San Diego » If anyone needed a hug, it was the Petco Park attendant, grimacing as yet another batch of San Diego Padre base runners were left cooling their heels on base.
In all Wednesday night, San Diego stranded 14 runners, eight in scoring position. Meanwhile, as streaking Colorado continued to pound the ball in what would eventually become a 10-1 victory.
"Last year was supposed to be our bad year," the Petco usher said. "But when 80 percent of your payroll is on the disabled list..."
Truly, with half of the team on the DL, you do need a program to know who is who in Padreland.
Trying to remain positive, I reminded her that Detroit lost 119 games in 2003 and just three years later was in the World Series. She didn't buy it.
If wishing could make it so, the Padres would be winners in 2009. Now, though, San Diego fans are geared for disappointment.
The sound of it came from many of the 22,000 fans who filtered into Petco following the All-Star Game. It was audible after each Colorado hit.
One could almost feel the oppressive, "Here we go again."
With Jake Peavy, Brian Giles, David Eckstein, Nick Hundley and Chris Young among a large list of San Diego players doing time on the disabled list, the Padres have a difficult time fielding a Major League caliber team.
So, San Diego is on the road to 100 losses and drawing less than 2 million fans. Wasn't it just two short years ago that baseball was fun again for Padre fans?
Yet, there's been a lot of water under the bridge since San Diego and Colorado played into extra innings during that intense one-game playoff in 2007 for the National League wild card. The Rockies, of course, in the midst of their own historic run, won the game after Matt Holliday's head plant at home plate.
San Diego tanked in 2008, losing 99 games, a season after winning 89. The Padres suddenly became old and weighed down by a number of huge contracts from players who are now not worth the money - like a Brian Giles, who is due to make $9 million while not hitting his weight.
On May 31, San Diego was at 25-25, while Colorado, which also nose-dived in 2008, was at 20-29 and getting their manager Clint Hurdle fired.
As of Wednesday, the Padres are 11-28 since the high point of .500, while the Rockies have roared back into playoff contention by going 28-12. Two teams headed in completely opposite directions.
The reasons why can be seen in how each team executes the little things -- or not. San Diego left the bases loaded in the first and third innings. The first three Colorado runs were unearned thanks to a pair of errors.
San Diego management is doing its best to remain fan friendly. For example, five bucks can get you a drink, a hot dog, popcorn and a cookie.
Great deal.
But even in a beautiful modern ballpark like Petco, all of the food deals in the world won't draw fans, who are now looking ahead to the Chargers.
