Apr 1, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Mets catcher John Buck (44) signals to New York Mets center fielder Collin Cowgill (not pictured) to come home after Cowgill hit a grand slam against the San Diego Padres during the seventh inning of a MLB opening day game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Padres drop opening day to the Mets by a final score of 11 to 2.  While I wish this was some bad April Fool’s prank, it is what it is.  The Padres start the season with a bad game, getting only 4 hits off the lefty Jonathon Niese.  Some of the low lights for the Padres include giving up 2 hits and walk to Niese, one hit of which was a 2 out RBI poke to left field.  Niese almost matched the Padres by himself in terms of offensive production.  Another dagger to the heart was Brad Brach giving up a grand slam to Collin Cowgill.  There was some bad Padres luck here, as the ball was only a touch above the HR line.  Although to be fair, even it was a touch lower, with 2 outs, it would have been a 3 run base clearing double.  Edinson Volquez lasts only 3 innings and exposes the bullpen to early work.  All in all, it was a rout.

Well, they say there is no crying in baseball, and it is a long season ahead.   With the injuries, morale is down for sure.  We need Buddy Black to steady the ship and just completely reset the day from the memory bank like we were playing MLB 2K on the Xbox.  Shake it off, move on and try again tomorrow.  One bad game is fine, let’s not make it a habit.  There were some positives, including Yonder Alonso getting a solid line drive HR off a LHP.  Jedd Gyorko recording his very first MLB hit with a double.  Chris Denorfia and Carlos Quentin showing plate discipline and taking walks.  Also consider that 9 of the 11 Mets runs were scored with 2 outs in the innings.  While that may seem like a bad thing, it sometimes is a sign of bad luck.  If you think about it, 2 times out of 3, a hitter coming up to bat with 2 outs, simply ends the inning.  Give or take a few percentage points.  Expect to see improvement in that area next game on pure statistical regression.  All in all, it really was just one day of many, and I look forward to seeing the Padres exuding their grittiness to come back and play with composure.  Go Padres!

Major League Baseball’s Opening Day should be annually celebrated as a National Holiday (or day of mourning depending on your team). This makes so much sense, that it actually hurts my brain when I try to figure out why it hasn’t happened yet.

True, America does not feel about Baseball how they used to. From the early 1900’s up until the 1980’s Baseball was thee sport people talked about. Of course since then football has taken a step forward and many feel it is America’s Pastime. Those people are wrong. Baseball is uniquely American and defined a young nation looking to set itself apart from the rest of the world. It’s played the world over – to the point where most of the world is now better at it than we are. Nowadays we definitely take the game for granted, so why not help position it back to its rightful place?

You might be thinking, “This is a stupid idea, because they would never go for it.” And, you know what? You’re probably right. However, this could actually work for two different reasons:

1) If a petition to build a Deathstar can reach such popularity the White House is forced to respond, then why couldn’t this idea make it into the hands of legislators? Obama is a die-hard White Sox fan.

2) You want this to work, because you would get an extra day off school or work. It’s in your best interest. You’ll have a whole day to watch a wonderful game, which can sometimes take all day to watch. If you don’t know anything about Baseball, you’ll have all day to learn. If someone in your family doesn’t know anything about Baseball, you’ll have all day to teach them! You can play catch with your son or daughter when the game gets boring, or just go to the park or beach and listen on the radio. Hell, you could do whatever you wanted to do. You’ll have a whole day to either spend time with your loved ones, or spend time with your team, and it’s all thanks to Baseball.

Best of all you’ll have time to actually go to Opening Day, which if you never have, you are missing out. The pageantry, the spectacle, the history, and of course the excitement. It is literally one of the most fun experiences you’ll ever have. There’s nothing like it and there will never be again. Opening Day should be a National Holiday because it represents all that is good about America. It would be a day about something, for something, to accomplish something that benefits all involved.

If you don’t believe me, you’ve never been to Opening Day and that saddens me, because it’s open to everyone, and you fall in to that category. Baseball is magical; it’s reflective and peaceful. In a world where the culture is “NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW” there is something unique about taking a breath and watching Jedd Gyorko take ball one. Have a hotdog, have a beer, take a walk around the ballpark, and watch some jumbotron bloopers. You’ll thank me.

For more Padres stuff and other things you might not care about follow me on Twitter @dallas_mc

Here is the Padres’ 2013 roster Opening Day roster:

Pitchers

45 Anthony Bass

34 Andrew Cashner 

Jul. 3, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA: San Diego Padres pitcher Andrew Cashner against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

57 Luke Gregerson

21 Jason Marquis

33 Clayton Richard

38 Tyson Ross

16 Huston Street

53 Eric Stults

54 Joe Thatcher

55 Dale Thayer

37 Edinson Volquez

Catchers

8 John Baker

4 Nick Hundley

Infielders

23 Yonder Alonso

5 Alexi Amarista

2 Everth Cabrera

9 Jedd Gyorko

1 Cody Ransom

Outfielders

13 Chris Denorfia

15 Jesus Guzman

14 Mark Kotsay

24 Cameron Maybin

18 Carlos Quentin

25 Will Venable

There you have it. Let us know in the comment box  who you were surprised to see make the roster and who were you surprised not to see on the roster.