Screech!

Now, that's how to kill a buzz.

Much of last night's loss can be blamed on players who looked like they had just returned from a 13 day, 3-10 road trip. Hopefully, after a full night's sleep in their own beds, they'll look less sleepy...



and more alert.


But a good chunk of the loss can go back on Dusty Baker's shoulders. See, when a team, is hitting, a manager looks good because he doesn't have to do anything. When a team isn't hitting, sometimes a manager panics. Like, when trailing by three in the eigth, you pinch hit for a high OBP guy (Jerry Hairston) with a low OBP guy (Korey Patterson) just because of the lefty-righty advantage. Sometimes a manager forgets that a leadoff three run homer is much harder to accomplish than is the leadoff walk.

What made this move worse was that it depleted the bench in the ninth inning. Jose Macias was forced to remain in the game and Todd Walker was left holding his shileighlieh in the on-deck circle. Too bad Korey couldn't have pinch hit in the 9th with 2 on. That would have resulted in either a strikeout (and given Walker a chance) or a three run, game tying homer (and FYC #2 - it's been a long drought since #1).

Gotta win tonight or the good mojo is all gone.