Apologies for the lack of recent updates. I’ve been busy contemplating some disturbing musical questions, such as whether it is possible to apply McCoy Tyner‘s use of quartal harmony to AC/DC songs. (Answer: In theory, yes; in practice, don’t go there.)

Anyway, we made it out to Petco Park last night and saw the best game I’ve seen Jake Peavy pitch in person since he was at Elsinore back in 2001. Actually, his line against the Dodgers was almost identical to the line he posted on June 30, 2001 while with the Storm. Yes, I realize that is a tremendously geeky thing to know. But I’m okay with it.

So last night Peavy went out and completely abused the Dodgers. He fanned eleven, including Jayson Werth four straight times. Eight shutout innings dropped Peavy’s ERA to 2.27. Peavy now qualifies for the ERA title, leading the Cubs’ Carlos Zambrano by 0.37. Peavy needs to work 7 2/3 innings over his final two starts to maintain the requisite number of innings needed to win the title.

Phil Nevin finally got out of his funk, launching a rocket shot to left against Dodger starter Brad Penny. And Mark Loretta picked up hit #199 on the season. If it weren’t for a spectacular play by Cesar Izturis in the third, Loretta would’ve notched his 200th as well. Izturis ranged far to his left, made a diving stab and flipped the ball with his glove hand to second baseman Alex Cora, who fired to first to nail Loretta by a step. Great, great play.

But the big story is what’s going on in the NL West. What had seemed only a few weeks ago like a done deal is rapidly becoming undone. The Dodgers’ lead over San Francisco has shrunk to a half game, and even the Pads are only 4 1/2 back. (How huge is getting swept by the Devil Rays back in June now?) Los Angeles is playing sloppy ball, and last night Penny had to leave in the fourth inning due to injury after coming off the DL earlier in the day. If the Dodgers do end up making the playoffs, this can’t be the way they want to do it.

From the Padres’ perspective, there isn’t much point in watching scoreboards right now. The Friars pretty much have to win the rest of their games to have a chance. It’s too bad the Padres got themselves into this position by not executing earlier in the year, but the flip side is that all the pressure is on the Dodgers and Giants right now. And hey, the Padres did manage to clinch their first winning season since 1998. And they’ve already won 18 more games than they did in 2003. My preseason prediction of 84 victories actually would be a disappointment, as the Pads would need to lose 8 of their final 10 to reach that total.

We’ll do a full autopsy once the season is over, but we’re not dead yet. Hope is slim, but as long as there are games to be played, anything can happen. And in 2004, in the NL West, it probably will.