While I was busy pouring my heart out in my 1993 season journal, David Malbuff, little suspecting he'd wind up in EEEEEE! some day, was doing the same thing, only with a different approach: more optimism and less angst. -- GP

Tuesday, August 24, 1993

The San Francisco Giants are in first place in the National League's Western Division. They lead the two-time defending NL champion Atlanta Braves by six and one-half games, with 37 games left to play. The Braves are in town right now, facing the Giants in a three-game series that will prove crucial in deciding who actually wins this thing six weeks from now.

Atlanta won the first game of the series last night, 5-3, as Giant starter Trevor Wilson got into trouble early. He was later diagnosed as having an inflamed shoulder, and was placed on the disabled list for the third time this season. Rookie Salomon Torres, the most outstanding pitcher in the Pacific Coast League this season, has been called up to replace him and will make his major-league debut later this week.

The Giants are coming off a rousing three-game series against the expansion Florida Marlins over the weekend. The Marlins have played the Giants tough all year, and the teams had split the first two games of the series. Then the Giants, down by 6-2 in Sunday's game, mounted a magnificent rally, culminating in Robby Thompson's dramatic, two-out, two-strike, game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth, which brought the Candlestick crowd to its feet and emptied the Giant dugout in joyous celebration. It was the kind of victory that pennant-winning teams pull off in August, and it sent the Giants into this Atlanta series on a confident, winning note.

Certainly this three-game stand is far more critical to the Braves than to the Giants. Atlanta has been the hottest team in baseball since the All-Star Break, but the Giants have been nearly as hot. The Braves have made up only two games in the standings since mid-July. Atlanta really needs a sweep of this series to make things uncomfortable for the Giants, who have not been swept in any series, home or away, all season. In fact, the Giants have made it a point to avoid losing streaks in '93, period: only 17 of their major-league-low 42 losses have come in consecutive games. This is a team that knows how to bounce back quickly.

Indeed, the Giants have been eerily, calmly dominant all season. This is not like the carnival-style 1987 campaign, nor the late-inning-rally year of 1989. San Francisco has clearly been the best team in baseball since April. Although Philadelphia was hot early in the year, and the Braves are torrid now, only the Giants have played at this stratospheric .667 level consistently. They are on pace to win 107 games, and Atlanta, the two-time defending N.L. champion, could find itself the first team since the 1954 New York Yankees to win 100 games and still not win the pennant. With both Bill Swift and John Burkett chasing twenty wins and the Cy Young Award, with Barry Bonds on pace for a third MVP season and a possible Triple Crown, with the resurgence of Matt Williams as a power-and-RBI man, with Robby (.330) Thompson having his career year, with the bottom of the order sparking rally after rally, with as good a one-two bullpen punch as any team in the majors, these Giants have been overwhelmingly dominant. Therefore it was inspiring to watch the emotional reaction to Robbie's blast on Sunday. That may stand, when all is said and done, as one of the signal moments in a historic year for the San Francisco Giants.

Two games remain against the Braves this week, and the teams meet again, for the last time, in a three-game set at Atlanta next week. Will the N.L. West pennant be decided in the Giants' favor by September 2? No way -- but unless the Braves sweep both here and there, they will have blown their last chance to even the race. Soon we will know whether it will be a fight to the finish, or simply a numbers game.

The pennant chase is underway, and the Giants are the team to beat. Here we go!

		GIANTS    83-42              Haven't been swept in a series yet.Atlanta   77-49   6-1/2 GB   Glad not to be scoreboard-watching.

Today's game: Giants host Atlanta. 1:05 PM start out at the 'Stick. Lefty Bryan Hickerson goes against Tom Glavine, who has pitched well against every team in the league this year except the Giants.

Last night's game: A sellout, record-setting crowd at Candlestick saw Trevor Wilson nickeled-and-dimed to death by the Braves early; even pitcher Steve Avery got into the act with a RBI double. The lone Giants hero was Robby Thompson, whose fourth homer in as many games made it close. Avery was not overpowering, but he was effective. Wilson left after four; he was diagnosed afterward as having another shoulder inflammation and immediately joined Bud Black on the DL. It's likely both will remain there until the doctors figure out the source of their chronic injuries. The Giants' rotation now looks like "Burkett and Swift... and pray for the earth to shift."

		GIANTS    83-43              They're leaving too many men on base.Atlanta   78-49   5-1/2 GB   It's their game: strong starting pitching.

Today: Giants host Atlanta, 1:05 PM start. Giants' ace Bill Swift (17-5) goes against Greg Maddux. It is not exaggeration to say that this is the biggest game of the year, by far. The pennant race has arrived.

Yesterday's game: Giants had men on base but hit into three double plays as crafty Tom Glavine survived seven innings. Bryan Hickerson was not so resilient: he served up three gopher balls in six innings. Robby Thompson continued his amazing tear, with his fifth homer in five days, but it wasn't enough. The hits did not fall, and when they don't, this team's shallow starting rotation is exposed for all to see. A great deal is riding on today's game, as the Giants send Swift out there to stop this little skid, avoid the sweep Atlanta needs, and set things right once more. The Braves are making their move right now, and who better than Swift, the unflappable one, to slow them down.

		GIANTS    83-44              They'll get three more chances next week.Atlanta   79-49   4-1/2 GB   Might red-hot Braves cool off at home?

Today: Both teams have the day off, and both fly South and East. Atlanta returns home, while Giants go to Miami for start of 10-day road trip.

Yesterday's game: Braves came out swinging early and Swift had no answer for them. Atlanta hit six homers; Fred McGriff and David Justice went back-to-back twice. Meanwhile, Greg Maddux scattered six hits over eight innings. 155,000 people saw the three-game series, setting S.F. attendance records both for series and season. The Braves have done it: their sweep has created a pennant race. Now the fun starts.

Notes: Clark limped off the field after reinjuring his left knee, and has been placed on the DL. It's the only way to force him to rest that knee. No roster replacement yet; Todd Benzinger will assume first-base duties for now... Getting away from home may benefit Giants, but the upcoming road trip is critical. They play three teams that have given them trouble this year: Florida, Atlanta, and St Louis. Five wins in nine games, including one win in Atlanta, would rate the trip a success.

		GIANTS    84-45              Well, the pitching staff has a new look.Atlanta   81-50   4 GB       Season on the line this week.

Today: Giants finish up at Miami; 4:35 start (PDT). Scott Sanderson goes against Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy. Atlanta has the day off; they host Giants beginning tomorrow.

