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A Giant Fate - Playoffs or Dead Last

by Elias Feldman
3/28/06

Playoffs or dead last. That’s where the San Francisco Giants will finish the 2006 season depending on the health of Barry Bonds. Although baseball is a team game, now, more so than ever before, the fate of a baseball team completely weighs on the shoulders of one of its players. Barry Bonds is nearing the end of his career and perhaps the Giants are nearing the end of an era.

Bonds is nursing a tender left elbow but says that he’ll be ready for opening day. But after undergoing three knee surgeries and not playing for much of last season nobody knows how many games he’ll be able to play. Although Bonds no doubt wants to be the new home run king, he has said many times that he’ll likely retire after this season.

The core of the Giants team is also on the brink of retirement. Moises Alou was placed on the disabled list twice last season and if he isn’t healthy and productive this year he’s a likely candidate for retirement. Ray Durham has been injury plagued throughout his time in San Francisco and will likely call it quits at the end of the 2006 campaign. Omar Vizquel could play forever but he has lost a step over the past few years. Everyone expected Steve Finley to retire five years ago but at 40 years old he’s finally on the last legs of his career. Armando Benitez was on the disabled list all of last season and continues to struggle with pain in his left knee. If Bonds is healthy the Giants will make a run at a World Series, but if Bonds is injured the Giants will repeat a pitiful 2005 campaign. Either way, the Giants organization has begun thinking about a future without their great slugger and his supporting cast.

See the San Francisco Giants Handicapping Page.