No doubt the injuries to Rich Harden, Bobby Crosby, and Bobby Kielty contributed mightily to the A’s demise during their stretch run. However, for me the most devastating injury the team suffered was the season ending elbow surgery for closer Octavio Dotel.

Here’s why.

Click below for the answer and more!It was painfully obvious to anyone who followed the A’s season that the team lacked one right handed power hitting batter. Eric Chavez is a gamer, but without a power threat backing him in the order, Chavez struggled when the A’s needed him most.

Dotel was Billy Beane’s best bargaining chip. All the contending teams needed bull pen help mid season. Knowing how the creative A’s GM operates, Dotel would have brought the A’s the bat they sorely needed in September.

Kansas City slugger Mike Sweeney is the hitter the A’s should go after. The ball jumps off Sweeney’s powerful bat. If A’s team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jerry Goldman gives the club the go ahead after examining x-rays of Sweeney’s back (a condition that has knocked Sweeney from the lineup at times), then I’d trade for Sweeney and make him the full time DH for 2006.

Next up on the wish list is Milwaukee left fielder Carlos Lee. The powerful Lee would be a great fit. The Brewers are still a year away from being serious contenders in the NL Central and certainly would be amenable to a trio of the A’s top prospects for Lee, who becomes a free agent after the 2006 season.

With all the money that is thrown around in major league baseball it’s hard to believe that the only thing stopping the A’s and manager Ken Macha from renewing their vows is a few hundred thousand dollars per annum on a new three year contract. If Macha’s your man, then “Pay the man Shirley” as columnist Norman Chad says each week when he awards $1.25 to the writer of the best letter to his witty column.

The White Sox held on to win the AL Central. If they are going to advance to the ALCS three things have to happen: Jose Contreras has to pitch in game one and game five of the ALDS, if needed. Scott Podsednik has to be terror on the base paths. Slugger Paul Konerko has to hit like Carlos Beltran did for Houston last October.

Money is no object, lesson one: Needing to fortify the bull pen, the Red Sox traded for lefty reliever Mike Stanton with four games left in the regular season.

The only silver lining for the undermanned San Diego Padres is the fact that the Division Series is a best of five. It’s not impossible for Jake Peavy to pitch two gems. The key is getting great starts from Pedro Astacio and Adam Eaton. Good luck.

For some reason Houston gives the Cardinals trouble. If Houston is the wild card entry and they win their first round match up against the Braves, then watch out. If the Cards are upset this fall, Houston has the best chance to do it.

Caution: the fall tournament is a series, any team can get hot or cold over five or seven games. They don’t call it the World Season, it’s the World Series.

Remember the Boston Braves refrain in 1948 highlighting the team’s lack of starting pitching: “Spahn and Sain, then pray for rain”. The 2005 Yankees are” Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina, then hope that Aaron Small, Shawn Chacon, and Chien –Ming Wang don’t wake up from their dream like seasons.”

The AL Cy Young award is a two man race between Bartolo Colon and Mariano Rivera. If Rivera closes the door on the Red Sox this weekend, I’m changing my vote and going with the best closer in baseball history.

In the NL Cy Young, the Cards Chris Carpenter still gets the nod even though Dontrelle Willis’ great season saved the Marlins from complete disaster.

After Florida’s AJ Burnett’s late season meltdown, Texas may be the only team that will risk millions on this erratic right hander.

Top six for AL MVP, you can vote for them in any order: Alex Rodriguez, Vladimir Guerrero, Mark Teixeira, David Ortiz, Paul Konerko, and Manny Ramirez. My pick: Ortiz.

For NL MVP, it’s Atlanta’s Andruw Jones all the way.

Comeback Players of the Year: NL, it’s Arizona third baseman Troy Glaus, still one of the premier power hitters in baseball. In the AL, it’s the Yanks Jason Giambi in a landslide.

AL manager of the year: Chicago’s Ozzie Guillen, gets the award for not blowing a mid summer 15 game lead. In the NL, Bobby Cox, 14 straight NL East division championships says it all.

I’m rooting for an NLCS game seven match up pitting Atlanta’s Tim Hudson against St. Louis’s Mark Mulder. Didn’t they once pitch for the A’s?

After watching Barry Bonds try to play on his surgically repaired knees, if I’m the Giants I’m doing everything in my power to try to convince Bonds to continue his playing career in the American League. If Bonds stays in SF, then it’s another roller coaster season for the Giants in 2006.