Yesterday's game: Rookie Salomon Torres went seven strong innings in his big-league debut, scattering five hits and striking out six. Giants reverted to their familiar style of scoring early and piling it on later. It was the team's best performance since the Pittsburgh series 10 days ago.

The weekend: Braves picked up a half-game on the Giants with their win Saturday, while San Francisco was idled due to the Miami Dolphins' exhibition football game at Joe Robbie Stadium. Friday night, Giants blew a golden opportunity to gain a game as Braves lost to Cubs; Burkett, handed two-run early lead, was nicked for three cheap ones before Orestes Destrade took him downtown with a three-run blast in the sixth. After early scores, Giants reverted to unhappy recent plate pattern: 10 men left on base plus three GIDP.

Notes: Giants GM Bob Quinn swung the best deal he could on Saturday, trading for veteran lefthander Jim Deshaies of Minnesota, a former Houston Astro. It cost the Giants three medium-grade minor-leaguers, including Greg Brummett, who did not distinguish himself during his short stay with the big club. Deshaies joins Sanderson and young Torres as the Giants' emergency-crew starting corps. He may get his first start as a Giant on Wednesday against the Braves.

		GIANTS    85-45              Once again, they're on a "Florida roll."Atlanta   81-50   4-1/2 GB   It's Maddux, then Smoltz, and then Avery.

Today: Giants arrive in Atlanta as this epic three-game series begins. Tonight (4:40 PDT), Bill Swift looks to redeem himself (and to get his 18th win) against the Braves' tough Greg Maddux.

Yesterday's game: Two unlikely heroes sparked the Giants. Veteran Scott Sanderson, who wasn't even on the roster a month ago, pitched six of the guttiest innings you'll ever see, tying the Marlins in knots despite being without his good stuff. Meanwhile, Todd Benzinger, filling in ably for Will Clark, continued his hot hitting streak with two more homers, the second of which put the game out of reach. Burba, Jackson, and Beck finished up for Sanderson.

		GIANTS    85-46              Must be glad to have August behind them.Atlanta   82-50   3-1/2 GB   Can they continue this incredible pace?

Today: Giants at Atlanta; 4:40 p.m. PDT. Bryan Hickerson tries to stop the bleeding; he's matched against John Smoltz. Gulp.

Yesterday's game: For three innings, Swift was unhittable and heroic, slicing through the Braves' lineup with the greatest of ease. Then the wheels fell off, and suddenly it was last Wednesday all over again. Braves put five across in the fourth, the big hits coming from David Justice (bases-loaded single) and Mark Lemke (two-run opposite-field double, the killer). Justice added a two-run homer in the fifth off Dave (Serve-'Em-Up) Righetti. Barry Bonds went 4-for-4 with his 39th homer, but the rest of the gang had no clue against Greg Maddux, who, like Swifty, basically duplicated last week's performance. The Braves are playing so well right now it's easy to lose perspective; easy to forget that 29 games remain after this series, none against Atlanta. These past four games have been more an indication of the Braves' sudden brilliance than of Giants weakness, and Atlanta knows they must keep up this pace to win it. They are 32-11 (.744) since the All-Star break. If they stay on that pace, they'll finish with 104 wins. The Giants could go 20-11 (.645) and still beat them. No, there is no reason to panic; this is simply the Braves' moment right now. And one Giant win in this series would change everything back again.

		GIANTS    86-46              Has the season just turned around again?Atlanta   82-51   4-1/2 GB   All of a sudden, they GOTTA win tonight.

Today: Giants finish up season series with Braves; 4:40 p.m. PDT start in Atlanta. John Burkett (19-6) against Steve Avery (15-4).

Yesterday's game: It wasn't a big win, it was a huge win, a thrilling, dramatic example of just how good, how satisfying, baseball can be. It was a tense, playoff-style atmosphere last night, and for the first time in these two series we had a game to match it. Atlanta scored first; the Giants tied it up. The Braves broke the tie; again the Giants evened it. Bryan Hickerson gave the Giants the steady five-plus innings they needed, and then lefty Kevin Rogers came in and got five big outs, in order, through the heart of the Atlanta lineup in the sixth and seventh. The Braves' John Smoltz pitched a heroic game himself through seven, but after 115 pitches in a tie game, he left for a pinch-hitter. And the Braves are a different team, one not nearly so intimidating, once their starters have departed. In the ninth, John Patterson, just called up that day from Phoenix, broke the tie with his first major-league home run, and Rod Beck shut 'em down in order, fanning Dave Justice with a flourish to close it out. They just don't make 'em any better than this. An added fillip was TV Channel 36's failure to show the game as it was supposed to; thus we heard it on the radio, driving around town with our baby boy. And now the pressure's all on the Braves again.

		GIANTS    86-47              Now the stretch drive begins.Atlanta   83-51   3-1/2 GB   The team that refuses to die, lives on.

Today: Giants at St Louis; 5 p.m. PDT. Jim Deshaies gets his first start as a Giant, opposing Allen Watson. Atlanta hosts San Diego.

Yesterday's game: You've got to hand it to the Braves. They are a tough, determined ballclub, and they won't go down easy, if at all. The Giants were three innings away from delivering a knockout blow, a win that would have left Atlanta five and a half back. Instead, the Braves sucked it up and broke through for three runs in the seventh inning.

The key plays: Otis Nixon's balls-out steal of third; Ron Gant's epochal at-bat against Dave Burba, which ended with Gant's 60-foot single off Burba's backside and Nixon's desperate-but-successful dash for home with the go-ahead run; and a classic duel between Fred McGriff and young Kevin Rogers, won by McGriff when he hit a good, snapping curveball into center field for the third run of the inning.

Until that dramatic seventh, it was the Giants' game all the way. They cuffed Steve Avery around for three-plus innings, Barry Bonds connecting for his 40th homer in the process, until John Burkett's RBI single brought Bobby Cox to the mound and sent Avery to an early shower. At that point, with Burkett up 3-0 and pitching well, and the Braves' shaky bullpen taking center stage, it looked like the worm had turned for the last time. Even the tomahawk-chopping fans had fallen silent.

