If this wrap-up was written by Scott Ostler, it would begin, "Deep thoughts, Cheap Shots, and Bon Mots..."
- Fundamentals. To all three Giants outfielders: It really helps to catch the baseball. If that weren't the case, they'd probably call the position "outdropper". To Lance Niekro: Not a bad idea to take the sure out. Maybe lay off the Tino Martinez `how-to' videos for a while. And to Byrnesy: It helps if you run to bases that are not already occupied.
- The A's have now won 5 series in a row and 7 out of 8 since Crosby's return. And I'm tired of hearing about how it's been a soft schedule. It hasn't. There is no stiffer competition than "whoever's hot" and the A's hit Washington and Philly at their hottest. The A's have beaten good teams and bad teams, hot teams and cold teams, teams with a history of success and teams with a history of failure, teams at home and teams on the road. Simply put, the A's have been beating whoever's around, and if you want to phone the .500 mark it's no longer a toll call.
- There's really only one guy capable of making his team's biggest out and his team's biggest bonehead play, and winding up the hero. Love him or hate him, he's unique: Eric Byrnes.
- Danny Haren for Mark Mulder straight-up, right now, St. Louis pays Mulder's salary. I wouldn't do it. Would you?
