Afternoon Baseball

Greg Maddux was dominant today. 7.1 innings, one unearned run, and a stolen base to boot. No decision, though. Mike Piazza, of the San Diego Padres (so odd to say that), put the team on his back and carried them through to walk-off victory.
It's always good to see those two do well. The difference, of course, is that Maddux is still a frontline starter, and Piazza is a mediocre catcher, at best. A good performance from Maddux should still be expected.

But today, Piazza was the hero. Three-run homer in the ninth after four hits the day before. If you're a fan, there's no downside here. If you're running a (fantasy) team, though, don't be fooled. As I said last year:

Quick note with Bernie, Mike Piazza, Sammy Sosa, Larry Walker, et al.: Don't be fooled by the occasional displays of brilliance. They are so talented deep down that they can occasionally pull that off. But they are old and wasting away. Expect the worst, and celebrate the flashes of old glory as the dying cry of a great warrior.

Even with the last two days, Piazza is still only at .253/.330/.440.

I'm not being a downer. The fan in me loves his distinctive home-run swing, loves his love for the game and his Playmate wife or whatever she is. But these moments are dwindling.