"Daily newspapers all need to put 'fuck' in a headline above the fold one day -- it'll solve all their problems."

This column got its start in an alt-weekly -- that is, an altenative newsweekly, Isthmus of Madison (WI). From there, it flew off to another alt-weekly, the Milwaukee Shepherd-Express -- until their editor-killer publisher decided to sack the entire editorial staff.

If you think I'm kidding, simply do a Google search with the words "Milwaukee" "editor" and "killer" and you'll be rewarded (if that's the proper word) with his name.

So, back in the goodle days, I was also the webmaster for the Shep and so got to read "Savage Love" on a regular basis before it got to print.

Dan Savage hadn't intended to be a sex advice columnist, but since stumbling into the job (at a time before such columns were everywhere), his graphic, humorous, honest writing has been a staple in the paper, and is currently syndicated to many alternative papers across the U.S. and in Canada.

He spoke to mediabistro.com recently about what he thinks dailies need to do to solve their problems.

Dailies continue to try and swim around with an anvil under each arm. One anvil is objectivity and the other is "family newspaper." Alt-weeklies have the luxury of publishing writing by adults, to adults, and for adults. And that's a real advantage. It's a style advantage, it's an attitudinal advantage, and it's also an urban advantage.

The dailies here in Seattle we call the "donuts" because they write to the suburbs and they don't write for the city, or advocate for the city. Their worldview and their attitudes are suburban, because that's who they think their subscribers are. People pile up in cities not because they don't like yards, but because they want to get laid. People want to be where other people are, and we've always advocated for good urban values.

Alt-weeklies are really just about advocacy journalism and truth-telling, and they engage in arguments and throw bombs in the way that daily papers can't allow themselves to. I mean, daily newspapers all need to put "fuck" in a headline above the fold one day -- it'll solve all their problems. That's my prescription. And then in one fell swoop they'll get rid of all those 80-year-old subscribers who won't let them drop "Blondie." Catering to the 80-year-olds? Where's that getting newspapers? Making sure there's nothing in your paper that's inappropriate for an eighty-year-old to read?

In the Bay area, San Francisco Giants' pitcher Tim Lincecum was named the National League Cy Young Award winner for this past season and damn, if he doesn't look like one of those dope-smoking Olympic snowboarders.

(Now, I'm not making a judgement call here on either activity, even if I have far more and better experience with one and not so much the other.)

Still, even the San Jose Mercury News' Ann Killion noticed that the young hurler appeared to be "just a kid with a big award."

The kid did what all kids do when they hear something really cool.

"Woo-hoo!" the kid shouted.

That's what you do when you're 24 and win the most prestigious award your profession can bestow. Woo-hoo! You call your dad, text your friends and then you show up at the ballpark in a black knit cap and white T-shirt looking like you just skateboarded down the Embarcadero.

Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum put the exclamation point on his meteoric rise through baseball Tuesday, winning the National League Cy Young Award after just his first full season in the majors.

The kid showed up at the ballpark Tuesday but forgot to bring an attitude or an entourage. He and his roommate were trying to reconnect to the Internet when he got the news - which shocked him. He came to the news conference alone, thanked a bunch of people and couldn't stop grinning when he was introduced as the Cy Young winner, something that will happen for, oh, only the rest of his life.

In one season, Lincecum has managed to transform the Giants' public face from surly aging superstar (Barry Bonds) to fresh, unique youngster (Lincecum). In an otherwise lost year, Lincecum gave Giants fans a reason for hope, a reason to be excited. And his electric presence wasn't just a local phenomenon; it was noticed around the country.

There were other baseball happenings in the Bay area as the Oakland A's traded for slugger Matt Holliday, concluding a four-player deal that brings Oakland a much-needed middle-of-the-order bat and sends pitchers Huston Street and Greg Smith and young outfielder Carlos Gonzalez to the Colorado Rockies.

Still, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tells the local fans to not get very attached to their newest Athletic.

The A's apparently are looking at Holliday as a one-year (or less) prospect , much as they did Johnny Damon, another outfielder obtained in a high-profile deal eight years ago. Agent Scott Boras, who represents both men, praised Beane for the nearly finished deal.

"I called Billy and let him know what a smart guy he is," Boras said. "He basically traded Dan Haren (to Arizona in December) for Matt Holliday, Brett Anderson, Aaron Cunningham, Dana Eveland and Chris Carter."

Gonzalez was the centerpiece of the deal that sent All-Star starter Haren to the Diamondbacks last winter, and Smith also was part of that trade.

Holliday has one year remaining on his contract for $13.5 million. He is expected to be out of Oakland's price range, especially with Boras (Alex Rodriguez, Barry Zito, Manny Ramirez) as his agent. Boras called Holliday "a franchise player," and in Boras-speak, that means he's likely to look for more than $20 million a year for his client.

Boras argued that such players wind up paying for themselves in terms of productivity and increased attendance, and he added, "Matt Holliday single-handedly put his club in the World Series (in 2007). Owners don't forget that."

"I don't think anyone envisions that he'll get signed to a long-term deal here," Chavez said. "But in terms of an immediate return, he's huge."

There is rampant speculation that if the A's aren't in contention in July with a promising young pitching staff and a beefed-up offense that Beane would look to move Holliday in a blockbuster-type deal. Or, if Holliday left as a free agent as Damon did, the A's would take the draft picks for losing him.

Even though the deal has not been finalized, there already are rumblings that the Rockies will not hang onto Street but will spin him to the Indians, Mets, Tigers or Brewers.

Those Milwaukee Brewers might be in the market for a new closer, as last year's model, Solomon Torres told the club that he was indeed retiring and not returning next season.

Beat reporter Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Torres informed Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin on Tuesday morning that he was retiring as an active player. The club made the announcement official later in the day.

The Brewers had a $3.75 million option for 2009 on Torres, which they would have exercised by the Saturday deadline after his strong performance as an emergency closer last season.

"I wanted to make it easy for him," said Torres, 36, reached at home in Pittsburgh. "I already had made up my mind and wanted to tell him this was my last season."

Torres, 36, a deeply religious man, said he wanted to devote more time to his family, including three young children, as well as his faith.

"Doug was very understanding, which I appreciate," Torres said. "I had a wonderful experience in Milwaukee, but he knows I am serious about it."

Torres' decision did not completely surprise Melvin, who had heard "whispers" that the veteran reliever might retire.

"We would have liked to have him back," said Melvin. "He did a heck of a job for us. He's a real professional and a good teammate, and he's coming off his best year. I give him credit and I respect his decision."

Torres took over for the faltering Eric Gagn