The first article, by John Shea, marks the one-year anniversary of Barry Bonds’ 756th home run and tells how very much things have changed for the Giants in the locker room and on the field in a year. One interesting fact: the Giants’ record this year (48-65) is virtually identical to their record at this point last year (48-63).

Amy Nelson’s Outside the Lines article, part of ESPN’s E-Ticket series of features, deals with a tragic car accident seven years ago that profoundedly affected Freddie Lewis and how he and his family have dealt with it. The article is a deep an insightful piece that shows much of his personal side, something we haven’t really known much about. For example, we learn that Lewis is a second cousin of former outfielder Matt Lawton, who played 12 seasons in the bigs. And we find out why Lewis does the chest tapping you might see in the field on occasion. Good article.