But then Dusty Baker, whom we're loath to criticize, pulled Burkett after six -- claiming he was tired -- and turned the lead over to Jeff Brantley. Disaster ensued. Brantley recorded exactly one out, while surrendering two hits and a walk and leaving a bases-loaded mess for Burba and Rogers, who didn't do too badly, given the circumstances. We can't help but say that it was a weak move to take Burkett out; he'd allowed five hits and two runs in six innings, and was on the way to his 19th win. He should've started the seventh. As for Brantley, he should be released before he does any more damage. Whether or not this game serves as a milestone in Atlanta's epic comeback story or merely postpones the inevitable, the Giants can't afford to entrust Brantley with another lead. The stakes are just too high. The Braves' much-maligned 'pen, by comparison, held the fort after Avery's departure. The Giants did not score past the fourth, getting only two hits over the last five innings against four Atlanta relievers.

		GIANTS    89-48              "Ain't it good to be back home again...."Atlanta   86-52   3-1/2 GB   Goes to show what one loss can do.

Weekend series: Giants took two of three in St Louis (6-1, 3-1, 6-7). Braves swept San Diego in Atlanta and -- briefly -- closed the gap to two and one-half games.

Today: Giants host Pittsburgh, 7:35. Bryan Hickerson starts in place of John Burkett, scratched due to elbow 'soreness'. He will miss this start and go again Sunday. Pirates counter with Steve Cooke (2-1, 4.50 ERA in 3 starts against Giants this year).

Atlanta plays Dodgers down the coast in LA; Avery against Pedro Astacio.

Yesterday's game: Scott Sanderson really came through, with six innings of two-hit ball. This patchwork rotation -- with Sanderson, Salomon Torres, and Jim Deshaies the star pitchers -- is somehow keeping things afloat. Neither Burkett nor Swift has won a decision since August 11, but Giants are treading water with 12-10 mark (11-5 against everyone but Atlanta) since then.

The weekend: Giants got solid back-to-back efforts from Deshaies, in his San Francisco debut, and Torres as they took first two from Cards. Deshaies, as is his wont, allowed one mighty blast, a solo shot from Brian Jordan, but was fine otherwise. He should definitely get starts in the Astrodome and Dodger Stadium later this month, and will probably fare well at 'Stick, too. Torres was aided by rookie J.R. Phillips, who tripled in his first big-league at-bat and homered in his second.

But on Sunday, Bill Swift again ran out of gas in the sixth, surrendering a seemingly solid 5-2 lead. After Matt Williams' homer tied it up, Dave Burba couldn't hold the Cards in the ninth. Rod Beck gave up a bases-loaded single to end it, and the Giants had finally lost a Sunday road game after 10 straight wins. Atlanta finished its sweep of San Diego that same afternoon, and the Braves thus chopped another game off the lead.

What should have been a successful road trip -- they won five of nine -- somehow was not enough. But the Giants bounced back yesterday, as they always do, and, as if in reward, the baseball gods let LA rally late to beat the Braves and put that one game back on the lead. Atlanta's loss underscores their tenuous position these days: every lost game really hurts them. But, on the other hand, they've really nothing to lose, since the race seemed over long ago. Even if they fail now, the Braves have accomplished a lot, and that explains how they remain so loose and unconcerned amid the pennant-race pressure.

		GIANTS    89-49              Win-one-lose-one riff ain't gonna make it.Atlanta   87-52   2-1/2 GB   When was last time they lost two straight?

Today: Giants have the day off. Atlanta plays at LA again, with Tom Glavine going for the Braves against Ramon Martinez.

Yesterday's game: Only 17,000 struggled out to the 'Stick to watch the Giants fumble away a game they should have won. Two fielding mishaps allowed Pittsburgh two early runs off Bryan Hickerson, who pitched well. After Matt Williams went deep (number 31) to tie it, and Royce Clayton followed with a blast to untie it, the bullpen gave it away again. Mike Jackson walked Dave (Who?) Clark, then gave up the game-winning homer to Don Slaught. Meanwhile, Atlanta squeezed out a 1-0 win over the Dodgers, behind Steve (16-4) Avery.

Notes: Mark Whiten of St Louis hit four home runs in a game yesterday, tying the major-league record. He also tied the record for most RBI in one game, with 12. No one had ever done both in the same game before. Since this was the second game of a doubleheader, he also tied the record for most RBI in a doubleheader (13). It was the first multi-homer game of Whiten's career.

		GIANTS    89-49              Have won 4 of last 8, 6 of last 14.Atlanta   88-52   2  GB      Have won 6 of last 7, 12 of last 15.

Today: Giants host Cardinals in first of four-game weekend set. Jim Deshaies will start tonight against Rene Arocha (7:35). Atlanta visits the Padres in San Diego this weekend.

		GIANTS    89-50              Okay, let's admit it: they're in trouble.Atlanta   89-52   1  GB      Can they really keep it going all month?

Today: Giants vs. Cardinals tonight at the 'Stick, 7:35 PM start. Giants' latest ace, Salomon Torres, will start against fellow rookie Tom Urbani.

Atlanta's at San Diego again, with Maddux pitching.

Yesterday's game: Not only did they lose, they lost ugly. Big-time ugly. Deshaies failed to complete the second inning, giving up four straight hits and a walk to the pitcher. After Cardinal errors then let the Giants creep within 3-2, good ol' Jeff Brantley came on to kick it away in the sixth. He left a nice mess for rookie Terry Bross, who surrendered a grand slam, and that was it. Meanwhile, Atlanta won yet another 1-0 game. This time, the Braves trotted out Kent Mercker, who's been a reliever his whole career, and he no-hit the Padres for six innings. Are those guys for real? And can they keep playing like this for three more weeks?

Notes: Baseball owners took a big step toward realigning both leagues yesterday. The proposal calls for three divisions in each league, along the lines of the NFL's setup. The American League divisions make perfect geographic sense, but in the NL Florida wound up in the Central Division, with Pittsburgh in the East. Weird. One wild-card team from each league would qualify for a new round of playoffs. Since such a change was inevitable, at least they have set it up almost right, although legitimate fears remain that more wild-card teams could be added to a further-expanded postseason in the years ahead. The owners also sensibly scrapped the idea of regular-season interleague play.

But it's hardly all good news; in fact, the bad news is downright awful. First, the season has not been shortened, nor have more doubleheaders been required. This could extend the World Series into November! Thus baseball will no doubt be faced one day with the prospect of snow or sleet during a World Series game. Great. Plus, the owners' slavish kowtowing to the TV networks leaves us with no postseason day games; instead everything will have to be in "prime time." That is downright criminal, especially for kids. The greed-fest rages on, unabated.

