brian giles

Winning Half Is Like Losing Half, and Vice Versa

Monday, June 1, 2009
by Geoff Young

When last we spoke, the Padres had won 10 straight games. They finally lost on Tuesday, but not without a serious fight. Kevin Correia breezes through 4 2/3 innings, then runs into trouble. Ryan Roberts bloops a single in front of Chase Headley that a more accomplished left fielder might have caught. The inning continues, and Correia gives up back-to-back doubles that put the Diamondbacks on top, 2-0. Correia falls apart the following inning and the score is now 6-0. Arizona starter Max Scherzer has the Padres chasing high fastballs all night. Then Chris Burke (!) homers to left to lead off the eighth. Tony Gwynn Jr. follows with a pinch single, ending Scherzer's evening. Left-hander Doug Slaten comes on to face Brian Giles, ...

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Posted in Baseball | 8 Comments »

Do What You Cannot Do

Monday, April 20, 2009
by Geoff Young

The way it works with cover bands in this town is you play two nights -- Friday and Saturday -- from 9 p.m. to close. Three one-hour sets punctuated by 10-minute breaks, with a longer (80-minute) set to end the night. Wait, are we playing Jimmy Buffet and then Slayer, or is it the other way around? First set is oldies, mellow stuff, and anything we're trying to work into the repertoire -- Beatles, Eagles, Crowded House. Second set is classic rock. Third is upbeat music for dancing -- Kool and the Gang, Commodores, Romantics, a little AC/DC to give a hint of things to come. Fourth set is for the headbangers. People stop in for one ...

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Posted in Baseball | 17 Comments »

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The Ride Is All We Have

Monday, April 13, 2009
by Geoff Young

Opening Day. An affirmation of spring, life, and all that is good in the world. Moments of perfection will carry us through difficult times. There is no other way. Baseball is my pulse, my clock, my book of days. Seasons all run together. I was in high school discovering Roto, now I'm a month shy of 40. I don't even remember blinking. If you listen closely, you can hear Rick Sutcliffe asking Jake what he's still doing here. Tony Gwynn, Dave Winfield, Randy Jones, and Ollie Brown threw out the ceremonial first pitches. Too many Dodgers fans here. Drunk woman and her boyfriend looking ...

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Posted in Baseball | 30 Comments »