Did we decide on Booflets?

In honor of titular sensation Boof Bonser's return to the Bay Area last night, allow me come at you Waiting for Boof-style:

1. If you're like me, you aren't even close to being sick of the Barry Bonds story. You could read hundreds more articles, and still sit through hundreds of hours of talk radio, on the subject. Well, gentle reader, do I have a treat for you! My new column discusses this untouched subject at length! Sure, it rehashes a lot of the same points you've read from me before, but can you really just stop at one reading? I submit you can not. To that end, here is my latest column for Fox Sports Bay Area.

   I wondered if the column was beating a dead horse until it turned into horse powder, but then I read a Bob Klapisch piece today that called us "an army of sycophants". The struggle endures....

2. I received a new ad on the left-hand side for SF Dugout.com. I have to say I'm a little offended by it. Its claims are ridiculous. More focused draft coverage than McCovey Chronicles? Well, let me tell you somethi...wait, no, that's right. I've read Bazooka Joe wrappers that had draft coverage more focused than what I provide.

   But I can tell by the diaries and the chatter that the excitement is building up over the first early pick in years. Baseball is the toughest sport to provide an instant critique or sensible preview for its amateur draft. I'd love to be the Mel Kiper, Jr. of the baseball draft, though:

   Chris Berman: With the first pick of the 2006 draft, the Royals select Andrew Miller.

   Me: Terrible pick. Money down the drain. He's going to have arm problems.

   Chris Berman: Thirty-two more picks have come in since you started that sentence. With the second pick in the 2006 draft, the Rockies select Evan Longoria.

   Me: Terrible pick. Money down the drain. He'll never be a regular.

   And then I'd revisit my predictions after five years, and say, "See? I was right 95% of the time." I would only require a salary in the low-six figures for a service like that.

   What rankles me is the idea that this is the weakest draft in years. Of course it is. When the Giants have a top-ten pick, it isn't the year spilling over with talent, or the year were ridiculously talented Scott Boras clients slide down the draft ladder. It's the year when the 9th pick isn't much different from the 29th pick. When the Warriors have the #1 pick overall, it isn't a year when Tim Duncan or LeBron James comes out, it's a year when Joe Smith is the consensus first overall pick. Phooey, bah humbug, and we'll check back in 2010 to see how the draft really went.

3. I do have a draft wish, though, that supercedes all others. I want Luke Hochevar to fall to the ninth spot. I'd like the Giants to draft him, and for him to rocket up to the majors. I'd love for him to be an All-Star many times over, and I'd love for him to have a .824 winning percentage against the Dodgers for his career. Hochevar was a Dodgers' first-rounder last year, but they were unable to reach a deal. Any success in a Giants uniform would annoy the bejeebus out of Dodger fans, and that's pretty much always a credible goal.
4. I need to start linking more to my comrades in SB Nation before each series. Visit Amazin' Avenue to see what the other side of the country is thinking about the start of this series. Hint: There are surprisingly few discussions on exactly how to pitch to Jose Vizcaino. Man, is that cocky, or what?