		Atlanta   91-53              Dare we hope the .800 streak has ended?GIANTS    89-53   1  GB      Stumbling around in a daze right now.

Weekend series: Giants lost all three games to Cards, while Braves took two of three in San Diego. Saturday's results saw Atlanta finally take over first place in the division.

Today: Giants host Cubs; 7:35 start. Scott Sanderson against Greg Hibbard (1-2, 6.43, 26 baserunners in 14 innings against Giants this year). Atlanta is idle.

The weekend: Giants were swept in a four-game series for the first time all year, and at home, no less. Their current losing streak is five, the longest of the season. Braves are 5-1 in same stretch. Giants got quality starts from all three pitchers over the weekend -- Torres, Swift, Burkett -- but in each case the Cardinals' starter -- Urbani, Tewksbury, Cormier -- was just a little better. Giant hitters have been swinging at the first pitch, popping up, and grounding into double plays far too often; no Giant has drawn a base on balls since Friday night. The hitters were making the pitchers look great earlier in the year, but clearly this team is pressing at the plate now. Even Clark's return (they were 6-6 with him on DL) hasn't helped. A victory by Atlanta on Sunday could have ended this bizarre "race"; strange as it sounds, a two-game lead might have been just too much for the Giants to overcome. But one game -- anyone can overcome a one-game lead. To keep it from getting any bigger, the Giants must recapture the assertive, take-charge spirit which built the seemingly-insurmountable lead that is now only a memory.

		Atlanta   91-53              Will Dame Fortune accompany them home?GIANTS    89-54   1-1/2 GB   There's a serious problem here.

Today: Giants face Cubs again at the 'Stick; 7:35 P.M. start. Jim Deshaies will give it a whirl. Atlanta is at home against Cincinnati; Glavine's pitching.

Yesterday's game: The losing streak reached six as the Giants fumbled away another one. They had 10 hits, but grounded into four double plays. Lone standout was Robby Thompson, with two more homers, both solo shots. At least three big-inning opportunities were wasted via pickoffs, caught-stealing, and GIDP. Only 16,000 hardy souls made it out to Candlestick; the bandwagon is noticeably lighter these days.

		Atlanta   92-53              They don't even HAVE to win these days.GIANTS    89-55   2-1/2 GB   Will upcoming road trip help?

Today: Giants finish up against Cubs. 1:05 start at the 'Stick, with Salomon Torres carrying the tattered banner against Mike Morgan. Morgan's had two terrible outings against the Giants this year. Atlanta hosts the Reds (and Jose Rijo).

Yesterday's game: Have they been playing too many night games? The Giants' road record is now better than their home record. They haven't won at Candlestick since Labor Day. Last night was another dreary, can't-hit affair, enlivened in the late innings by some truly awful "relief" pitching (Righetti and Brantley, natch). It's hard to say, in retrospect, which has been the bigger surprise: the team's meteoric four-month rise, or this grotesque, last-minute collapse. Well, it's not over yet, anyway (is that good or bad?). Perhaps a road trip to Cincinnati and Houston will help: the Giants now have a better record on artificial turf than they do on grass.

		Atlanta   93-53              They've played .800 ball for 6 weeks now.GIANTS    89-56   3-1/2 GB   Even a 17-0 finish might not be enough.

Today: Giants are idle; they fly to Cincinnati to begin short road trip. Atlanta finishes up at home against the Reds.

Yesterday's game: Just like all the others on this Homestand From Hell. The good news was that 25,000 people showed up, because it was a day game. Best crowd since Sunday. Salomon Torres pitched pretty well, but the Giants made Mike Morgan look like Christy Mathewson, picking up three feeble hits and not scoring until the ninth. Plus, both Matt Williams and Willie McGee left the field limping, and both are day-to-day. Thus concludes the Giants' worst homestand since 1972. And to top it off, the Braves rallied from 6-2 down in the ninth to win it on Ron Gant's three-run homer. Gant has to be considered a MVP candidate, along with Bonds and Philadelphia's Len Dykstra.

		Atlanta   94-53              They Could! Go! All! The! Way!GIANTS    89-56   4  GB      Are they the '78 Sox... or the '64 Phils?

Today: Giants at Cincinnati; 4:40 PM (PDT) start. Bill Swift pitching. Giants have lost eight straight, the Reds six; something's got to give. Atlanta, with Steve Avery, hosts the Mets, with Sid Fernandez.

		Atlanta   96-54              On to Montreal, Philly, and -- we hope -- doom.GIANTS    92-56   3  GB      "Turf terrors" invade the Astrodome.

Weekend series: Giants awakened from their coma, sweeping Reds three straight in grand fashion (13-0, 6-1, 7-3). Braves took two of three from Mets, but Saturday's loss cut a game off their lead.

Today: Giants at Houston; 5:05 start (PDT). Jim Deshaies, long a good 'Dome pitcher during his Astro tenure, gets what amounts to his last chance as a Giant starter. 'Stros counter with Greg Swindell (10-12 overall; 1-1, 6.88 in 3 starts against Giants). Atlanta is idle. They open in Montreal tomorrow night.

The weekend: Giants exploded for thirteen runs Friday night as Bill Swift cruised to his 18th win with a superb, 85-pitch complete-game effort. Saturday it was John Burkett's turn to receive ample support; Todd Benzinger's two homers and four RBI set things up early. And yesterday Matt Williams' three-run shot held Scott Sanderson up through five; when things got close later, Matt hit a second, two-run blast to ice it.

Just as quickly and mysteriously as that awful two-week malaise descended upon the Giants, so too did it leave. This weekend series followed the same pattern as the team's first 120 games: the early lead, the solid, economical starting pitching, a late flurry if needed, and an impenetrable bullpen. The Giants have once again shown sterling character; the question is, now that they know they can win again, can Atlanta lose? The Braves are off to Montreal and Philadelphia, where they'll face two desperate teams fighting for the East title. This week, with four in Houston and four at home against San Diego, is the Giants' big chance. All they have to do is win and hope events take care of themselves. Soon we'll see if that dreadful losing streak was simply a short, dark interlude in an otherwise shining season -- or the untimely collapse that made the fatal difference.

