To Pitch or not to Pitch

To Barry Bonds. That is the question.

And it's not rhetorical, baby. None of that "whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" BS here. Shakespeare didn't know squat about baseball, the slacker.

Major League managers who choose not to pitch, like Jim Tracy, fortunately do. These skippers don't care a lick about protesting fans, especially the whinnies in San Francisco. All that matters are W's. Just scoreboard.

If it takes passing Bonds four times to get the win, that's the plan. With the likes of Michael Tucker hitting next, why would you even think about pitching to Bonds? Shoot, why pitch to anyone with Michael Tucker hitting next?

Winning or losing by a bunch late in the game, fine, pitch to the guy. Tough lefty tossing, early innings, bases empty, by all means. Knock yourself out.

First base open, just about any other time, do what Don Drysdale would've done without a second thought -- hit him with the first pitch and save the other three.

As much as it pains me to say it, the comparisons to Babe Ruth fit. Holding the Giant to a single is a moral victory. This years' model of Barry Bonds is the best hitter in baseball by miles.

Unless a pitcher can place the ball exactly where he wants, with the situation exactly as he wants, there's just no reason for him to try his luck.

Let's hope the steroid question gets answered before we reach 755, because trust me, we'll be there…

Say what you will about Eli Manning, Archie Manning and the NFL draft controversy, but you may want to ease up on the references to two-sporters John Elway, Bo Jackson and Drew Henson. J.D. Drew is more apt. And look what happened to him...

Reader Eileen Ganong, of San Clemente, puts this green writer in his place:

"Though I've lived in Orange County for 25 years, I am not particularly an Angels fan. But your [recent Media Savvy column] smacks of a peculiar kind of arrogance. That 'you see more New York Yankee caps around Los Angeles today than you do the haloed variety' line really says it all.

You see, Mr. Cole, nobody outside your city really cares about L.A., and who's wearing what baseball cap where. If we cared, we'd live there.

It's been a long time since Orange County was a sleepy little bedroom community of Los Angeles. It might be hard to accept, but we don't care about the Dodgers, either. You need to get out more."

No argument there, Eileen. Thanks for chiming in…

Props to Dodgers' historian Mark Langill on his new book, "Images of Baseball, Los Angeles Dodgers." Paperback, $19.95, get it at Arcadia Publishing…

Statue for Sandy: We're still tracking your positive responses in an effort to cast Sandy Koufax in bronze at Dodger Stadium, and the project is picking up steam. If you haven't yet, please scroll down to the photo below, and do your thing. Vote Yes on 32…

Remember, glove conquers all….