You know, it really would have been nice if the Diamondbacks -- or at least the Astros or Cardinals -- had deigned to lose a few key games while the Giants were winning late in the season. No, I wouldn't characterize the 2001 team as a champion; I'd say they played over their heads. That bothered me a great deal, because they sure didn't act like the 2000 Giants, who shoulda gone all the way.

So this time around we'll hear from David Beck, Richard Booroojian, Rick Braverman, Grant Brisbee, and Todd Hawley. And me. And as pleased as I'm sure you were with last year's unretouched photos of the staff, I'm equally sure you'll be delighted at the lack of photos this year.

• "Once Again Uncle Gregg Pretends to Take You Inside the Numbers!": As has become an annual tradition, I downloaded a bunch of Giants stats, fretted over the prospect of examining them, then said "The hell with it" and made everything up. Well, that last part isn't quite true.
  
  
• "Amazing, Astonishing, Astounding": If you guessed that this might be Gregg's piece about Barry Bonds, guess again. You'd be right both times, though.
  
  
• "Radio Silence: The Fifth AnniversarEEEEEE!, Eons Late": Well, yeah, it's a little late for anniversary pieces, but there you are. Also, there'll be some changes in EEEEEE!
  
  
• "Just an Ordinary Jo": Gregg doesn't mind the new center fielder; he's just a little concerned, is all.
  
  
• "Postmortem for Baseball, As Always": Contributing Editor David Beck is back... and he's pissed. In fact, for more, please what else Dave has to say in an open letter to Rob Neyer of ESPN.com.
  
  
• "A Great Record Spoiled": Contributing Editor Richard Booroojian gives us his chronological examination of the 2001 season, making us relive it as only he can.
  
  
• "Distant Perspective": Rick Braverman doesn't understand it either, but it sure isn't fair.
  
  
• "We're Used to Life Flipping Us Off": Though usually wasted on the young, youth this time is not wasted on Grant Brisbee, who manages to combine a paucity of years with a level of true suffering as befits even the most veteran of Giants fans.
  
  
• "The Day All Hell Broke Loose": Todd Hawley brings us back to one horrible, unforgettable day.
  

We hope you enjoy the Postmortem. I just want to thank Dave, Richard, Rick, Grant, and Todd for this year's bounty, as well as the other EEEEEE! writers for their terrific efforts in the past. If I've excluded any of their names, try to think of that as all their fault.

Copyright ©2002 by Gregg Pearlman

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