Notes: Deshaies has been ripped in his last two starts, and if he can't pitch well tonight in the 'Dome -- his home field for many years and a good fly-ball pitcher's park -- the team might as well cut him loose and go with Hickerson as the fifth starter (or adopt a four-man rotation). They're all big games now, but tonight's is really big... Todd Benzinger is playing so well at first base that he's keeping Will Clark on the bench. Admittedly, Will is still hampered by that bad knee, but it's likely he'll get all the rest he needs as long as Benzinger stays hot... Matt Williams now has 37 homers and a team-leading 105 RBI to go with his .303 average. He is being mentioned in the MVP talk, which centers around Bonds (despite his September slump), Ron Gant, and Len Dykstra... Burkett and Swift each have a good chance to get twenty wins. Swift pitches Wednesday night and Burkett Thursday in the 'Dome; each will get one start on the season's final homestand (against San Diego and Colorado), and as things stand now, they will start the final two games of the season back-to-back in Dodger Stadium.

		Atlanta   96-54              Roughest stretch of schedule awaits.GIANTS    93-56   2-1/2  GB  Unbeaten in the 'Dome this year.

Yesterday's game: Jim Deshaies did what was needed: he gave the Giants five solid innings, allowing six hits but only one unearned run (Clayton dropped a pickoff throw and the runner later scored). Darren Lewis' two-out bases-loaded double in the top of the sixth, which broke open a 2-1 game, may yet stand as one of the big clutch hits of this season. Barry Bonds showed signs of life as well: three hits, two walks, two runs, two RBI.

		Atlanta   97-54              Magic number: 9.GIANTS    93-57   3-1/2  GB  Can't catch anybody by losing.

Today: Giants vs. Astros in the 'Dome again, 5:05. Bill Swift goes for his 19th win, against Pete Harnisch (0-1, 5.25 in two starts against San Francisco this year, with 11 strikeouts in 12 innings). It is no exaggeration to say this is literally a "must-win" game for the Giants. Atlanta's at Montreal again. Expos are going to fall out of contention unless they win a couple of these games.

Yesterday's game: Mark Portugal owns the Giants. It's that simple. His complete-game three-hit shutout made Salomon Torres' disappointing effort rather moot. Looking on the bright side, Giant pitchers might as well have their worst starts against Portugal, since the team can't beat him anyway. He's a free agent after this season; the Giants should do whatever they can to sign him.

		Atlanta   97-55              Now's the time to lose a couple in a row.GIANTS    94-57   2-1/2  GB  Last time they won this many was in '65.

Today: Giants finish up at the friendly Astrodome; 5:05. John Burkett will try to become the first Giant pitcher since Mike Krukow in 1986 to win 20 games. 'Stros counter with Doug Drabek (9-16 overall, a 5-0 loser with eight hits and four runs allowed in six innings here on June 18, his only start against the Giants this season). Atlanta sends Maddux up against Dennis Martinez in their Montreal finale.

Yesterday's game: It was probably the greatest performance of Bill Swift's career: eight innings of four-hit, shutout ball with 10 strikeouts, making a 1-0 lead hold up in the heat of a pennant race. Houston's Pete Harnisch was almost as impressive, striking out 10 himself through eight, but two of his seven hits allowed were Willie McGee's seventh-inning drag bunt and Kirt Manwaring's clutch run-scoring double. Swift pitched through pain in the seventh, when his lower back "went out" (it was subsequently realigned by trainer Mark Letendre). Rod Beck closed it out with his 42nd save, and a few minutes later the final came in from Montreal: the Braves had lost.

		Atlanta   98-55              Can they manage to lose two in Philly?GIANTS    95-57   2-1/2  GB  Clinging like a barnacle to a rock.

Today: Giants return home and open the season's final homestand: four games against San Diego and two with Colorado. Tonight, Scott Sanderson makes perhaps his final start of the season, against the Padres and Scott Sanders (that's no misprint); 7:35. Atlanta moves on to Philadelphia, where they face a team on the verge of clinching its division. The Phils' magic number is down to 5, and let's hope they reduce it further this weekend. Tom Glavine starts for Atlanta against Philly ace Tommie Greene.

Yesterday's game: Not to be outdone by teammate Swift, John Burkett became the Giants' first 20-game winner in seven years (and only their third since Juan Marichal's departure) with a brilliant, dominating performance against the Astros. Kevin Rogers got the save; Giants pitchers are working on a 19-inning scoreless streak right now. As has been their custom most of the year, Burkett's teammates gave him plenty of support, especially Barry Bonds (three doubles in five at-bats, two runs, two RBI) and Will Clark, who returned to the lineup with two hits.

Notes: Giants finished their "turf tour" with a 25-12 record on the plastic stuff... Dusty Baker announced his rotation for the season's final 10 games: Swifty, Burkett, and Torres the core starters, with Sanderson starting tonight and Hickerson starting next week against Colorado and in the season-ending series at LA... The switch to a four-man rotation means Swift and Burkett will open the Dodger series, and Torres will close it... Giants very badly need Atlanta to stumble this weekend against Philly and lose at least two: Braves finish at home against punchless 'Stros and pitching-poor Rockies.

		Atlanta  100-56              Any chance they'll lose just one more?GIANTS    98-57   1-1/2  GB  The team that refuses to die, lives on.

Weekend series: Giants took three from Padres (4-3, 3-1, 5-2) to run their latest winning streak to five (they've won nine of ten as well). Atlanta took two of three in Philly, losing the opener and a game off their lead.

Today: Giants finish up against Padres at the 'Stick; 7:35 start. John Burkett goes against Andy Benes, by all odds San Diego's best pitcher. He pitched brilliantly at Candlestick on June 22, his only start against the Giants this year. Atlanta's off today; they return home to finish it out. This will get that half-game off the lead.

The weekend: It was balls-to-the-wall all three days for the Giants, and they responded in brilliant, inspiring fashion. Friday night, with Atlanta losing, they were locked in a tight battle, trailing 3-2 in the eighth. Then Robby Thompson, leaning over the plate on a 0-2 count, was hit square in the face by a pitch. He staggered to his feet after several anxious moments and was taken to Stanford Hospital with a fractured cheekbone. In the shaky moments that followed, Will Clark stepped up. His clutch single sent Robby's replacement, Mike Benjamin, around to third. Benjamin then scored the tying run on Matt Williams' fly ball.

Into extra innings it went. San Diego put two on with none out in the tenth, and Dusty Baker immediately summoned Rod Beck. An attempted bunt was popped into the air, but Beck muffed the sure double-play ball and kicked it into foul ground. Then Clark, racing across the diamond, grabbed the ball and fired it to third for one. Williams' peg to second got another, and suddenly the rally had been killed. As if on cue, Will then led off the bottom of the tenth. He smacked a high, soaring drive to left that carried up and over the fence to win the ballgame, and suddenly it was 1989 all over again and Will Clark, after a season of nagging injury and personal frustration, stood tall once more. His mates carried him off the field after he crossed the plate.

