Finally: An Exciting Padres Victory In Petco Park.

For fans of the San Diego Padres today's opening game victory was a long time coming. The team combined speed, timely hitting, power, and good pitching to beat the San Francisco Giants, 6-1. The game was exciting.

The team won the division last year with gutsy play and a never-say-die attitude, but the games were ugly and boring, boring, boring. Today's exciting victory gives hope that times have changed. It's one and oh today, but there are 161 games to go. Our fingers are crossed but we're not holding our breath.

Today Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth's status as the two greatest homerun hitters of all time remained secure. Barry Bonds did not hit a homerun. Today was a good day. Any day without a homerun by Barry Bonds is a good day.

Bonds doubled and scored but then made outs in his other three at-bats. His weaknesses were also glaring. His last at bat he hit what should have been a single to right field, but the grounder was taken by the second baseman who was playing in shallow right and threw him out at first. In the field, Bonds caught a few fly balls hit in jogging distance of where he was playing, but several other balls landed for hits and his slow jogs to field them and his weak throws to the infield hurt the Giants defensively.

There were two superstars among the 6 starting outfielders of the Giants and the Padres: Barry Bonds and Brian Giles. In contrast to the one-dimensional play of Bonds, Brian Giles hit, ran the bases aggressively, including a key take-out slide at third base, and made an important diving catch of a sinking liner in right field. More important, his presence on the field added a measure of class and pride. The continued presence of Bonds on the playing field is a source only of shame.

What's good enough for Shoeless Joe Jackson and Pete Rose, is good enough for Barry Bonds.

-tdr

Technorati: Barry Bonds, Baseball, Padres.