Yesterday, the bees invaded PETCO Park. In the top of the ninth, the game was delayed as a huge swarm of bees came out of the left field line. The game was delayed for 52 minutes, but the result of the game was not pretty as the Padres lost, 7-2.

These Padres are just dragging through the mud right now. They should have been swept in four this series, but they were able to come back in Tuesday's game and get the win. The pitching is killing us. Mostly the other team's pitching, but our's hasn't been the greatest either.

Yesterday, our ace Kevin Correia had a very un-ace-like outing. He allowed six runs in five innings, walking three. It wasn't that great. Then the bullpen allowed a run (naturally, Joe Thatcher).

Scott Hairston had two hits and drove in a run, but that was about it for our offense. Sure, we had nine hits, but not good enough. The other starting pitcher was too good. I am not happy with this team right now. Not at all.

So, the bee delay was very interesting. Apparently, the queen led the swarm into a ballgirl's jacket that was hanging over a chair down the left field line. They got a beekeeper in there and he was able to take care of the problem. Very interesting though. I really wonder where they could have come from.

Now, to be or not to be. The Padres are about to play a huge, and I mean huge, three-game series against the Dodgers. It's the return of the Manny tonight, and I would think that all three of these games are sold out. Unfortunately, there are going to be a lot of Dodgers fans because of the Manny, obviously, and the Dodgers purchased a ton of tickets for their fans. I don't think that's very cool, but at least it's giving the Padres a lot of money. They should bring in some Manny wigs to double the profit.

We're 15.5 games behind. Interleague killed us, just like I thought it would. Who is this team going to be? Are we going to go up and down for the rest of the season, or are we going to fight this? Are we going to be a winning team, or a losing team? Simple as that. To be or not to be...that is the question.

I don't know if this team is capable of winning like they were earlier in the season. It just seems like everything never works at the same time for them. Meaning, that when they are hitting like crazy, the pitching is giving up just as many runs. Or when the pitching is phenominal, the hitting can't get a hit. I don't know if we will be able to get it together.

I got to talk with a Padres fan yesterday at the San Diego County Fair at a sports booth. She was as baffled as I was about this team. One day they're the best team in baseball, and the next day, they're taking the express right down to the cellar.

I don't know if this team can win consistently. But I sure hope they decide soon.

Tonight we are playing the Dodgers, and like I said, the Manny is baaaaack. Oh goodness. It's going to be a wild weekend!

Chad Gaudin will be pitching against Hiroki Kuroda. Oh great. Well, I sure hope my boys can come up on top!!

GO PADRES!!!! BEAT LA!!!!!

We are all struggling in this economic time. Some are just getting by, some are holding tightly to their jobs as their co-workers are cut down all around them, and some are searching desperately and disappointedly for a job. So when a man joined this blogosphere and announced that he was going to sell all his possessions, move into his car, and travel all over the United States watching his favorite baseball team, we were captivated. I mean, this guy must be insane! To give up everything and just watch baseball is probably something we only dream of. We would love to put our worries aside and just watch baseball. Well, Tom Walsh did that. He travelled to nine stadiums, caught many games, and met a lot of people. But the dream didn't last. Eventually, the economic situation caught up with him. The Baseball Across America journey is not over though. Sure, Tom's reached a big bump in the road, but I know that he'll be back out in the Rockies Roadster as soon as he can.

We have gathered here today to give messages of encouragement to our fellow blogger in this time. Tom's been an inspiration to us all, and well, I'll just let the messages do the talking.

 From Kaybee (http://kaybee.mlblogs.com)

Tom, I've been reading your blog for quite a while, and it's definitely one of my favorites. Not because you have great analysis on the Rockies or anything, but because of how much you really put yourself into your entries. When you write about your journey, it's like we're right there next to you, experiencing the same things that you were. I've had so much fun watching your journey so far, and it is so sad that is temporarily over. But one of the things that has always stuck out to me about you is that you believe that everything happens for a reason. I know it isn't always easy to believe that, especially when something really hard happens. I believe that these experiences make a person stronger, and even if they can't see it when they are going through it, these trials in our lives really do happen for a reason. I really admire the way you hold fast to that.

I want to thank you for keeping up your blog, for commenting on my blog, for my support group and my Timeout and all that. You've been a great friend, and I really hope your journey can take you to San Diego someday soon. Still praying for you man, and I can't wait for you to get back on the road.

Baseball Across America PETCO Park: To be accomplished...

From Jen (http://ajroxmywhitesox.mlblogs.com)

Back in January, you created a support group for Kaybee. Back then, I'd only been blogging for about a month, but you'd been one of my most consistent commenters.  And since Kaybee was another one of my consistent commenters and I'd suffered a baseball loss like hers before, I was more than glad to help you out with her support group. Now in return, Kaybee has one for you and Baseball Across America, which I'm more than glad to help with again.

As you started your journey, I looked forward to every entry you made because it was like taking your journey with you in a way.  I got to learn about places I haven't been yet but want to visit.  I got to hear about the various fans, and I learned more about the Rockies as well.  And so many entries included pictures that just amazed me, as I've told you numerous times.

What I don't think I've said numerous times is that your blog is one of my favorites.  Because you're a great writer.  Because you're a great photographer.  But mostly because you put so much of yourself into these blogs, and we all get to see how amazing of a person you
are.  You gave up everything to find the good in people all across this country.  You found it, and you shared it.  You've had more of an impact on people than I think you realize.  It's definitely more of an impact than I can accurately express.

