I'm Not A Good Padres Fan

Scotty,

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I missed your heroics last night. The only part of the game I watched was the final out of the top of the 9th and then the bottom half when Heath closed it out for his sixth straight - thrilling - save. I missed your bomb, your go-ahead double, Nick's bomb, Luis' bomb and Chase's laser from right field to nail Greg Dobbs at the plate and preserve the Padres slim 1-run lead in the 8th.

I missed all that and I have no one to blame but myself.

Actually, I guess I can also blame the cable guy who never fixed the television feed upstairs at McGee's, where I was for happy hour with Geleaux, McGally and Tatt Mareeco. Knowing McGee's has the baseball package, I asked the bartender promptly at 7 PM EST if he could put the Pads-Phillies game on one of the four upstairs televisions. He told me that the cable was broken upstairs and the guy had not come around to fix it yet. He was kind enough, however, to confirm that they were showing the Padres game downstairs. Literally, a six second walk down the stairs from where we were standing.

Of course we didn't go downstairs. The main reason, I'll admit, was that the bar was crowded and we didn't want to lose our spot by the upstairs bar. But also I happened to glance at the score around 7:20 and saw that the Phils were already up 5-0. I'm not gonna lie ... that put a damper on my desire to watch the game.

It wasn't until about two hours later that Geleaux happened to glance at the score again and said the Drinos were only down 7 - 5. Even then I didn't rush downstairs. Instead, I casually finished another Stella and by the time we got downstairs you had already put the Padres ahead with that choice double down the third base line.

I was extremely pleased but immediately felt the pangs of regret.

I promise I won't miss anymore of your heroics.

Best,
Bevormo

Padres Win Citi Field Opener ... In Style

Jody,

McGee's. Midtown Manhattan. That's where I was last night when you smoked one of the more historic bombs in Major League history.

I had just finished a Guinness and was about to partake of a draft Stella Artois (served in an enticing glass goblet, mind you) when I looked up at the television screen to see you yank the third pitch in Citi Field history into the stands in right field. My first reaction was to set the Stella down on a nearby table (wouldn't want to spill any) and I then proceeded to walk the length of the bar with my two hands clenched in fists, not really pumping them but more so just shaking them in excitement. Geleaux, who was standing next to me at the time and has no love for the Metsies, could not stop laughing. My other buddy, McGally, a top Met fan, could only stare in dumb silence at the television screen as his beloved Metsies ushered in the Citi Field era in a most ignominious fashion.

Another notable event: about six minutes before your bomb I looked over at McGally, who was triple tasking trying to drink his Stella, watch the pre-game coverage and send work e-mails on his blackberry, and said, "How nervous are Metsie fans that the first game in Citi Field history ends with Duaner Sanchez getting a hold and Heath Bell closing it out for a save?"

I don't remember McGally's answer but I'm pretty sure he could already feel the footsteps. Sure enough, a few hours later, Duaner and Heath pitched perfect innings to preserve the Drinos 1-run lead and close out the victory.

What a night. Made even more perfect by solid episodes of House and How I Met Your Mother ....

Looking forward to Wednesday.

Best,
Bevormo