With only 45 games to play and an eleven game lead over the nearest club, the team still has a major incentive. If they continue to maintain roughly the same lead over Arizona and LA as they have today they will be able to clinch the playoff spot ten games or so before the season ends. Having in mind that in the last ten games of the year they play LA seven times, this is a very important consideration.

Ed Stern’s Analysis is sound the only thing in his way are the thrty five games over the next seven weeks of the season, they have to be played.
Marty Lurie……..

Click Below for more!LA would like nothing better than to make life difficult for the Giants at the end of the year. Clinching early would remove that concern. It would also enable the team to regroup for the playoffs. With ten games remaining the bullpen will undoubtedly have been stretched to the utmost up to that point. They will need to be rested and what better time to recover their strength than in a meaningless ten game stretch at the end of the regular season. Additionally, give Bonds a chance to rest up, and if there are still players hurting, as has been the case for most of this year, let them get in shape for the new season, the playoffs. As has been the case throughout this year, there are concerns about continued success the remainder of the season. The major concern has to be the health of Schmidt. The continuing reluctance to pitch him in his regularly scheduled turn must make one uneasy. If he is going to break down, the sooner we find out the better. If he needs a significant amount of time off, take it now. The team has enough resources to overcome the temporary loss of even Schmidt. assuming that he will be back, in good health, in two to three weeks time. Given this club’s history, one would not be overwhelmingly surprised to find Correia, for instance, stepping up and winning a few games. Leaving Schmidt aside, and hoping for the best respecting his health and ability to continue to pitch at his best for the remainder of the year, the team’s hitting continues to leave something to be desired. This, however, has been a year-long concern and they have managed to overcome their inability to hit with men on base and their obvious need for a hitter to bat in the fifth spot. It is not likely to get much better in the remaining 45 games. They have been more successful than any team in the majors, with the exception of Atlanta, despite this. There appears to be no reason this will not continue, if they stay healthy. They have their shortstop and second baseman on the DL. If any other team, at this stage of the year, had their regular shortstop and second baseman on the DL, loud cries of distress would undoubtedly be heard. No such cries are emanating from Pac Bell Park. The team may actually be fielding a stronger lineup with Durham and Aurillia on the bench. Durham is certainly missed and would be welcomed back as soon as possible. Perez, at shortstop, is an advantage. If Feliz, playing fairly regularly, can hit with some show of power, they will not suffer a great deal until Durham’s return. Two other players, recently DL’d, Bernard and Rodriguez, will not be missed. No further words need be said about Marvin. He has been a negative factor for years, retained because of his contract. Rodriguez is another story. It is very likely Sabean and Alou put him on the DL to avoid the obvious appearance of having lost faith in his ability to perform in a tight situation. If the Yankees want him, and given their bullpen inadequacies, they might be desperate enough to overlook his recent performances, get what you can for him. The Giants can no longer wait for Rodriguez to learn a changeup or be willing to throw a slider in a tough spot. Summing up, if Schmidt is healthy, the team is in good shape to clinch early. Do it and let the playoffs begin.