On a Rocky Mountian High

I love Greg Maddux. I really do. I don't even care if he can only pitch 5-6 innings anymore. He is still awesome and I'm glad he is a Padre (at least for a year).

The game last night was pretty fantastic. Six runs in the bottom of the second, two of which were walked in by the he-looks-about-12-years-old pitcher from CO, Jeff Francis. It was a game we needed...made us think we could actually, sorta, kinda hit and brought us closer to reclaiming the division from the D-Backs. Here are three indisputable facts I observed at the game last night:

1. Marcus Giles Sucks
He really did absolutely nothing for us last night. By the 9th, his ABs read like this: SO swinging, Single, SO swinging, SO swinging. The Giles brothers should not play on the same team. When one of them is hot (see Brian's weekend in Cincinnati), the other is barely batting .200 since May. Seriously, give him back to ATL.

2. Khalil Greene Always Strikes Out with Bases Loaded
You can take this one to the bank. Khalil is really good SS, though I think the Padres have hyped him more than he deserves, and fans really seem to like him, but in big inning situations, Greene is pretty much the last guy I want to see come to the plate. Last night, in the 8th, bases were loaded for Greene. I turned to my dad and said, "Well, here comes a strike out." I swear, I'm like a prophet or something...

The two guys behind us were pretty hilarious. One of them was a Padres fan and the other kept insisting baseball was not a real sport. When Khalil came to the plate, the Padre fan said "He is the greatest short stop in baseball" and Baseball Hater guy asked, "Doesn't Jeter play short stop?" Ouch.

Baseball Hater guy also spent most of the game looking forward to singing "that song they sing in the seventh inning." He was a moron.

3. The Fans Really Love to Say "KOOOOOOOOZ!"
And lately, Kouz deserves the adulation. He had a couple big hits last night. When the Jumbotron told the crowed Kouz had the most Rookie RBIs in the NL (or something), Baseball Hater guy said "He's a rookie and already has his own chant?!?!" Indeed he does and I love it.

Needless to say, it was a good time at the ballpark.