MAILBAG: April 25

Q: I know it's early, but what will Bud Selig do if either the Minnesota Twins or Montreal Expos make it to the playoffs or even the World Series? -- Steven Holley, Redlands, Calif.
PWG -- If the Expos get there, it won't matter. But with the Twins, that kind of run could trigger enough public and private funding for a new park, so something might happen. But I still find it interesting that certain newspaper people and local interests effectively blocked Donald Watkins from even talking to Twins owner Carl Pohlad, but he's OK in Anaheim. Maybe the Trib wants the Twins out of there.

	Hunter

Q: What do you think the Twins need to push them over the hump? I'm really excited about this year, but I still feel like there's something missing on this team. Starting pitcher? More middle relief? Second base or right field? What are your thoughts? -- Greg Krzmarzick, Minneapolis, Minn.
PWG -- The biggest thing is that their four All-Star starting pitchers have to be healthy and pitching well. They need Luis Rivas in the lineup, and if David Ortiz is going to be out for a while, they need a veteran presence in the middle of the lineup. Corey Koskie, Torii Hunter, et al are blossoming stars, but they need a veteran who's been through it and can bop 30 homers. They don't have a Frank Thomas or Magglio Ordonez or Ellis Burks or Jim Thome.

Q: Barry Bonds is getting all the attention about breaking Hank Aaron's record, but Sammy Sosa has a few more years left as well. Does Sosa have a better chance than Bonds to break the record? -- Dan Ford, Richmond, Ind.
PWG -- Sammy's durability has been amazing, but when he gets close to 600, we'll see where he is. Sammy's extraordinary learning curve and his desire to play everyday give him a chance, but it's a long climb.

Q: So far the Pirates are very good. What are the odds this will last? I'm having postseason hallucinations in Pittsburgh. -- Tait, Pittsburgh
PWG -- I love what they've done, and after being around manager Lloyd McLendon in spring training and watching them play harder than anyone I saw, I thought they would be better. Obviously, there are serious questions for the long haul, especially with Kris Benson's return delayed. But there's a Pirate personality being established, and that's great.

Q: The Chicago Cubs are the NL team which has gone the longest without winning a World Series, and the Boston Red Sox are the AL team. Which fans do you think have it worse? Red Sox fans, who have had more success, come closer and failed? Or Cubs fans, who have had to wait the longest? -- Scott Tuxbury, Colorado
PWG -- Cubs fans. Check the number of winning seasons. The Red Sox have been in four World Series since the Cubs were last in theirs. Red Sox fans like to feel sorry for themselves.

Q: In your opinion, what are the top five bullpens in baseball right now? I'm a Cincinnati Reds fan, and I believe they fit in somewhere right behind the Seattle Mariners. If Jose Silva can come back healthy and Danny Graves can be a bit more consistent at closer, do you think the Reds could be the best in baseball? -- Mike Rose, West Lafayette, Ind.
PWG -- The Reds certainly are in the elite, but pens change dramatically; take Joel Pineiro from the Mariners' pen to their rotation and they're a different team, but keep Pineiro and give them a solid second lefty, and they're even better. We need more time to see how pens evolve and who gets hurt, but the best comes from this group: Seattle, Cincinnati, New York (AL), San Francisco.

Q: Quick center-field question: Jim Edmonds or Andruw Jones? -- Andre McHugh, Lawrence, Kan.
PWG -- Jones defensively, Edmonds all-around.

Q: I thought of a possible trade for the Chicago Cubs and the Texas Rangers: The Rangers could send Ivan Rodriguez to the Cubs for Jason Bere, Jesus Sanchez and Todd Hundley. This gives the Cubs more pop in the lineup, a stronger catcher and gets rid of Hundley's contract. The Rangers get a relatively good starter, a replacement catcher to platoon with Bill Haselman and a young arm that can help them in the bullpen or the rotation. What do you think? -- Mike Cook, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
PWG -- Good idea, but will the Cubs pay Pudge $12 to $20 million? And if the Rangers trade Rodriguez, they'll want two young pitching studs (Sidney Ponson, Erik Bedard). Everyone in the game figures agent Scott Boras will sucker Rangers owner Tom Hicks into Charles Johnson. Does Hicks know what an industry laughingstock he's made himself by having to be on camera so much during Rangers telecasts?