Saturday, the team got word that Robby, though hurting, was not seriously injured and might be back for the L.A. series. Then Salomon Torres took the mound and blew the Padres away. He was nearly unhittable, allowing only three singles, although his heat caused some uncharacteristic wildness as he walked six. But Barry Bonds, looming large once again as MVP candidate, hit two more homers (his 42nd and 43rd; he'd also gone deep Friday night) to settle the issue. And yesterday it was Bill Swift joining teammate Burkett in the 20-win club with a typical performance -- 90 pitches, three hits, see you later. Bonds added number 44, his fourth blast in three days.

Notes: It's looking more and more like the Giants must go undefeated to win this thing. The way Atlanta's playing, even that might not do it, of course. But the Braves simply have to lose one, just one, out of their last six. If the Giants then go 7-0, there will be a one-game playoff next Monday night at Candlestick Park. The venue was decided by a coin flip several days ago. If it comes down to that, Swift will probably get the start... Even though they lost two of three at home to the Braves, the Phillies moved closer to clinching their own division as Montreal lost twice to the Mets... This is the first year since 1966, with Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry, that the Giants have had two 20-game-winning pitchers. That too was a great team, one that led the league most of the season, then fell behind the red-hot Dodgers late and, despite final-weekend heroics, finished second by a game and a half.

		Atlanta  100-56              It has come down to this, the final weekGIANTS    99-57   1  GB      of the season, with nothing held back.

Today: Giants host the Colorado Rockies; 7:35 at the 'Stick. Bryan Hickerson takes a turn. Atlanta opens a three-game set at home against Houston. 'Stros have Pete Harnisch tonight -- but Braves counter with Greg Maddux.

Yesterday's game: Matt Williams launched a two-run homer in the first inning against Andy Benes, and the Giants never trailed. Burkett was brilliant through six, retiring 20 in a row at one point, but lost it abruptly in the eighth. Then Jackson struggled, so out came Beck for No. 44. The Giants, though clearly not at their best, simply would not be denied: San Diego scored twice in the seventh, twice more in the eighth, and each time the Giants responded with two of their own. They have been relentless on this six-game winning streak, and now the Braves are on notice that they'd best stay relentless themselves. A one-game lead with six to play? Anything can happen.

		GIANTS   100-57              Whoa, Nellie--look at this!Atlanta  100-57   ...

Today: Giants finish up with Colorado; 1:05 PM. Salomon Torres will start. It's the Giants' regular-season 'Stick finale. Atlanta hosts Houston again, with Tom Glavine facing the Astros' Doug Drabek. 4:35 PM PDT, broadcast nationwide on ESPN.

Yesterday's game: Before a rocking, rolling, playoff-tense Candlestick crowd, the Giants took an early 5-0 lead and held on to win. Fans arrived early and watched the Atlanta game on the Jumbotron screen, cheering as the 'Stros beat Greg Maddux. Just as that game ended, this one began, and the Giants knew they were playing for first place. Bryan Hickerson struggled courageously into the sixth, but yielded three straight singles to open the frame, the last a line drive off his own chest that knocked him out. On came Dave Burba, with the bases loaded and nobody out. He shut 'em down cold and left the mound to a standing ovation. But Don Baylor's team broke through against Burba in the eighth on ex-Giant Charlie Hayes' three-run dinger, and it was up to Mike Jackson, Kevin Rogers (who's emerging as a strong set-up man from the left side) and finally Rod Beck (#45). It really doesn't get any better than this: we're all tied up with five games to play.

		Atlanta  101-57              Everything right is wrong again.GIANTS   100-58   1 GB

Today: Giants move on to L.A. to complete the season with a four-game series in Dodger Stadium. Tonight, it's Bill Swift against Tom Candiotti. Candiotti has probably been the Giants' toughest opponent this year, except Mark Portugal, of course. Atlanta finishes up with Houston. John Smoltz against Darryl Kile.

Yesterday's game: Almost 40,000 people showed up for the regular-season 'Stick finale. but it wasn't enough. For one game, at least, Giants reverted to that nightmarish pattern of early September: gopher balls and lots of men left on base. Salomon Torres served up two early solo homers, then walked three men in the third, all of whom later scored. Giants twice left the bases loaded without scoring: a called strike on what should have been ball four in the fifth was followed by Matt Williams' GIDP that settled the issue, more or less. It was basically a reversal of Tuesday night's game.

Notes: Will Clark received a standing ovation from the crowd. He becomes a free agent at season's end, and we can only hope management realizes his importance and works to re-sign him. Yesterday's well-wishers took no such chances as they serenaded Will for his being the heart and soul of this ballclub since 1987... Dusty Baker admitted his end-of-season rotation, with the slightly injured Hickerson and the suddenly-vulnerable Torres set to start the last two games, may be subject to change... Giants set an all-time franchise attendance record with over 2,600,000 fans, up over a million from '92... Astros sounded like they'd caught 'Giants disease' in their loss last night, leaving the bases loaded twice, including the ninth inning when they had Braves reliever Greg McMichael on the ropes... Philadelphia clinched the East two days ago and will host the first NLCS playoff game next Wednesday night.

		GIANTS   101-58              It's all tied up... again.Atlanta  101-58   ...        First-place air hard to breathe, ain't it?

Today: Giants at L.A.; 7:35 start. John Burkett goes for his 22nd win; Ramon Martinez pitches for the Dodgers. Martinez has not faced the Giants this year. Atlanta hosts Colorado in the first of three; Steve Avery against Greg Harris, the expatriate Padre.