Your journey is only on a hiatus, Tom.  When you can afford it again, I know Baseball Across America will start up again.  You're too good of a person to just let it end.  You've made some great friends on your journey, some you've met and many you haven't.  Until you can
resume this amazing journey, keep writing and keep being Tom Walsh. We'll always be here.

Baseball Across America Turner Field: Mission accomplished

From Hyun Young (http://hyunyoung.mlblogs.com)

Tom,

I am incredibly sad that your journey has ended for now and I wish you for the best. When I read your post about this, you brought tears to my eyes. Your incredible journey across America inspired so many people not just in blogosphere, but everywhere you went. It is absolutely heartbreaking when something that was so brilliant and exciting comes to an end. It's almost too scary to turn to a next chapter in life, but it's something that happens to everyone. For me, going to high school next month is a nerve-wracking thing. I will get used to the new world eventually. The journey did not reach the finish line and it will not for a long time. You have an obstacle that is blocking you right now, but very soon, you will overcome it and keep going on and on. I thank you for what you do for MLBlogs and you have a friend in San Diego. Another chapter will wait and I pray that it will be a very positive one. Every single of us, the incredible bloggers, are here for you anytime, anywhere.

Baseball Across America Rogers Centre: To be accomplished... 

From Jeremy (http://homerfoodandhistory.mlblogs.com)

Tom,

We all run into financial trouble along the way. One way or another, the all-mighty buck can be humbling. Our big baseball trip again this year is Detroit (only 3 hours away, but still a good distance). I think it is amazing that you got experience all those cities, ballparks and places. Your journey has been truly impressive, and I honestly think people should be paying you to do it (i.e. sponsors). I've admired the all the places you've been to, and all the people you've seen along the way. If you were to ever come to the Toronto area, I'd definitely buy your Jays ticket. Good luck with everything! I hope that opportunity knocks for you, and I hope you find something you like. I'm currently looking for the same thing, as I've been stuck in an endless cycle of acquiring temporary employment. I lose my job grounds keeping at Mahoney Park in Hamilton, Ontario in late September. Again, what you have done already is amazing, and I hope one day you make all the way north to my area. There will be a Jays ticket waiting for you.

Baseball Across America Chase Field: Mission accomplished 

From Jane (http://janeheller.mlblogs.com)

Hi, Tom. It's She Fan Jane. Or, as you like to call me, Joan Wilder from "Romancing the Stone." Now listen up. Yes, your trip has stalled and your dream has been put on hold. But that's how it is sometimes. And you're not the type to take defeat lying down. Neither am I. When I tried to get my Yankees book published after having written 13 novels, I had lots of rejections. Everybody said, "A baseball book by a woman? It'll never sell." I could have given up, but I didn't. And then along came an editor who said, "I love the book and I'm willing to pay for it." We can never take no for answer and we can never give up. Somehow, you'll find a way around your current problems, and solving them will make you even stronger and more
determined. I'm rooting for you!

Baseball Across America Wrigley Field: Mission accomplished 

From Jeff and Allen of RSBS (http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com)

Hold your head up high! The game is not over until you hit the showers and as far as we can tell, you're still super dirty! Okay, so that was a poor analogy, but you get what we're saying. Truth is, whether you're at Chavez Ravine, Busch Stadium or a shantytown at the base of a mountain, as long as you got an internet connection you're still touching our lives (and even
without one you still are, though the travel and phone bills may add up). We at RSBS proudly support you wherever the journey takes you and if that means you have to give us your views on the Rockies, from Colorado, then so be it. We got your back. Say the word and we're on it (DISCLAIMER: This support does not include inflicting bodily harm on other humans, animals or
insects, unless said human, animal or insect is wearing a Cubs jersey, in which case, you needn't say anything else, just ignite the bat signal like I taught you when you were here in Chicago and one of us will go kick some serious tail).

Sincerely,
Jeff & Allen

Baseball Across America Yankee Stadium: To be accomplished... 

From Emily (http://deconstrucingthoughts.mlblogs.com)

A day at the ballpark with Tom Walsh was a day to remember. How lucky I am to have spent some time with you while you were on your incredible journey. As we go through life, sometimes we encounter random strangers, people who come in and out of our lives, and some of us got to encounter Tom Walsh, a unique stranger with a phenomenal voyage. I have a lot of fond memories of that day, my favorites come in no particular order, but they are just moments that make me smile on the day I encountered Tom Walsh. The first one is when I sat outside those gates behind home plate lusting after that Ubaldo Jimenez shirt. I have got to get me one of these, Tom, you better get here. Fortunately for you, you did get there, and I got a shirt, and all was well in the world. I remember trying to tell you that I was the coolest person you'd ever meet, and it was a sentence that I couldn't even finish. We got to reminisce on Greality and think about the deliciousness that is Teriyaki Bowl. I got to witness probably some of the best butt pictures I've ever seen (not taken on my command though, lest we forget). We talked about my experiment and how dense I still am. We talked about the minor leagues and two dollar Tuesday, maybe that was what it was. Two and Tuesday make sense. You got to meet my weird friends and harass Manny Ramirez. You get a lot of experiences on your road, so you may not remember the events that occurred that evening, but I do. I remember that night fondly and it's because of the unique encounter with a stranger. The impact that you can have on people is phenomenal and I can only hope that we will all be so lucky to encounter such a unique stranger. I meant what I said when I commented on your blog, kid, you'll move mountains.

