Giants' wildcard playoff hopes premature

If the 2009 season was to end right now, the San Francisco Giants would be in the playoffs.

OK, have you rolled that around in your mind and relished that thought? It would be like Susan Boyle being named Miss California then being backed by Donald Trump.

We’re talking pure fantasy here, people.

The good news is the Giants have won 13 of their last 18 games to move a season-high six games over .500. They’ve got a better record than the New York Mets.

The Mets are probably a better team but they’re in a tougher division. The Giants, who currently have a better record than four of last year’s division winners, are a good team in a bad division.

Now brace yourself for the bad news. Four of the last five teams the Giants faced had losing records. Four of the next five teams the Giants face have winning records.

So, before we get too excited about the Giants, let’s get to July then turn the page and the calendar. Then we will see how committed the Giants are to winning right now. We will see if general manager Brian Sabean can make a deal to bolster the offense before the trade deadline. We will see if the Giants are willing to part with pitching prospects of the future for a big bat of the present to make a playoff run. We will have to wait and see.

Until then, you can fantasize all you want.