The Final Out

I attend a handful of Padres games per season. Most of these games, taken by themselves, have little impact on the overall success of the team that season. Whether the Padres win or lose is somewhat irrelevant.

What keeps me in my seat for the entire game is not the uncertainty of the outcome, the thrill of watching a big league ball game, or even my passion for the sport. Rather, it is the possibility that Trevor Hoffman might get called upon to close out a game, and jog in from center field to "Hells Bells." I love the anticipation of Hoffman's departure from the bullpen, the blaring music, the blackened scoreboard, and most of all the energy of the crowd.

If Buster Olney is correct, I may have witnessed my last "Hells Bells" in Petco Park. While I realize Hoffman's skills have diminished, he is not only still an effective closer, but a fixture in the San Diego community, and the reason I never leave my seat until the final out has been recorded. From a pure baseball/profit-making perspective Trevor Hoffman might not be worth keeping around for more than $4-5 million, but from my perspective (as a guy who merely watches the games rather than signs the paychecks), Hoffman is worth, assuming he is willing to agree to a 1-year deal, whatever it takes to sign him.

No More Matt and Mud

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2008/nov/03/padres-s4padtv/?padres

Oddly, I am more dissapointed about this news than the fact Peavy might be traded. Previously, I shared my feelings about the quality of Matty V's. work, so it isn't really neccesary for me to elaborate. While I will certainly miss hearing Matt call Padres games, he had long ago outgrown the market, and this day was going to come sooner than later. I wish Matt the best in his new job, and hope the Padres bring in someone with the same combination of personality and baseball knowledge as Matty V.

By the way, did anybody hear Vasgersian's football two weeks ago. He invented a truly brilliant phrase for icing the kicker: "clock blocking."