	Ramirez

Q: Will Manny Ramirez play the whole season in Boston? I heard a rumor that he could go to the Colorado Rockies for Mike Hampton and Larry Walker. -- Chuck Gould, Parma, Ohio
PWG -- I doubt he'll go anywhere, unless the Red Sox pitching requires a creative move. Yawkey Way is still a phlegmatic place.

Q: Although the New York Yankees are pretty solid all the way around, it seems that every year they make a regular-season trade to fill some gap. Do you see them trying to pick up someone to fill a hole this year as the season goes on? -- Dave Galkiewicz, Watervliet, N.Y.
PWG -- Yes, or YES. I don't know if it will be for another bat or an arm, but if the Yankees think they need someone to win, they will move.

Q: When Edgar Martinez returns from injury, how will Seattle manager Lou Piniella get Ruben Sierra the at-bats he deserves? -- Michael Amon, Manhattan, Kan.
PWG -- We're a long way from knowing if, 1. Edgar will come back as great as ever, and 2. Sierra will be healthy. As Ralph Houk would say, cross that bridge when you come to it.

Q: I'm a 19-year-old loyal Milwaukee Brewers fan. Since I've understood the game of baseball, the Brewers have only given me one season (1992) to get excited about from opening day through September. Why have they struggled for the last decade and never been able to put together a winning or at least a .500 team? Is there any hope in the near future? -- Lance Scholze, Beloit, Wisc.
PWG -- They have not put the emphasis and skill into scouting and development. They have five players out of their own organization, and small markets have to build from within. Their draft and development record, through the draft and Latin America, has been weak for 15 years. But the current scouting staff is a tremendous upgrade.

Q: Cleveland Indians center fielder Milton Bradley and Gold Glove winner. Will these ever be used in the same sentence? -- Rick Lopez, Youngstown, Ohio
PWG -- Milton could win a Gold Glove. He's got a chance to be a very good player, and a No. 5 or 6 hitter. He never liked to lead off and told the Expos that wasn't something he intended to do.

Q: Why doesn't anyone give Jose Canseco a chance? He brings in crowds and will play for peanuts. Even if he plays poorly or gets injured, what do you lose? I believe Jose can still play and play well. Give him a season and he can hit 30-40 HRs with 100 RBI and hit .250. Not Barry Bonds, but those are some good numbers. -- Steven Holley, Redlands, Calif.
PWG -- Jose can't play in the field, so fans cannot see him. He's knocked in as many as 96 runs once since 1991. He never worked hard enough to be a legitimate player, so if you want to see him, go to the minors or an independent league.

Q: I loved your recommendation of the Dead's "Postcards of the Hanging" live CD of Dylan songs. Now, I remember in college your band playing the song from which the title of the CD comes, "Desolation Row." Were you singing and playing that because you knew Bud Selig was coming? You always loved the line,"Here comes the blind commissioner/they've got him in a trance/one hand is tied to the tightrope walker/the other is in his pants" -- Debby, San Francisco
PWG -- Thankfully, the existing live version is by the Dead, not the Medieval Siege. No, but if I were to write a musical about the last 30 years of baseball labor, this would be one of my principal songs. Actually, after all these years, "Lady and I peering out on Desolation Row" is most appropriate, since my dog's name is Lady Jane (named after the Stones' song). As I recognize this name, the Desolation Row line applies: "It takes one to know one, she smiles."

	Garciaparra

Q: Let me begin by saying I've been a huge fan of yours since you were writing for the Globe. My question is a bit delicate, so please understand that it is not meant to question your integrity. I noticed that, except for A-Rod, all of the guys you mentioned in your answer about players with a great work ethic are white. Is it possible that you've momentarily fallen into the old trap of thinking of black players only in terms of their natural talent? I know you don't believe that, so it seemed odd to me that it came out that way. Thanks for many years of outstanding baseball reporting. -- Jim Fournier, Boston
PWG -- I'm not sure what you refer to, and perhaps when you profile, a Mexican/Egyptian/American like Nomar Garciaparra doesn't fit your profile. I did a piece this week for ESPN on leaders in terms of work habit, energy, respect and responsibility, and my list included Garciaparra, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Jeff Bagwell, Trevor Hoffman, Ellis Burks, Scott Rolen, Johnny Damon, Mo Vaughn, Jason Giambi, Rey Sanchez, Jason Varitek, Trot Nixon, Ichiro Suzuki, Todd Helton, Jose Valentin ... I never thought about racially profiling the piece. Baseball, like society, shouldn't see race.