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Everybody has their breaking point.  No man is strong enough to bear repeated disappointments, failures, indignities, and abominations before eventually feeling some deep primal darkness well up from the depths of his soul, burst into angry fruition and shout "I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I QUOTE MOVIES TO PROVE IT!"

For me, the final straw were a few words posted at the top of a completely innocuous box score:  Fresno 4, San Francisco 3.  Then, for added insult, that "L" next to Barry Freaking Zito's name in the pitching line.

This cannot be happening.  I can read the most horrifying of H.P. Lovecraft's fiction about how man is a completely irrelevant dot in an uncaring universe and feel hardly a frisson of dismay.  This, though...this has me ready to load the silver bullets and the crosses and the garlic fries into my knapsack, and to go looking for pods in the basement.

Many of you know me as a fairly upbeat, positive individual not given to frothing and raging.  Well, I'm passing out tar and feathers now, and lighting the pitchforks and handing out torches.

Post your most ridiculous ideas for protesting the dismal state of 100% Bonds-Free San Francisco Baseball Club.  Who's with me?  It's time to storm the Bastille!!!  RHUBARB!  RHUBARB!  RHUBARB!!

It's hitting all the news just now.  The Yankees decided to bring Joe back.  Joe decided he'd had enough of their crap.  Kudos for him, and the classy way he handled it, flying down to Tampa to tell them in person.

http://www.mercurynews.com/giantsheadlines/ci_6580198?nclick_check=1

Excerpt:

"This is my livelihood and my life," he said. "This is my passion, other than my family. I don't take vacations. I don't play golf. I do this 24/7 and I'm able to do it in a setting that I love.

"And I'm really taking it personally and embarrassed that we're not better than this. And I've got nobody to blame but ourselves and myself specifically.

"I take it very personally. I've let the whole organization down."

This is why I have no problem rooting for this guy and wanting him in charge.  The key to life is not being afraid to admit when you need to change what you're doing.

Okay, it's the day game after a night game.  However, tomorrow is an off day, and OMG754!!!  I have to decide in the next couple of hours if I'm going to the company picnic or staying home to watch the game.  So post every rumor, fact, or baseless speculation you can think of here so I can plan my day.

Thanks!

Barry signed the freaking contract finally.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/02/15/sports/s121838S81.DTL

...or at least for a few more years.  Apparently Bonds now never wants to retire.  So expect this offseason's drama to repeat next year, I guess.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/tom_verducci/02/06/bonds.giants/1.html

I, for one, think he should play as long as he wants to and is capable.  I really don't think he'll be with the Giants in 2008, though.

Everyone knew he wasn't going to play again; he was the last to figure it out, sadly.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/12/07/sports/s105859S81.DTL

Congratulations to J.T. Snow for a good and memorable career.  You had one of the best gloves I've ever seen on a first basemen.  You saved Darren Baker.  You fell on your ass, got up, and still made the catch.  You brought a whole city to life with that playoff homer against the Mets in 2000.  And you looked good doing it all, damn you.

Farewell and welcome back, J.T.  We all look forward to hearing you replace Greg Papa (please!) on the radio this summer.

According to the SF Chronicle, Brian Sabean is talking to Scott Boras about signing Barry Zito.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/05/SPGSLMQ5BG2.DTL

The numbers being discussed:  6 years, $100 million.

That's a whole lot of puddin', and no Levon anywhere to be found.