Opening Hour Live Blog

I'm radio only for the first hour, so I thought I would "live-blog" the opening hour of the season.

4:03 One minute into my first radio broadcast of the year and I am already tired of Steiner. Okay, no, that's not true. Steiner's okay, mostly, I guess. But I still miss Ross Porter.

4:06 Vinny is ready but the Padres aren't. I think when your team is predicted to lose 100 games you don't get to have an elaborate introduction to the team on opening day. Just go out there, put your head down, and lose the game to the Dodgers.

4:09 First pitch. If these times are off, blame my computer.

4:10 Orlando Hudson singles off the first pitch he sees. Impatient fool! You have to work the count. Manny coming up with runners on first and second.

4:12 Two singles, two fly outs. The Dodgers may be on the verge of throwing away a golden opportunity, but Peavy doesn't sound like he's got great stuff out there so far. Maybe Martin can save this inning, but even if not there is reason to be optimistic.

4:15 Every Dodger fan is thinking back to the same moment as Loney comes up with the bases loaded.

4:17 I don't know how to feel right now. The inning-ending RBI base-hit out stretching is always strange. From either side. I guess there's really nothing else reasonable to be but happy.

4:21 Cool, Eckstein sacrifices. Vinny is blaming Bud Black but I'd like to think that was all Eck. The man was born to get the runner over. Give him his due.

4:22 If Bud Black is really serious about playing some small ball he'll have Giles squeeze here.

4:29 Golden Boy Matt Kemp batting!

4:29 What a quick letdown that was as Kemp strikes out. Is that Peavy regaining his form, or Kemp showing is lack of form? Maybe I should relax. It's just one at bat. But one at bat is all Kemp is likely to get while the one hour live blog lasts ... what a disaster!

4:35 Vinny tells the great story about then Padre owner Ray Kroc ripping the Padres over the PA system on opening day 35 years ago. It's a fun story and all, but if he had any guts he would have gone down to the locker room and said it to his players' faces. I would love it if Frank McCourt tried that. Well, no I wouldn't, because that would mean the Dodgers sucked. Maybe he can rip is parking attendants for not getting people parked fast enough.

4:37 Kuroda, like Peavy, restores order in the second. Or maybe it was just the bottom of the Padre lineup sucking. I think even Hendrickson could handle this lineup. Instead as an Oriole he gets to face the Rays, Sox and Yanks all year. Sounds like fun on the bun, Hendrickson.

4:44 Vinny whiffs on his first chance to say "dueces wild" this season. Peavy whiffs on his chance to whiff Manny and instead walks him.

4:48 Ethier singles in Manny and is not thrown out at second. See, Loney? See! I have unalloyed joy now, instead of joy mixed with annoyance at baserunning blunders. My head is not filled with emotional chaos right now. I like this a lot better.

4:50 My wife just emailed me with the news that little Cesar Izturis hit a homerun against the Yankees! That just made my day. I hope the Dodgers can make it for me again by winning. Then Michigan State can make it again for good measure. And Jack Bauer too --- the more day-makings the merrier!

4:51 Ethier thrown out stealing. Well, nice try, but Loney's out at second is still more annoying. But if you make an error in the next half inning then you can pull ahead of him.

4:54 I hate to admit this but I just tuned out Vinny's story about someone not speaking English. Even Vinny nods, you might say. No? Yeah, I guess that was me nodding. Off.

4:57 A non-Ecksteinian batter sacrifices a man over for the Padres.

5:01 I'm headed home with Eckstein on deck, so that ends the live blog. I'm all broken up about missing his at bat, but I'm sure I'll read about his exciting bunt and scrappy dash toward first tomorrow.