Belated Birthday and Other Things...

I was planning on doing this whole deal where I'd rank the prospects of every potential playoff team (even the ones on the fringes) to win the World Series, but then I realized I'd have to spend too much time on the rest of the NL West (for example, the Giants out of necessity mind you, have been forced to print playoff tickets on the odd chance they make it to the top of the division.  They're 15 games under .500 and 7 games out... and management was right.  The division is so bad that one 15-3 streak could have them at the top.  I can't focus energy on that sort of division). 

So in a nutshell, here it is:  Everyone has issues, and there's no team I see as a dominating force heading into the playoffs.  There are some teams that won't make it anyway, so analyzing their chances is a waste: Washington (sad but true), the Dodgers (though they could be interesting for the rest of the year, just for different reasons), Toronto (wait until next year, when the money starts flowing!), Milwaukee (am I the last one to notice they're somehow only 5.5 back in the wild card?), NY Mets (weakest pitching staff among the NL Wild Card contenders, especially if Pedro pitches every 6th day, plus too many injuries on O), Minnesota (too little O, even if they've got a good staff)...

...and the New York Yankees (I'm not buying what Jared Wright is selling, Randy Johnson finally seems 42. Everything about them this year screams "something is just wrong enough for us to make the playoffs.")

If I were a playoff team, I'd be scared of Houston, Florida, and Oakland in the 1st round, just because on any given night the one run they score might be enough to win.  As for Cleveland, the way their staff is coming together, they're not far behind in that group, and they have more mash potential than any of the other three.  All four teams could make noise in the playoffs.

As for division leaders, the last 2 weeks have shown the White Sox are vulnerable, the Red variety still have major pitching staff issues, The Cardinals batted So Taguchi in the cleanup spot due to injuries, and the Angels, outside of Vlad and Figgins, have some dead spots in their lineup.  All in all, it's pretty wide open.  (I'm still sticking to Red Sox vs. Cards in the World Series)

But forget all that.  While I was trying to find the dirt on those teams, I missed yesterday's most important news:  Julio Franco turned 6000.  Okay, 47, but still... 47!  I play in a Sunday men's 28 and over hardball league, and there aren't that many dudes in that league that are 47.  And he's still productive.  Plenty of teams would take what he's given Atlanta this season- 9 HR, 40 RBI, .298 in only 188 AB's. 

I'll forgive myself for not remembering that Franco broke in with Philly in '82 as a shortstop (a freakin' shortstop!), because I was not even 7 when it happened.  There's a lot I don't remember about the early days of the Reagan administration, too.  Plus, the dude got his first hit of Bob Forsch.  Bob Forsch, who incidently was my brother's favorite player... when he was 12!  Nobody currently active in the majors should have gotten their first base knock off Bob Forsch.  Joanie Loves Chachi was still on tv.  Really, everything I currently watch for kitch value on TV Land was actually on the air in 1982. 

I do remember when he won a batting title (and stole 36 bases!) at age 32 in 1991... go ahead and get a handle on the math for that one for a minute. 

Julio says he wants to play until he's 50.  Personally, I believe if there are still jobs for Carlos Baerga and most of the San Francisco Giants roster, there's plenty of room for this guy over the next 3 years.  Honestly, I want him to play until he's 500.  And he might.  After all, if he were a lefthanded reliever, he could play forever.

So happy belated birthday Julio!  Keep up the good work.