Well, yesterday was opening day for the Giants, and they lost to the San Diego Padres 7-0. I tried listening to the game, but it was hard. The pre-game ceremonies stretched on and on, so I'd flip away and come back to the station. The Giants' highlight of the game was Barry Bonds singling to the opposite field in the first inning and then stealing second. Everyone must have held their collective breath hoping that Bonds didn't snap his forty-two year-old Achilles tendons. After that it was pretty boring, with Jake Peavey and the other Padre pitchers keeping the Giants shackled while the hometown bullpen gave up plenty of runs. Our starting pitcher, Barry Zito (the most expensive pitcher in history) did okay in the loss. It looks like a long season ahead.
There's about three and a half weeks until the NFL draft.
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I have only gone to one opening day game in my own major league history. It was the 1979 season opener, a day game at Candlestick Park, against the Padres too. The Pads got a lead, the Giants came back to tie. It was still tied 2-2 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth when the Giants manager, I think it was Joe Altobelli at the time, sent out Willie McCovey, who walked. Max Venable came in as a pinch-runner and up to the plate came John Tamargo, the backup catcher. Tamargo absolutely crushed a pitch way, way, way over the right field wall and everyone went home happy. Tamargo only had four home runs over his five-year major league career, so that money shot was an unexpected joy.
When last spotted John Tamargo, who had spent most of two decades managing in the minors, had gotten canned from his job as skipper of the Durham Bulls. Wherever he is now, I will forever remember that magnificent home run in the bottom of the ninth.
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