Baseball Across America Fenway Park: To be accomplished...

From Julia (http://werbiefitz.mlblogs.com)

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

Tom,

Unlike most of us - you actually took the journey!  You did not sit around saying "should of, could of, would of"...you did it!  How brave you are to face that unknown.  To place that "one foot in front of the other" and walk out the door.  It took courage to do that my friend; a courage that few of us will ever find.

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

 To where it bent in the undergrowth;

You did not let the fear of the unknown stop you.  You have a deep faith in your fellow man - you knew that you would find friends where ever you went.  And you did!  You knew that if you took that path a world of adventure awaited you.

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

Tom, the path you took was different from most.  It was unconventional.  I'm sure many told you you were crazy to be taking such a journey.  But you did not let that stop you.  You believed in yourself and in what you wanted to do.  You knew this was something you needed to do.  It was more than just visiting ballparks around the country.  It was about discovering who we are; discovering, in a way, who you are.  The stories you told of the people you met!  You are right - we all have a story.  But sometimes it takes a very special person like you to help us find that story within ourselves.  Not many of us our very good at looking inward and seeing what is there.  I think because most of us are afraid of what we will find.  You gave us the courage to take that look and you inspired us to find the good that is there.

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

It is rare that we get the chance and go back and take another path in life.  Even if we go back to the beginning - we are never the same.  Our journeys shape and mold us into different people.  You without a doubt are a richer person for what you have done and seen.  I know, it ended much too soon.  But Tom - as hard as it is - DO NOT BE SAD!  Yes, the journey did not end on your terms, but look at what you did!  Do you know that you carried all of us who read your blog on your back for the whole trip?  You brought to life the people and events that you encountered along the way.  You allowed us the opportunity to walk along with you.  For that we are all richer.  Do you have any idea how much you touched all the lives of not only the people you met on your trip but also the people who followed you from afar?  I am so grateful that you let us - me- come along for the ride.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

You took the road less traveled Tom.  And it has made a difference.  You make a difference Tom.  Please - do not waste any energy over "what ifs".  Build off of what you've done.  I know you care so very much about the people in this world - take what you have learned from your journey, no matter how brief it might have been, and make it better.  That was the message of your journey.  Now do it!  God bless you Tom and thank you.

Baseball Across America Minute Maid Park: Mission Accomplished

From Kylie (http://kylie.mlblogs.com)

*Tom. I didn't know what to expect when I shouted that name at a vaguely familiar man in a Rockies jersey, but I was willing to try my luck in hope of finding something good. Come to think of it, that's precisely what you did when you decided to put all you owned into your journey. You put everything you had into what you wanted to do, and yeah, it didn't go forever, but damn you did more than most of us could ever accomplish. Because, for once in my life, I'm short on words, I'm going to steal from myself in the comment I left on your blog entry. You wonder if you had an impact, if you made a difference. The way you live your life has certainly had an impact on the way I will be living mine. Anyone who has read your blog can read about the people you've met who you've changed in some way, and something they read there has probably done the same for them. There's no need to worry about that, but I'm surprised you would worry at all. Of course, if you were to worry, it **would** be about something unselfish like if you helped anyone else, while I'm here worrying that my Tulo jersey will get lost in the mail (knock on wood!). I know you might also be worried about what's ahead, even if you would never admit to it, but if anyone can handle it, it's the guy who threw his whole life in the back of a Taurus and took off across the country without knowing what he'd encounter within the next twenty-four hours. It's the guy who stayed in random people's homes and talked to everyone he saw. It's the guy who loved a team who couldn't win and watched them become a team who couldn't lose. You've handled everything thus far. Why should the rest of your life be any different?*
*
*
*The best piece of advice I've gotten recently came from a good friend of mine--"Don't be so quick to await the destination when you have the journey." You aren't quite the awaiting the destination type, but you've got journey-enjoying skills, and now's the time to use them. I'll be up in Colorado in a few months and if you need anything, I'll be there. Slowly, because I'll probably be on the bus, but, you know, eventually I'll make it.

So go. Shine.*

Tom, we're all here for you as you go through this tough time. I hope this helped, and that you will eventually get to all the ballparks that are "to be accomplished." Who knows where life will take us, but let's enjoy the journey that gets us there.

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Psalm 16:9

 Baseball Across America Coors Field: Mission definitely accomplished :)

 (Thanks to Tom Walsh for first and last pictures) 

What a  crazy game. Come-from-behind, heart-attack ninth inning, yeah, I love those games :)

Josh Banks started for the first time this year. He threw seven solid innings, allowing three runs on five hits. It was a great start, but it looked like he would lose the game.

Mike Hampton, starting for the Astros, threw extremely well. He went six innings, allowing one run on four hits. He was very solid.

In the fourth, Adrian Gonzalez drove in Scott Hairston for our first run with a triple. But Adrian tweaked his knee going into the third, and he had to leave the game. AHHHHH!! We need Adrian. We NEED him!! I really really hope he gets better soon!!

Going into the seventh, the score was 3-1 Astros. It didn't seem very likely that the Padres would be able to come back, but these are the "never say die" kids. These are my Padres!!

Chase Headley started the inning with a single. Two outs later, Will Venable drove him in with a double. Now it's a one-run game! Next up, Tony Gwynn singled to tie the game. Then, David Eckstein singled to give the Padres the lead. Tony made a great slide into home to avoid the tag.

