WHO'S NEXT?

Last night, after Barry Bonds hit his 754th (actually his 755th) career home run in the bottom of the first inning, the centerfield video board played a taped message of congratulations from none other than Michael Jordan . This evening, shortly before the game's first pitch at 6:08 p.m., Bonds and the rest of the Giants--as well as all of us--turned their attention to the big board as Wayne Gretzky offered a taped message of encouragement and congrats.

Jordan.
Gretzky.

Who's next? Here's my list of possibilities for when Bonds hits No. 756:

1. Hank Aaron...Hammerin' Hank does not have to actually attend the record-breaking blast, but he can offer a tempered 'Attaboy, Barry' from afar.
2. Tiger Woods...has the Bay Area connection from his Stanford days.
3. Osama Bin Laden: "Congratulations, Barry. Oh, and Death To America."
4. Obi Wan Kenobi...He swung a wicked bat himself, and likes to appear from the afterlife.
5. Jim Morrison...Look how he inspired Wayne and Garth.
6. Mark McGwire: "I'd really just like to concentrate on the present."
7. Posh and Becks...I mean, would this really shock anyone?
8. David Bowie...who will advise Bonds to jump up on Bud Selig's desk after breaking the record and drop trou to reveal lightning bolts in the strangest place.
9. Patches O'Houlihan ("If you can dodge steroid allegations for the better part of a decade, you can dodge a ball...")
10. Bob Costas and Curt Schilling

And for when Barry is stuck on 755, and before he takes the field for 756:

Leslie Nielsen: "I just wanted to say, 'Good luck, we're all counting on you."

Bonds popped out to the catcher (Matt Treanor of the MarlinBrandos actually caught it in the lefty batter's box where Bonds had been standing) to end the 7th with two men on base. After the Giants went down in order in the 8th, it looked as if BB would get no more ABs tonight.

However, Mark Sweeney hit a pinch-hit double to score pinch-runner Dave Roberts--hey, maybe the Giants should start their pinch guys more often-- despite a fantastic fielding play by the Marlin rightfielder. Now the score is tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the 9th. The Ginats have no outs and the winning run on 2nd. I'm guessing most every fan here would rather see an extra inning than have SF win it here.

Randy Winn, representing the top of the order, is at bat. Bonds could still bat this inning.

If he does not, his line for the last two games will be 1-4 with four walks and one home run. That's a .250 batting average, but a .625 on-base %. That's what it's like being Barry Bonds this decade.

Okay, this game is taking on some robust flavor. Winn just walked, so there's first and second, nobody out. Omar Vizquel is up and he'll surely bunt. If that goes well, we're talking 2nd and 3rd with one out. Do you walk Ray Durham to set up a double play and pitch to Bonds? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. You try and get Durham out, then you walk Bonds with two outs.

But, uh-oh, the pitcher, Kevin Gregg, has thrown three straight balls to Vizquel to begin this at-bat.

Vizquel bunted, and it worked.

Now it's up to Durham. I believe we're all rooting for him to walk, so that Bonds will come up with the bases loaded. If he whiffs, they'll walk Bonds. If he gets a hit or a deep fly, it's game over.

Durham hits a deep fly to right....Game over. Giants win. Or, as my Grandpa Joe used to say (and he really used to say this, and the score is exactly the same), "4-3 you lose, San Francisco!"

Giants win. Souvenir poachers lose. Bonds was on deck when the game ended.

Come back tomorrow.