MAILBAG: Oct. 11

Q: Who do you think will be in the World Series? -- Ryan, Waukesha, Wis.
PWG -- There are so many variables right now, so I will go back and remember that before the season I picked Cleveland and St. Louis. I have to admit, I'm not big on predictions. For instance -- how do you know that Roger Clemens is going to pull his hamstring in Tampa in his last start and not really tell anyone, then have the Yankees with 10 pitchers not knowing about Roger or El Duque?

	Barry Bonds back in San Francisco? Definitely a possibility.

Q: Didn't you find it curious that nobody pitched to Barry Bonds in the season's last week until Chan Ho Park did? It seemed odd, since Park's agent is Scott Boras -- who also happens to be Bonds' agent. To me, Boras ordered Park to pitch to Bonds so he could break the home-run record so he could add that title going out as a free agent. Park suddenly "injured" his back, too, so he had the excuse. To me, it was all fixed. What do you think? -- Manuel Tarrazo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
PWG -- I love conspiracy theories as much as the next person, but I don't believe this one. Boras' clients do establish relationships, but Scott has too much integrity and love of the game to ever do something like that.

Q: Who decides which playoff games are played at which times? The Braves, if they play all five games, will have four games at 1:12 p.m. ET and one at 4:20. I guess the Yankees are the only team that deserves to have the prime-time spotlight? Rotating the games between the time slots must not be very profitable. -- Joey Addison, Charleston, S.C.
PWG -- Fox and MLB. What is so outrageous here is that baseball owners did a deal so that only the A's-Yankees are on Fox in primetime. Instead of trying to get baseball out to as many people as possible, they essentially said, "Give me a couple of bucks and we'll agree that baseball isn't as important as "That '70s Show" or "Love Cruise." And then they cry poverty?

Q (part one): During Mark McGwire's 70-home run season, some people felt the feat was tainted because he was taking a supplement that some medical specialists said should have been illegal. Was Barry Bonds taking anything like that this season? -- Mike Plaisance, Holyoke, Mass.
Q (part two): My wife is driving me nuts, saying that Barry Bonds uses a harder bat than Mark McGwire or Sammy Sosa, so his home runs are tainted. I say that the bat he uses must conform to baseball's regulations, so it doesn't matter. Any truth that the bat Bonds uses may account for his high home-run total? -- Carl Webster, Louisville, Ky.
PWG -- I am not a doctor, nor play one on TV. And yes, Bonds and hundreds of players are using the maple bats. The bat-making has been different for a long time now, and the equipment is so much better than 10 years ago it is silly.

Q: I don't think Sammy Sosa gets enough credit. I think three straight seasons with 60 homers is more impressive than one season with 73 homers. What do you think? -- Charlie, Short Hills, N.J.
PWG -- I realize it sounds silly, but I think Sammy's stature as a player has taken a back seat to his showmanship. Check his walk numbers per year, and see how much he's improved his game through hard work. In my mind, he's right there for Cooperstown and has great seasons in front of him.

Q (part one): Will Barry Bonds be back with the Giants? I'm from San Francisco and have been a lifelong Giants fan. If they're going to finally win a title, I think a four-time MVP is going to give it to them. -- Atwood Cheung, Boston
Q (part two): With the Yankees clearly needing outfield replacements for next season, how much of a stretch would it be to see the Yankees go after Barry Bonds? -- Maurisse, New York
PWG -- In the end, Barry wants to be back, and I think the Giants can find some way to get it done. But there will be a serious drain on the rest of their organization. The Yankees will make some big moves and will pursue Bonds, but only if they can't get Jason Giambi.

Q: What do you think the Mets' chances are of acquiring either Mo Vaughn, Ken Griffey Jr. or some other impact lefty bat. What kind of package would it take? -- Tom Swidorski, Patterson, N.Y.
PWG -- No Griffey, maybe Mo. I think Gary Sheffield is a possibility, but to get an impact corner infielder they have to move Robin Ventura or Todd Zeile.

Q: If you had to address three main areas for the Red Sox this winter, what would they be? -- Boston fan
PWG -- First, starting pitching, especially someone to throw innings. Second, a leadoff hitter. Third, a closer. Dan Duquette told me he's working on hiring Tommy McCraw as a minor-league hitting instructor. McCraw is Carl Everett's favorite coach, and Duquette allowed that if McCraw can make inroads with him, it's better to try to work out problems with Everett than dump him and have to pay $12 million to $15 million to someone just to get him out of town.

Q: Where do you rank Scott Rolen offensively and defensively among today's third basemen? Everyone in Philly is terrified he will leave, wondering what if anything will convince him to stay. -- Andrew Laitman, Philadelphia, Pa.
PWG -- To me, he's the best defensive third baseman in the game. Chipper Jones has throwing problems at times, but he is the king of third basemen. Troy Glaus is near the top, and I actually think Eric Chavez in time will be the best of them all, except Chipper.

Q: I was wondering your opinion of Ugueth Urbina not issuing an intentional walk to let Cal Ripken Jr. have one final at-bat. I thought it was a bad move by Red Sox manager Joe Kerrigan that totally summed up Boston's horrible season. -- Jason Castolene, Boston
PWG -- If Urbina had walked Anderson, he should have been fined $50,000 for insulting the integrity of the game. The game is larger than Cal Ripken, and in my mind one of the biggest problems with the Orioles the last few years is that it has only been about Cal, not winning.

Q: I'm a diehard Astros fan, but why isn't Rangers DH Ruben Sierra being talked about as Comeback Player of the Year? No one could have guessed that he was going to produce like he did after all the time he was out of the majors. -- Roscoe Chapman, Houston, Tex.
PWG -- I think Ruben will get votes, and the fact that they're talking about him as their everyday right fielder next season is remarkable. A great story.

Q: I was very surprised you said stolen bases have no impact on winning. The Twins won plenty of games by Cristian Guzman or Luis Rivas stealing a base, then being knocked in by singles. Seattle also did it all year. There are plenty of mashers out there, but it seems as if the best teams steal bases. -- Joe, Duluth, Minn.
PWG -- That was Billy Beane's belief. I like speed at times, but stolen bases pale next to home runs. If the Twins had had two 30-homer hitters, with their speed, defense and pitching, they might have beaten out the Indians.