Now that the Padres had the lead, the bullpen had to hold it. Edward Mujica threw the top of the eighth, and it was kind of scary. He allowed a single, but then got a beautiful double play. Then he allowed another single, but Heath Bell came in to get a fly-out to escape the inning. One down, one more to go.

The Padres were not able to add any insurance in the bottom of the eighth, so we went to the ninth and Heath Bell. Now, I've said before the Heath likes to make things interesting. Well, tonight, he made things REALLY interesting. Goodness, he really needs to stop that. He's stressing out the Padres fans!!

With two outs (two outs!!), he walked two straight batters. AHHH!! Those were the potential tying and winning runs for the Astros. Man, it was STRESSING!!!

The next batter hit a ball very well to right field. AHHHHH!! But no fear, we've got Tony Gwynn out there!! He made a great catch to put the game away.

Haha, Heath looks so relieved!!

He got his 22nd save of the season. Josh Banks got his first win of the season.

Whew. It was an excellent game. We really needed that one, so it was great. This is a four game series, so the Padres need at least one more. Preferably two more, though :)

David Eckstein had three hits again. He has been soooo good!!

Tonight we are playing the 'Stros again. Walter Silva is pitching. Oh boy. Buddy Black said that he gets another chance, so here it is. I don't expect him to throw well, but I really hope he does.

There was this really great article about Tony Gwynn and Tony Gwynn yesterday on espn.com. It was excellent!! You can read it here.

Well, let's get this game tonight boys!!

GO PADRES!!!  

I'm blaming this one on Roy Oswalt.

I bet Jake Peavy was going crazy in the dugout. Sitting there on the bench with his ankle in a cast, he was probably itching to be out there, knowing that he should be the one on the mound pitching against his buddy. He must have been ragging on Roy all night after the game over the phone, but what Oswalt did to the Padres was no laughing matter. It was amazing.

Roy pitched the whole game, allowing two hits and one run. That run came in on a wild pitch. That just goes to show how good he was. Man, TWO hits?? Goodness. We were utterly shut down. Roy had a excellent outing.

On the Padres side, Josh Geer wasn't bad, but he wasn't good enough. He threw seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. He didn't walk a batter though, which was great.

Greg Burke and Cla Meredith each threw a scoreless inning.

But the game ended with a 3-1 Astros score. It should be said, though, that the Padres hit some balls really well, but were robbed by some great defense. 

And so, we lost. We are now 15 games behind the Dodgers, by the way. We gained a couple games over the weekend, but those Dodgers keep winning and winning. And watch out - the Manny is coming back this weekend against the Padres. I think we may have a sold-out weekend...

Just because you wanted to know, Kouz is slightly growing out his beard right now and IT LOOKS AMAZING!!!  AHHHHH!! I love it when he does that. He doesn't look that great clean-shaven. He looks so great with a beard!! But of course, he looks great all the time :D

Well, Josh Banks is going to start against Mike Hampton. Banks hasn't started for us a while, but I'm pretty sure he started last year. I'm not sure how well he did, but he must have had some decent outings. It will be very interesting to see how he does.

GO PADRES!!!   

On Saturday, my Padres came up with a great win. Kevin Correia pitched like the ace he is. He threw seven innings, allowing three runs with nine strikeouts. He was gooood.

The offense backed him up really well, so there wasn't much pressure. In the second, we got three runs on five hits, including doubles by David Eckstein and Kyle Blanks.

 It was a great, great game. We had a season-high 16 hits. Eckstein, Blanks, Blanco, and Cabrera each had two hits. Kouz and Chase Headley each had three. Scott Hairston was the only one who didn't have a hit, but he made some spectacular catches in center field. He was robbing out there! 

Edward Mujica and Mike Adams were great out of the bullpen. It was overall just a great, well-played game.

But what a game we got on Sunday. Even better than Saturday's. It was clean, simple, quick, but boy was it good.

Chad Gaudin allowed a hit with one out in the bottom of the first...and then he didn't allow a thing for the rest of the game. He had nine strikeouts in eight innings. He was so good, it's incredible. This pitcher is not the same pitcher we saw earlier in the year. Man, what a great pitching performance by Gaudin!!

I mean, he threw a ONE hitter!! Man, that was great.

On the offensive side, it was all Scott Hairston. I bet he was pretty upset about not getting any hits on Saturday, so he got them on Sunday. He went 3-for-4 with a single, double, and home run. He drove in our only two runs.

Goodness, that is a REALLY funny picture!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Kouz: High five? Scotty: People to see, places to go... 

Anyways, Chase Headley and Kyle Blanks each had two hits. I've been really pleased with Blanks. He's really getting into a groove.

Heath Bell came in the ninth, walking a batter, but turned a 1-4-3 double play to win the game, 2-0.

It was a great, great game. The pitching was incredible. We did leave quite a few runners on, but we got just enough.

And so, we won a series for the first time since May 25-27 against the Diamonbacks. Yeah, it had been a while. And now we're done with interleague!!! WHOOO HOOOO!!!! That is so exciting. We were 5-10 in interleague play. We didn't really survive, but we're done with it. Whew.

Tonight we are going to be back home. YES!!!! That's huge. Anyways, we're playing the Astros for three, then the Dodgers and the return of the Manny.

