It's just one game, but I think I was wrong

My focus on yesterday's opening day game between the Padres and dbacks was probably not the same as most other people. I was not expecting a new look Padre lineup, because the lineup is essentially the same as the end of last year. I was not waiting to see the running game in action, because these are real games now, which means less risk, and many of the spring steals were sent down at the end of spring. I was not expecting Garland to be the Padres new ace, because he's Jon Garland. So the loss was ugly, but not totally unexpected against a true ace like Dan Haren. The fielding was bad, but that happens (and sure made me feel better about our little league team!).

My focus was on the broadcast. You see, no matter how the team plays, I will watch every single game. Sure, it's more fun to watch a winner, but I think this young team will do decent, and is moving in the right direction, so I'm not worried about that. And I will watch regardless. So my focus was on Dick Enberg foremost, and to a lesser extent on Mark Grant. I was worried about bringing in the seventy something year old, but I though Enberg did an excellent job. He was very prepared and his normal professional self. He has this pace to the way he calls the game, and I found it very enjoyable. I was very pleasantly surprised and positive about that part of the game.

Mark Grant was a little off yesterday. You could tell this was a reigned in Grant, which I do not consider a good thing, but it was the first game he's done with Enberg and he has to be a lot intimidated by him. I hope as the season goes along, he will loosen up and they will mesh better than yesterday. I think that is a realistic expectation.

The grind and game 2 start tonight. Let's see if the kids can bounce back, even up their record and then take their first series tomorrow. That will be the big test, to see if the team can keep winning series like they did at the end of last season. Hopefully they can and the entire season will be full of surprises!