Witnessing the collapse from a block away

I've had a wonderful weekend in San Diego with my family as we've been staying just across the street from Petco Park. It's a lovely part of a truly beautiful city and I've been witnessing first hand a really tremendous collapse.

The first place Padres have dropped their last 10 (TEN!!!) and I've witnessed that daze of the fans walking around the Gaslamp Quarter as they can't believe their team is folding like a tent.

And as much as I have enjoyed San Diego and their people and as much as I appreciate the story of the no budget Padres winning the division, my second team is the Giants and if the Red Sox can't win, I hope my dad's Giants can.

Which makes my dinner last night all the more surreal.
My wife, kids and I went to the Tin Fish Bar for some seafood Sunday night. And the TV there was showing the Giants/Dodgers game of which I had great interest.

But I couldn't cheer loudly, or at all really.
the Tin Fish is literally a block from PetCo Park and is filled with Padres decorations. And many of the people nursing beers were grumbling about the Friars... many dressed in Padres gear.

It would not have been in good form to be cheering for the team that is hoping to crush the squad whose team plays in the stadium I could see while scarfing down fish.

It isn't quite being in the Cask'N Flagon cheering on the Yankees down the stretch in 1978... but the principle is the same.

The Giants caught them in the win column and is back now by 2 in the loss.
The four game series starting on Thursday at Petco might indeed be epic.

Giants fans travelling south, there are evidently good tickets available. Go stop by the Tin Fish Bar... just don't cheer too loudly.

THE PLANETS ARE ALLIGNING FOR THE GIANTS

The Padres have lost a comical 10 games in a row.
The Phillies got bombed early and the Brewers let their early lead stick.
Even the Braves lost.

Things are lining up in a way where Giants fans wouldn’t dare dream.
No need for a dream now.

Focus Giants…
If Jonathan Sanchez and the Giants can beat Hiroku Kuroda and the Dodgers… the Giants will be 2 games back in the loss column for both the West AND the Wild Card going into Labor Day.

You want meaningful games in September? The Giants are 3 games back in the loss column of having home field advantage in the Division Series!

Stay focus Giants… an alignment doesn’t happen like this every year!

The Padres might not win another game this year

I am watching the Padres play the Rockies right now and I have seen no evidence that this team has another win in their system in the next 29 games.

Seriously, if I told you at the beginning of the season that the Padres were going to go 76-86, you'd probably say "That's better than I thought."

Well guess what? If they keep playing like this, that might be their final record.

Have you noticed...

Have you noticed that the Cardinals haven't won since Tony LaRussa and Albert Pujols appeared at Glenn Beck's vague rally?

They've lost two to the Nationals and all three to the Astros... not exactly world beaters.

Just making an observation.
I am sure people in Cincinnati are glad they showed up.

Weather this storm, Giants

OK... today sucked for the Giants. I mean it sucked in every way a game can suck. 10-0? That's a day of total suckitude that the only positive thing I can pull from the game is I think they looked good with their caps with the orange bills.

It's been a brutal few weeks and with their starting rotation, their supposed strength, looking worse and worse each day and the team in freefall... there's reason to think the Giants whole season is done.

And hey, you might be right.

After all, they are 7 games back in the loss column for the Division and 3 back in the loss column for the Wild Card.

The schedule isn't giving them many breaks as they play the first place and on a roll Reds for the next three games.

But just hang on. The schedule is going to lighten up soon...
The Lowly D'Backs and reeling Rockies and Dodgers are next.

They have winnable games every game after the Reds series for the rest of the month. And they are only 3 back in the loss...

If they can be only 3 back in the loss by Labor Day, they'll play only 7 games against contenders for the rest of the year (the 7 remaining games with San Diego.)

Don't get swept, try and keep pace and know it is better to have your lousy streak in August than in September (or October for that matter!)

And oh yeah, try not to make 10-0 losses a habit.