Where on earth did Mariano Rivera come from?? I mean, he got his 500th save last night. What's up with that?? Ahem, Trevor Hoffman is the all-time saves leader, and I mean ALL-TIME. I don't think anyone should overtake him or I will be quite upset. Goodness. You'd better get pumping, Trevor, 'cause you've got a guy right on your heels!!

I would like to share a few pictures that my sister took of a baseball. Believe me, they're amazing. She has a really cheap camera, but she's really got a talent with that photography thing.

 That's Trevor Hoffman's autograph. Good job sista!!!

Well, it's Josh Geer vs. Roy Oswalt tonight. I really hope we can extend the two-game winning streak!!

Isn't it amazing what your team does when you threaten to boycott them? :)

GO PADRES!!!

Last night, Anthony "Tony" Gwynn Jr. hit his first Major League home run.

It was the top of the first, with a count of 3-2 and no outs, when Tony slammed that ball down the right field line and out of there. So cool for Tony!!

He's not known as a home run hitter (DUH!!), he's more of a small ball guy. But that's gotta be great for him to get that first major league home run finally out of the way. And I'm so glad he got it in a Padres uniform, instead of that other team who barely gave him a chance.

12 years ago to the day (yesterday), Tony Gwynn Sr. hit an inside-the-park grand slam. Very, very cool. We've been waiting for Anthony to become a Padre for a very long time, and I am so glad he's here. He's been really good for us so far this season, and I can't wait to see what else he does for us.

Tony's defense has also been great. Last night, he made an excellent sliding catch in foul territory, then threw to second to double off the runner. It was great.  

David Eckstein had two hits last night. This guy has been soooo good!! He's hitting so well, it's incredible. Great pickup, Padres!!

Ok, so right now, I am not happy with my Padres. So not happy that I'm slightly boycotting them. I refuse to listen to this junk on the radio. They're not going to play good baseball, I'm not going to listen to it. I don't need the depression. Sure, you should never let the score effect a good time at the ballpark, but this is getting ridiculous. I just can't listen to it, so I won't. 

I am so thankful that interleague is almost over, but I think we're done. I predicted before this nightmare started that if we can't get through this, our season will be done. I mean, I don't know if being done with interleague will solve all our problems. It doesn't work that way. The pitching is pathetic now, and playing NL teams is not going to fix that. 

We're 16 games behind, and the Dodgers are showing no signs of slowing down. I still think that the Dodgers will have to fall apart sometime, but I don't think my Padres could make up that distance, not with the way they're playing right now. 

Maybe being done with interleague will help them. Maybe I'm wrong. But I don't see it happening. Not when you have terrible starting pitching, and rookies who aren't hitting in the lineup. Not when you're bullpen gives up tons of runs. Not this team. These Padres are doing nothing but proving what people expected of them: that they would be a terrible losing team. 

And so, until these guys start getting their act together, I'm going to keep away from the radio. I don't want to hear this PATETIC baseball. It's not worth it. 

Well, tonight we have our ace Kevin Correia pitching, so I'm allowing myself a tiny bit of hope that we might actually play well. We'll see. 

Oh, by the way, we lost 12-2 last night. 

GO PADRES!!!! 

Let this be a lesson to us all: if you don't pitch well, you get sent down.

Wade LeBlanc had a bad outing the last time out. He only pitched three innings, giving up three runs. But the Padres gave him a second chance, and boy did he blow it. He only went 1.1 innings yesterday, giving up four runs on five hits with three walks.

Immediately after the game, he was demoted to Triple-A. Take that!

I am very glad that the Padres would not let him stay. They were swift in their judgement. The guy didn't get his job done, so he was sent back to where he came from. That's good, very good.

Josh Banks, who threw 3.1 innings yesterday, giving up two runs on three hits, is expected to take LeBlanc's spot in the rotation.

Joe Thatcher threw a scoreless 1.1 innings, but Cla Meredith gave up three huge runs in his two innings. By that time, the Padres were fighting back, only down three runs. But Cla gave the Mariners a six-run advantage.

In the top of the sixth, the Padres got a two-run homer from Chase Headley to get on the board. In the seventh, Edgar Gonzalez hit a home run to cut the lead to 6-3. The Padres then proceeded to leave the bases loaded in that inning.

Have you ever thought about how lonely/annoying it is to be a runner LOB? Let's take Kevin Kouzmanoff in the fourth. He led off the inning with a booming ground-rule double.

So Kouz is standing there, no outs, he's gotta expect to be driven in eventually (but if he knew our hitters, maybe not). He has to be fully concentrating on the plate in case someone hits the ball, but he also has to be laughing and joking with the Mariners' shortstop at the same time. He has to be sure to stand on the bag, and if there's a fly ball, he has to remember to tag up, and on top of all that, he needs to keep an eye out for his third base coach.

Chase Headley comes to the plate. Chase is batting righty, so he might hit a ball to the left side. If so, Kouz will have to stay clear of the ball, which would hinder his already-slow progress to third and possibly home.

Chase hits a few fouls and takes a ball. Then he grounds out right to shortstop. Kouz scrambles back to the bag so he doesn't get picked off, but he didn't get moved to third, which was Chase's job.

Next up is Kyle Blanks. The first pitch he gets is lined down the left field line. Kouz takes off, but it's just foul. Grrr. Kouz trots back, joking some more with the shortstop.

Two foul balls later, Kyle zinged a ball that was heading for the left field corner. Kouz took off, elated to be able to score. But then Adrian Beltre caught the ball. Kouz trots back to second, breathing heavily now.

