Streaming from my baseball consciousness ...

To start, a good column from Tim Dahlberg: Goodbye to a season, era; hello to good times

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... So Dusty was officially fired today. No surprise ... at midseason, I was fighting it, but watching the wheels fall further from the bus as the season plodded along -- I've accepted it. The Cubs need a change ...

... And of course the rumors were flying about who would replace Dusty, even before Jim Hendry sat down with him this morning to say 'you're fired!' ... Leading candidates appear to be Joe Girardi and Lou Pinella, along with the whispers of Bob Brenly. If you ask me, all would be top-rate choices, but I'm eyeing up Girardi for a few simple reasons: He's a former Cub and he knows Chicago, which should make it a little easier for him to deal with the relentless fans and media. He did wonders for the young Marlins this year, even while no one in Florida cared. And he's experienced winning in a top-notch organization, sitting next to Joe Torre and the New York Yankees ...

... The real shocker -- to me, at least -- was Andy MacPhail resigning as President yesterday. Kates and I had been out and I turned on the TV, hoping to catch the end of the Cubs game. Instead, there was MacPhail at the microphone announcing the decision. I collapsed onto the coffee table and didn't move for the next 10-20 minutes, sitting glued to the proceedings on the TV ... OK, so you look at his record during his tenure with the Cubs -- two postseason appearances in 12 years -- and it's not great. But with the legacy and respect he commands in baseball, it was hard for me to ever doubt him ... I'll miss him, but if John McDonough follows through on what he virtually promised yesterday -- to bring a World Series title to the fans -- all will be forgotten ...

... Seriously. You absolutely cannot blame this disaster that was the Cubs season on Dusty Baker and Andy MacPhail, nor Jim Hendry. Flat out: Injuries blew up the core of the Cubs lineup and rotation, and you can't expect to win with a lineup full of inexperienced minor leaguers ... Given the way the team looked on paper, I was as optimistic as ever when the season arrived, but the air went out of it the night Derrek Lee went down. The pitching couldn't hold us up in close games. And Aramis Ramirez's horrible start didn't help either.

As for next year? ... First things first, let's get rid of Prior and Wood and rebuild the rotation while we can. Face it, both their arms are so diced up, they're never going to be the same ... From there, the Cubs need to do everything they can to keep Ramirez -- no one can argue he's the best third baseman this team has seen since Ron Santo and he's an easy fan favorite ... and say all you want about Juan Pierre's lack of productivity at times, but he's the kind of leadoff hitter the Cubs have been lacking for years. The dude can flat out bunt and run. He makes things happen and he's not a bad center fielder either ... Matt Murton should be playing left field every day ... Michael Barrett should be named Captain ... and c'mon, the way Ryan Theriot has played to finish the season, he should be a no-brainer at second base ... and if you've got some money left, then you go for Alfonso Soriano as a solid shortstop ...

... Can't wait 'til next year ...

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... I cannot believe the Tigers didn't win the division. They had it in the palms of their paws! ... What a let-down for Detroit. ... If they don't at least get to the World Series, it'll be a lost season ...

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... the continued steroid allegations and mysteries is just plain sad ...

... yeah, I've heard the rumors about Clemens too, but he's just always seemed to be too much of a classy guy to me to be so stupid. Same with Petite ...

... Grimsley, on the other hand, seems like kind of the shady character to me. You think!? He was caught with steroids and HGH ...

Now there's this ...

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America's nightmare continues ...

Barry Bonds will be back in 2007

... I'm so furious about what Barry's done to the sport, I'm speechless ...

... wake me up when it's over.

Meanwhile the soap opera in San Francisco continues ...
a Giants part ways with manager Alou
a Giants won't rebuild team around Bonds
a Time for Magowan to kick Bonds habit ... Great, great column. I'm hearing millions of baseball fans cry out "Amen!" right now.

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Playoff predictions?

My dream World Series would be those inspiring Tigers and my first love, the L.A. Dodgers ... but the way both played down the stretch, I'm not holding my breath ...

The National League is a mess ... The Mets seemed to be a given as World Series Champions until Pedro went down for the season. And they haven't exactly been hot since they clinched the division in, like, what, June!? ... The Cardinals nearly imploded ... and the Padres and Dodgers -- annual story of the NL West -- weren't exactly blowing teams away all season ...

Perhaps Tony LaRussa and Willie Randolph can rally their troops for a good run, but my gut tells me the Padres -- they've got gamers: Todd Walker, Mike Piazza, David Wells, Trevor Hoffman -- are going to scratch their way in ...

In the American League, any one of them has a strong chance at the World Series. All four teams are deeply competitve, well managed and chock-full of fun players to watch ... yes. Dare I say it. Even the Yankees ... But. Right now, it seems as though the Twins are on a mission and can't be stopped ...

When the World Series comes: Twins over the Padres in five games.