Giants' Sabean a Hall of Famer?

— -- Shortly after the San Francisco Giants beat Kansas City 3-2 in Game 7 of the World Series, general manager Brian Sabean hung out in a side office with a few coworkers while the players cavorted and sprayed each other silly in the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium. Sabean held a small paper Gatorade cup with a clear beverage, but he revealed no details beyond the fact that it was not ice water.

"I'll hydrate on the flight home,'' he said with his characteristic dry edge.

On Friday, Sabean was scheduled to ride in a victory parade that's become as much of a fall tradition in San Francisco as Halloween or the Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival. The Giants have won titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014 and they might already have a fourth crown this century if only Dusty Baker hadn't tempted fate by letting Russ Ortiz hang onto that ball as a keepsake when he left the mound with a lead over the Angels in Game 6 of the 2002 World Series.

As the Giants reap the rewards of their success, much of the credit justifiably flows to manager Bruce Bochy, whose bullpen management skills, preternatural sense of calm and ability to adapt to changing circumstances have elevated him among the crowd. With three titles and 1,618 career wins -- 18th most on the career list -- Bochy is in position to join Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox in Cooperstown as a manager. The only question is whether guys like Jim Leyland and Lou Piniella will get there before he does.

So what about the man who built the rosters that Bochy parlayed into all those trophies? Doesn't he deserve to be in the conversation as a Cooperstown candidate, as well?

When the topic was broached during Wednesday's celebration, Sabean responded with his typical understated thoughtfulness.

"It's a tall statement,'' Sabean said, "just like the word 'dynasty' is a ridiculously tall order and a tall statement. In this end of the business, you're not in it for that type of recognition. You're in it with too many other people and you're supported by too many other people.''