Next up, Edgar Gonzalez. Definitely has home run power. First two pitches, foul. Next three pitches, balls. OK, with a full count and two outs, Kouz is running like mad between second and shortstop area. Back and forth, back and forth. Foul ball, running. Trotting back. Heaving ho. And then, finally, a swinging strike.

Kouz sighs, waiting for the ballboy to bring his hat and glove. He boomed a double, no outs, ran back and forth from second and third way to many times, wore himself out, but all for naught. Such is the life of a Padres baserunner.

Scary thing is, we left nine men on base yesterday. We were 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Situations like Kouz's are happening every day in Padres land. The question is, how are we going to stop it?

We need to get more timely hits. Simple as that. Once we get a runner on bases with two or less outs, he should expect to be driven in. And the hitters should expect to rack up their RBI stats. We got two home runs yesterday, but that was about it.

Everyone in the lineup had at least one hit except Scott Hairston and David Eckstein, but they were not timely hits. Henry Blanco had two hits, which was great.

Scott Hairston and Buddy Black were ejected in the third for arguing balls and strikes. Good job guys!! Too bad it didn't completely fire up the team.

So, we lost the series. I was not very happy with this team in the past two games. They were not good at all.

Tonight we are in Texas to play the Rangers. It's going to be a fascinating series. We'll probably get swept. Anyways, hope you can figure out what's going on, boys! If you can't get things together, I'm not listening. So get it going.

Walter Silva is pitching against Kevin Millwood. Silva better go more than five innings or else.

GO PADRES!!!  

Three-run homers are one of the most dreaded hits in baseball when they are hit against your team. Three runs is a lot, and to be able to get that many runs in one swing is a huge advantage for the team who hit it.

Last night, Josh Geer had a great outing, but his night was ruined by one swing: a three-run homer by Russell Branyan.

Josh threw well. He went six innings, allowing only those three runs from the homer, with three walks and three strikeouts.

Mike Adams threw a scoreless inning. But Edward Mujica took a tied game and gave it away. He allowed Franklin Gutierrez's seventh homer of the season to give the Mariners the lead. Gutierrez has hit four home runs against the Padres!! Crazy. 

In the top of the second, the Padres got on the board thanks to my boy, Kevin Kouzmanoff! He hit his tenth homer of the season, a two-run blast that went 414 feet!!

Good job, Koozie :)

That gave the Padres a 2-0 lead. But the Mariners came back with the Russell homer. 

In the fifth, Tony Gwynn drove in Will Venable to tie the game. But then Mujica gave up the home run, and that was that. We lost 4-3. 

Scott Hairston threw out a runner at home, which was really cool. All of our hitters had one hit except Chase Headley and Scotty. We played well, but we didn't get enough. 

But I am very pleased with the way the Padres have been playing in the last two games. I mean, this is more like it. This is what I'm used to; the Padres win the first game, the opposing team wins the second game, and then the Padres win the rubber game and the series. 

In 2007, that's what I could expect from the team every series. I always knew they could win two out of three, and it seemed like they followed a certain pattern. I haven't been able to expect that for a long time, so this feels really good. I just hope they can stick to the plan. 

Today Wade LeBlanc is pitching against Jarrod Washburn. LeBlanc was OK in his first start of the season last Friday, but he needs to go deeper into the game today. We really really need that from him. It's a day game, so that will be cool. Let's get this boys!!

I wanted to give a quick update on Trevor, since I haven't in a while. Trevor had 17 saves in 18 opportunities this season (Heath has 20. HA!). He's been good with the Brewers, and I really am happy for him, in a sad way. I'm glad that he's having a good season, and that he's healthy. And I still really really hope he comes back for at least a few games next season. We've got to get him back in a Padres uniform. We miss you Trevor!!

GO PADRES!!  

Oh boy. What a game.

If you love those suspensive, nail-biting, ain't-over-til-it's-over type of games, you would have loved last night's game between the Padres and the Mariniers.

Take the second inning, for instance. Starting pitcher Chad Gaudin allowed three straight singles with no outs. He walked a batter to drive in the first run of the game. And he got out of the inning with no further damage, against Ichiro for goodness sakes!!

Take the ninth innning. In the eighth, the Mariners got four runs off of Greg Burke to make a seemingly safe lead of 9-2 suddenly very close at 9-6. Heath Bell came in to save the game. He gave up a run and had the potential winning run at the plate. It was so stressing!! But he pulled it out, and he got his 20th save.

In the fourth inning, Adrian hit his 24th homer of the season to give the Padres a 2-1 lead. We got two more runs in the fifth. Henry Blanco doubled and Everth Cabrera drove him in with a single. Then, with David Eckstein batting, Everth stole second AND third. Eck drove him in with a single.

In the sixth, we got five runs. Kouz hit a single and Chase Headley ground-rule doubled. Two walks, three singles, and a sac-fly later, we had a 9-1 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ken Griffey Jr. hit a homer, but Chad Gaudin was cruising. After that scary second, he really settled down. He threw seven innings, allowing four hit and two runs, striking out 11. Definitely his best outing of the year, and maybe his career. Hey, look!! Our starting pitching is getting better!!

But the bullpen was not that great last night. Greg Burke allowed four runs to get the Mariners back into the game, and Heath was this close to losing it. Man.

