role out of the bullpen than the youngster Corriea.

Alou seems absolutely determined to continue playing Cruz in right field. This despite the fact that Cruz has been unable to buy a hit for months. Last night he was more successful in throwing his bat and helmet further, after striking out twice, than he could hit the ball. He has no idea where the strike zone is. Alou continues to play him every day, believing that his fielding, which he compares favorably with Clemente, compensates for his ineptness at the plate.

Even mentioning Cruz in the same breath as Clemente is bizarre. When was the last time a pennant winning team hit a right fielder in the eighth spot? How about giving Hammonds a shot at right field? We know that right field is a difficult position to play at Pac Bell Park. However, Hammonds has played center field successfully in the past, has speed, and undoubtedly can cope with Pac Bell Park. He certainly is going to provide them with more hitting. This is a team which can use every bit of hitting available. Additionally, it may be dispiriting to a team to see one of it’s players consistently upset at his inability to contribute and demonstrating such emotion on the field.

Other than the above, the team seems set for the playoffs. Alfonzo, in particular, has in the past sixty days come alive. He is fielding beautifully, hitting for distance and well over three hundred.

This may be the year they go all the way.