Yesterday's game: Bill Swift showed Cy Young form last night. Faced with almost insufferable pressure, pitching in a ballpark that's been a Giant graveyard, Swift was his usual cool, unflappable self. After walking two in the first, he threw darts the rest of the way. Meanwhile, the Giants took what they could get against Tom Candiotti and his flutterballs, which wasn't much, but they got plenty against the porous Dodger defense. The big plays came in the fourth, when Jose Offerman kicked a grounder to keep the inning alive, and Kirt Manwaring followed with a RBI single. When ex-Giant Cory Snyder heaved the relay into the Dodger dugout, a second run scored. Swift made it hold up, although LA got a run in the sixth on a Mike Benjamin error that was scored a hit. Kevin Rogers again made his case for setup-man status, getting two in the eighth after Matt Williams' triple and Willie McGee's infield hit scored the third run, and Rod Beck got the last four outs for his 46th save. And hanging over it all was the spectre of the Braves' wild, 10-8 loss at home to the Astros. Atlanta had not lost two of three since August 8, and they picked a fine time to do it. They are a very fallible 4-4 since September 21, when they led by three and a half games after Mark Portugal had beaten the Giants. Perhaps now is the time for them to lose a couple in a row, for the first time since God knows when.

Notes: Candiotti has a 0.84 ERA in four starts against the Giants this season -- and a 1-1 record... Robby Thompson, who at first expected to be back for this series, is out until the playoffs, if the Giants make it that far. He practiced yesterday for the first time since the injury, but is far from ready... Giants will not face Dodgers' hottest pitcher, Pedro Astacio, but Martinez and Hershiser back-to-back is quite enough, thanks all the same... Expect that Steve Scarsone, not Benjamin, will start at second the rest of the series... Rockies are 0-10 against Braves so far this year, but it only takes one, guys... Giants' next win will be a San Francisco regular-season record; they won 101 in 1962, then two more in the three-game playoff series. Needless to say, it would be most encouraging if they'd win all three remaining here, to set the definitive record!

		Atlanta  104-58              *** BRAVES WIN IT ***GIANTS   103-59   1 GB       Won 14 of last 17... and finished second.

Weekend series: Giants took two of three from Dodgers, winning 8-7 Friday night and 5-3 Saturday, but it wasn't enough. San Francisco still has never swept four straight at Dodger Stadium. Atlanta won all three against Colorado, keeping the pressure on the Giants all weekend -- a tactic which finally proved effective.

The Weekend: Giants rose to the heights of glory and sank to the depths of despair in less than 72 hours, which is a fair summation of this magnificent and crazy season.

Friday night's game was perhaps the greatest of the year. It was the night Barry Bonds locked up the MVP award; it was also a night which seemed to confer destiny upon the Giants, to reassure us that this team would win, would surmount any and all obstacles in its way. John Burkett started the game without his good stuff and was immediately stung for three in the first and another in the second. With the Braves' win already a done deal, suddenly it seemed this frantic race might expire early.

That's when Barry Bonds took center stage. He launched a towering drive to center field with two on in the third and the Giants down 4-1; Brett Butler kept going back and the ball kept going, going, over the fence to tie the game. Two innings later, after Will Clark had singled and Matt Williams doubled, Tommy Lasorda chose to pitch to Bonds with first base open. And this time Bonds launched it into the stratosphere, far over the right-field fence. It was a massive, unavoidable statement, and it carried the day. The Clark-Williams-Bonds axis went 10-for-13 in that game, with seven runs and 8 RBI. Burkett lasted five innings, good enough for his 22nd, and Rod Beck got his 47th save despite a sore hip and a weary arm. He gave up a two-run homer in the ninth to Dave Hansen, but nailed slugger Mike Piazza to end it.

Then it was Saturday, with wily Orel Hershiser on the mound and Atlanta merrily clobbering the Rockies 3,000 miles away. Though Hershiser didn't have his best stuff, and was nicked for two runs early due to some typical Dodger defensive comedy, Bryan Hickerson himself ran out of gas soon for the Giants. He left the game in the third tied 2-2. And to hold the fort, Dusty Baker selected, of all people, Jeff Brantley! With Trevor Wilson, among others, rested and ready in the 'pen, Dusty went with the Squirming Lead-Blower. There was nothing to do but curse and pray. And Brantley put a sweet end to a sour season with four innings of one-hit ball, frustrating the Dodgers no end. Meanwhile, another overlooked Giant, Dave Martinez, starting in right due to Willie McGee's sore ribs, came up with a clutch double to right-center that scored Clark and the ubiquitous Bonds with two big runs to win the game. Will, playing his greatest baseball of the season, went 4-for-5 for the second straight game. And once again it was Beck, running on empty, defiantly shutting them down for his 48th save.

This win, while sweet, was clearly less dramatic than Friday's; it seemed to be simply the set-up scene of the drama, the necessary interlude between the boffo beginning and the fireworks finale. When the Braves -- solid, confident, relentless, implacable -- dusted off Colorado for their 104th win Sunday, all the pieces were in place. The Atlanta players waited in their clubhouse, to see if they'd be flying out here later in the day. Dusty Baker penciled in the 21-year-old Salomon Torres as his starter, reasoning that only Torres had the stuff, if he was "on," to shut down the Dodgers. Scott Sanderson, the veteran, was held in ready reserve. Sunday's NFL slate was completely disregarded; the tension hovered thick as the smog over L.A. and Dodger Stadium. Somehow, 103 wins were not enough; somehow, despite a record-setting season, despite having pulled themselves up from the brink of disaster, despite having forced the Braves to play desperately brilliant baseball--somehow the Giants would have to win one more.

And they couldn't do it. Right away, LA starter Kevin Gross, who no-hit the Giants last August, showed command of his wide repertoire of pitches. The Giants had hammered Ramon Martinez and they'd bedeviled Hershiser, but they were off-balance against Gross and his mixed bag of tricks. For his part, Torres was strong, but wild. Once again, as against Colorado, the walks killed him. Patiently the Dodgers let Torres dig small holes for himself, and then they chipped their way to a 3-0 lead after three.

In the fourth, Torres was pulled with two on and one out and Dave Hansen at the plate. Trevor Wilson was summoned to face the lefty, Lasorda countered by pinch-hitting Tim Wallach, and Wallach lined into a double play to end it. The Giants promptly got on the board in the top of the fifth, Royce Clayton scoring on Lewis' grounder after a key sacrifice by Wilson, but Dusty Baker then made a curious decision: he brought in Dave Burba to pitch the fifth. Now Sanderson was rested, and supposedly held in reserve. He was almost named to start. Bringing in Wilson for one batter had been wise; not only did it work, it got the red-hot Hansen out of the game. But Burba, who'd worked hard in the Colorado series, was clearly not ready, and while Sanderson stood in the bullpen, thinking God knows what, Burba turned a tight 3-1 game into a walkaway.