I was listening to the game on my Walkman and I was pretty much falling asleep. Celebrating a blog's birthday is really tiring!! I was very relaxed...until the ninth. I was still slightly sleeping during the ninth, but I was alert. Goodness. It was so crazy!! I was so relieved when we pulled it off though. I mean, I shouldn't have to worry when we have nine runs on the board!!

But it was a great game. Our hitting was great, and I think a lot of that was thanks to Scott Hairston, just off the DL. He had two hits and provided protection for Adrian. Welcome back Scott!! We missed you a lot!!

David Eckstein, who has been so solid, had three hits. Kouz, Headley, and Everth had two hits each. Kyle Blanks was DH. He got a walk, but has still to get his first major league hit.

As I mentioned, Heath got his 20th save. I think that's gotta be leading the majors!! Yeah Heath!!

Well, it was great to get that first win in an interleague series. I really hope the starting pitching can keep going as good as it has been. Hey, we're on a two-game winning streak!!

I wanted to thank you all for the great comments on my blog's birthday entry. That was so much fun to read all the comments on a very special day for my blog. You guys are amazing!! Well, here I go into my second year of blogging!!

Tonight is Josh Geer against Brandon Morrow. Geer was pretty good in his last start, so hopefully he will be able to throw a great outing tonight. We need the win!!

GO PADRES!!!! 

Looking back over the last year, a lot when on in my life. I learned many lessons, made many friends, and had a lot of fun experiences. This past year has really been a blessing. God has been so good!

Today is a big day in the life of my blog, as it's the one year anniversary of Unfinished Business. It's unbelievable that it's been a year! I've had so much fun blogging here, and the time has gone by so fast.

On June 23, 2008, my parents were talking about letting me get a blog. For a good part of the first few months of that season, I had been doing little write ups about the games. I had heard of MLBlogs, and when I showed it to my parents they gave me the go-ahead.

So, I created Unfinished Business: The San Diego Padres' 2008 Season. It was quite a mouthful! I wrote my first entry and got my first comment that day. My first entry was merely a few sentences, but it was a start. My next entry was, of course, defending Trevor Hoffman. Guess what? He blew a tied game the next night! Here I was, defending Trevor, saying that he wasn't washed up and still had it in him, and he goes and gets the loss.

I've been looking back over my blog for the last few weeks preparing for this entry. It is so cool to look back and see how much I've improved in my writing. It's pretty amazing. My first entries were very short. I didn't have a solid commenter's base like I do now. "Back then," I was pretty much just writing for myself. Now, I write good-length entries every day, and it's amazing how much better they are than they were!

When I first started, I couldn't touch type. I had tried for a long time to do the typing programs, but it just wasn't working. Now, I can touch type very well. Because I was forced to type a lot, I learned it easily. Finally being able to touch type is something I am very pleased to have accomplished.

It wasn't until the offseason that I started getting a lot of comments. It was very exciting for me to find a lot of comments on my blog every day. I started commenting more on other people's blogs, and that boost my readership a ton. For all you bloggers who keep getting told to comment and comment on other blogs, believe me, it really works.   

After the season ended, I shortened the title to Unfinished Business. Over the offseason, I kept blogging, almost every day, and it seemed to go by a lot quicker. I also "met" a lot of great bloggers, and made a lot of great friends.

I joined MLBlogs because I love to write about baseball, but this place has also given me the chance to interact with baseball fans all over the world. I do not have any friends who I can really talk Padres with. Sure, I can talk to them about it, but they aren't die-hards like me. This place has been great for me to talk baseball.

"On your front page of Unfinished Business you reference Corinthians in your header. What significance does it represent to you having it there?
I'm a Christian. I have had problems with being too obsessed with the Padres, but that verse reminds me that sports aren't everything. Winning the big championships is one of the most important things in sports. But just look at the players who have won the World Series or the Superbowl. Everyone's super excited and happy for a while, but then it just fades away. Trophies collect dust. The fans turn to the next season, wondering what the team will do next. I really want the Padres to win the World Series someday, but I know I won't be happy for the rest of my life when they do. I'll always feel like there's something more. This verse also encourages me to look ahead, to see that I am living for a huge gift, the gift of eternal life. I'm living for a crown that will last forever! " 

This was one of the questions in my Timeout (which I will mention later). I'm sure you've all seen the verse on the top of my blog, but you probably don't know the meaning. Well, I covered it pretty well in that question above. There are so many things we look forward to, and we think that we won't be happy until we have a World Series for our team, for example. But these things really don't last. They just don't. Sure, Phillies fans are super happy about their World Series win last year, but they are concentrating on this season now, wondering how the Phillies are going to do and if they will make the playoffs this year.

I love the Padres, and I love baseball, but in life, baseball just has to be a second priority sometimes. As I run this blog, I try to write God-honoring entries. I don't know if you've noticed, but even when I'm terribly frustrated, I never use PG (or higher)-rated language. That's just not the way to do it. My parents have raised me well. And though I do get very angry at my team sometimes, it's an anger of love. God's given me this gift of writing, but it's still really His. I am so thankful for this gift, and I'm trusting in Him to take me where He will.     

This past year has been so much fun. I've learned a lot, and grown tremendously as a writer and a Padres fan.

OK, here are some stats:

RANKINGS:  MLBlogs Latest Leaders Lists: 44, 30, 21, 25, 24, 31, 23, 22, 36, 29, 31, 31, 21, 19, 15, 17

MLBlogs Top 100 - #74

ENTRIES (as of today):  297

COMMENTS (as of today): 1468

Here are some of my favorite entries from the past year. I'm sorry that there's so many, but these all are pretty amazing.

·         Enough Said - 8/14/08

Enough said indeed.

·         Ping-Pong With the Padres - 9/3/08

My description of the way the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw treated the Padres in a certain game.

·         Season's End - 9/29/08

A review of a very important lesson I learned in 2008.

·         Game 163: A Fan's Perspective - 12/9/08

My experience of the most devastating game in my fanhood.

·         Music and Baseball - 12/19/08

Some of the songs that remind me of baseball whenever I hear them.

·         Less of a Fan - 12/30/08

Am I less of a fan because I don't have season tickets and can't be out at the ballpark all the time?

·         Why Trevor? - 1/10/09

My rant to the front office about why on earth they had to let go of Trevor. One of the best things I have ever written.

·         KOOOOOZ!!! - 1/29/09

A tribute to my favorite player in MLB. What a cutie!!

·         A Tribute to Trevor - Yes, ANOTHER One - 3/3/09

One of the last tributes I rolled out to Trevor. This is another one of the best pieces I have ever written.

·         A Letter to My Father - 3/23/09

My attempt to get my dad to let me go to the Padres' Fanfest - and it worked!!

·         I ♥ San Diego - 4/3/09

My expression of love for my beautiful city J

·         From Death into Life - 4/10/09

My Easter entry in the wake of Nick Adenhart's death.

·         Me and My Gang - 4/15/09

My boys J

·         An Ode to Kouz - 4/16/09

Hahaha, a funny little tribute to my baby!

·         Live Together, Die Alone - 5/13/09

With the team falling apart (and the season finale of LOST just around the corner), I tried to help the guys out a bit.

·         You Guys Need Help - 5/14/09

One of my all-time favorite entries, Bob the psychiatrist tries to help the Padres break out of their losing streak.

There are some other special entries that involve my blog. I was interviewed in the second installment of Tom's Timeout at the Plate series. I had so much fun doing it, and it was great to see my blog get some publicity.

There was also a support group meeting for me after the horror of Trevor Hoffman's departure from the Padres. It was so funny, and it definitely helped. It was great!

The third feature I wanted to mention was when my blog got a spot on the front page of MLBlogs with this amazing recognition. It was so much fun for me to see my blog featured like that, and it was a great picture too!

Without further ado, I would like to thank some of the people in the blogosphere.

First of all, of course Mark. This guy does so much for the blogging community, and if he wasn't at the helm, I think the blogosphere would be in chaos. Thanks so much for featuring my blog in the featured blog section, the front page of mlblogs.com, and in MLBlogs' spot on mlb.com and helping it grow!

Big thanks to Amy, who is not longer blogging with us, but was my first commenter on that day one year ago. Her blog was always a great read, and I definitely miss having her in the community.

I would also like the thank Dean, who is also no longer blogging with us. He was a Padres fan and author who was my sole commenter for a while.  He was pretty cool, but then I think I scared him off. Oh well. But I really appreciate his support for my blog over the 2008 summer.

Thanks to my parents, who let me get this blog. It has been so much fun! If I didn't have this blog to rant on, I would drive my sister crazy and she would probably move out into the backyard. Thanks so much for everything!

Thank you to Julia, who has probably commented on every entry I've written since she joined the blogosphere. She's been a huge part of the blogosphere, and it wouldn't be the same without her.

Thanks to Tom, who gave me the chance to get the word out on my blog with the Timeout, and for giving me some great therapy with the support group. Also, he graciously endures a lot of ragging from me because of the Rockies (about that guy who didn't touch the plate...), so I'm thankful for that J  

Thanks to Hyun Young, my Padres buddy J I loooove reading her blog, and it's so much fun to have a Padres fan in the blogosphere who practically has the same thoughts as me. It was a lot of fun meeting her at the Fan Fest, and I can't wait for the game we're going to!!

I would also like to thank Jen. I was the first commenter on her blog, so she's probably eternally grateful to me for that J It's always great to read her blog, and it was really nice of her to let me take control at the Fan Fest and drag her all over the place and make her sit and wait for Jake Peavy for about an hour. At least things worked out though J

Thanks to Elizabeth. Both of us struggled through chemistry, and I think she came out better than I did. This girl is going to be an amazing journalist, and I look forward to "working" with her in the business someday.

Also, thanks to Jane. I remember the first time she commented on my blog, I was so excited because a real author, a lady who had published a book about baseball, commented on my blog!!  She always leaves a great comment, and her entries are so funny!

Thanks to my Heavenly Father, who has blessed me with this incredible gift and given me the chance to minister to baseball fans all over the world. I am eternally grateful to Him for every breath that I take. He is in complete control of everything that happens in my life, and I'm trusting in Him. He alone is AWESOME!! 

Thanks also to Happy, Bob, Jeremy, Russ, Jimmy, Ben, Darion, Melissa, Kylie, King of Cali, Jenn, Sue, Emma, Cat, and all my other commenters and readers. You guys have been so amazing to me, and I really appreciate the support. Like I've said so many times, this blog had no purpose without you guys. So thank you!!

Since this is a "birthday" party, we have to "eat" some cake.

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday dear Unfinished Business

Happy birthday to you!!

 Again, thank you guys so much. This year has been so much fun, and I hope there are many more to come!!

Feel free to leave "memories" (haha) about this blog of the past year as we celebrate!!

GO PADRES!!