Dodger catcher Mike Piazza, the NL Rookie of the Year, swatted a homer to right-center. First baseman Eric Karros drew a walk. Cory Snyder, the former Giant, then delivered the death-blow, a thunderous drive, also to right-center, that cleared the fence for a 6-1 lead. It was all over. As well as Gross was pitching, a 3-1 or 4-1 lead would have been tough enough to overcome. There was no way the Giants were going to recover from 6-1. But just to make sure, the Dodgers took batting practice against Dave Righetti and Jim Deshaies, both certainly making their final appearances in Giant uniform, in the eighth. Piazza launched his second homer of the game, a three-run shot to left, off Righetti. After Karros tripled down the line, Deshaies came in to tee one up for that well-known slugger, Raul Mondesi, and the only thing left to wait for was Will Clark's perhaps-final at-bat as a Giant. It came in the ninth inning and Clark, still wearing the 'Nuschler face', stood in against the unflappable Gross and drilled one to deepest center. Will's old teammate Butler made a running catch at the wall, and soon it was official. The Braves will open the National League Championship Series against the Phillies in Philadelphia on Wednesday night, and the winner of that series will face either the Toronto Blue Jays or the Chicago White Sox in the World Series beginning October 16.

Atlanta  104- 58             One of baseball's greatest stretch drives.
GIANTS   103- 59   1 GB      Best 2nd-place team since at least 1954.
Houston   85- 77  19 GB      Might win new NL Central next year.
L.A.      81- 81  23 GB      Should step up with good young players.
Colorado  67- 95  37 GB      Best September mark of any expansion team.
San Diego 61-101  43 GB      No future, no future, no future for you!

Perhaps we can take a look at what made the Giants' season such a success. First and foremost, this club consistently scored runs. Secondly, the starting pitching, while thin, rarely gave the game away early. If the team is scoring runs, it generally can do well with average starting pitching. And the Giants got outstanding pitching from Swifty and Burkett. While hitting well enough to win 80-85 games even with mediocre starters, the Giants got twenty extra wins because their two aces had Cy Young years. So what happens next?

Let's look at the lineup. We saw, very late in the season, what can happen when Clark, Williams, and Bonds all get hot at the same time. It was spectacular. Will they get a chance to repeat it next year? The big questions concern the fates of Clark and Robby Thompson, both of whom are now free agents, and both of whose new salaries, if they are to be re-signed, must fit under the new annual salary cap that the teams have imposed upon themselves. The conventional wisdom seems to be that one must stay while the other leaves, and most of the season it was Thompson who appeared the likeliest to stay. Robby is a hero; I didn't mention that he gutted it out and played that final game of the year, nine days after being hit in the face with a pitch that could have killed him. Robby also had his greatest year in '93, hitting .312 with power to go along with his superb defense and leadership. By contrast, Clark had his second straight subpar year. He has battled numerous small injuries to his legs, which he keeps quiet about but which affect his swing. Certainly his numbers of late do not compare with other NL first basemen such as Fred McGriff or Gregg Jefferies or John Kruk. And many have decided that Clark, therefore, is on the downhill side of his career at 29 and should be the one to go, if one must go. We disagree.

Good as Robby Thompson is, Clark is more valuable to this team. He showed in the final days that he is more than just a great hitter and a great competitor; he can truly raise his level of play when the situation calls for it. If there is any chance that he will be healthier next year than this year, he should be signed. If one of the two has to go, it should be Thompson. He very well may have just had his career year. He is a second baseman, and as such is prone to injury. He has a bad back, and misses 20 games a year, minimum. He is a wonderful player, but he is no Clark. And Steve Scarsone is already a fine second baseman; the team can replace Robby easier than it can Will. It's a harsh thing to say, but it is true.

As long as Barry Bonds is healthy, the rest of the offense should be solid. Willie McGee, Royce Clayton, and Kirt Manwaring all benefitted from Bonds' presence in the number-five spot in the order. Singles hitters all, they nonetheless had plenty of RBI opportunities due to Bonds' league-leading walks total. Darren Lewis is an adequate leadoff man whose defense makes him invaluable. As for Bonds and Williams, there are not enough accolades. This team scored runs in 1993; it should score them in 1994.

Starting pitching? Well, we begin with Swift and Burkett. With Swift, everything indicates that 1993 was no fluke. The man can pitch, and if he is managed carefully and limited to 100 pitches every fourth day, he can win twenty games. He's the one pitcher you can count on to do well even if the team does not score. Burkett inspires a bit less confidence only because he was the epitome of a solid .500 inning-eater up until this year, a good third or fourth starter but nothing more. The big question is, did he benefit solely from the Giants' run-scoring boost (5.4 runs per game in his starts), or did he simultaneously emerge as a complete, mature pitcher? I take nothing away from Burkett and his superb season, but it's still a question whether he can be as effective next year as he was in '93. Even if he is, the Giants' staff needs another top starter. Few teams in baseball have two pitchers of this caliber, but the Giants' task is to measure up to Atlanta, with their four outstanding starters, and by that yardstick the team is still lacking. It would be worth it to let, say, Robby Thompson go, if it were then possible to sign someone like Mark Portugal or--even better-- Jose Rijo. The Giants can most likely overcome LA, their only serious competition in the new NL West, without adding anybody. But the road to the Series will lead through Atlanta, and next year winning the division won't be enough.

Salomon Torres is in the big leagues to stay, and we can expect that he and Trevor Wilson will be in Dusty Baker's April rotation. Torres simply needs experience; he's got the tools. Wilson remains haunted by the injury bug and by his own expectations; once again he faces a crossroads year. There won't be too many more. Beyond these two, the rotation is up for grabs. It's impossible to know whether Bud Black can pitch again, and foolish to rely on him; if he comes back, it's a bonus. Scott Sanderson may or may not remain, and Dave Burba may or may not get a shot at the rotation. Kevin Rogers, Mike Jackson, and the magnificent Rod Beck are the core of the bullpen.

So the goal is crystal-clear: first the division, then the Braves, then the Series. As it stands now, this team can definitely accomplish the first, and have a hell of a run at the second. And the second may be tougher than the third. Dusty Baker and his staff will return next year intact, and this will be a team with an Attitude. They proved a lot in 1993; there's only one thing left to prove for '94. Go get 'em, Giants.

David Malbuff is the editor and publisher of GIANTS COMPLETE BREAKDOWN, which is not an assessment of their sorry mental state at any given time, but rather a detailed statistical analysis of the only team worth analyzing. He'd be happy to hear from you at damalbuff@ecomwave.com.

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