Cal Ripken, Jr., 2007 Upper Deck Road to the Hall #CRTG29

I am not at all ready for great players from my childhood to start leaving us. But that's the reality that comes with today's sad news of Tony Gwynn's premature death; he was only 54, and lost a four-year struggle with salivary gland cancer stemming from his longtime use of smokeless tobacco. Gwynn's career paralleled Cal Ripken's pretty neatly. Each was born in the summer of 1960 and played solely for his hometown team: Gwynn with the San Diego Padres from 1982-2001, and Ripken with the Orioles from 1981-2001. Cal's O's won the World Series in 1983, and Tony's Padres won the N. L. pennant in 1984 but lost the Series to the Tigers. Both men had to wait until 1996 to return to the postseason, and each of them reached the 3,000 career hits milestone in 2000. In 2007 they went into the Hall of Fame together in their first year on the ballot. But now Tony Gwynn is gone, much too soon. I'd like to offer something profound, but such words are escaping me. I'll just say that he'll be missed.

Cal Ripken, Jr., 2007 Upper Deck Road to the Hall #CRTG17

I'm sure you were worried when I didn't post yesterday, but I did in fact have a safe and uneventful flight home from San Diego. It's just that I didn't get my Internet set up at the new house until today (being Tuesday), and I had miscalculated the number of cards I needed to scan last week. So this is your Monday post! Tuesday is forthcoming.

It was a pleasant and restful long weekend in Coronado with my good friends Jill and Tristan and their menagerie (two cats and a dog). No difficulties on the flight in or the flight back, so it seems like a nonstop flight is the way to go. My first experience with Southwest Airlines was a positive one. There was copious good food and drink, including a cookout with J and T's local friends. I took a few lengthy walks, taking advantage of the fantastic weather (70s and sunny and not a bit of humidity - I miss it already!) and the proximity to the beach. I think that about covers it all...

Oh, right, there was a baseball game.

Tristan was able to get some unbelievable seats for Sunday's Orioles-Padres tilt at Petco Park. Like second row behind the home dugout unbelievable. I couldn't resist the urge to root on my team all the way across the continent, so I dressed as conspicuously as possible with my Angry Bird cap and construction-vest-orange Matt Wieters tee. I did not hear a single taunt or jeer from the home fans. Maybe that was because there's no natural rivalry there, or maybe the people of Southern California are just more genteel. Or maybe they took pity on the fan of a team that has as many road wins in 2010 as Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez. Who's to say?

We took our seats just as the ceremonial first pitches were being thrown. As it was Father's Day, several dads of current San Diego players did the honors. This included Tony Gwynn, whose son and namesake is now the center fielder. It was a nice moment.

Also nice was the top of the first inning, as the O's loaded the bases against opposing starter Jon Garland. Knowing the team's penchant for stranding runners, I cheered extra-loud when Adam Jones beat out a two-out grounder to plate a single run. I only half-jokingly told my friends that it would be the only run they'd score all game. But Matt Wieters proved me wrong and did me proud by clearing the bases with a double to break his 0-for-16 skid and give rookie Jake Arrieta an early jump on the third win of his career.

I'd like to tell you more about the game, but I can't seem to recall what happened after that. I vaguely remember Arrieta getting bashed around for six runs and being pulled after only three innings, but I'm sure that was just a waking nightmare. I could have sworn that the Orioles had only two baserunners in the last seven innings, but that just can't be right.

The good thing about being on vacation is that I didn't need any excuse to drown my sorrows in some fine microbrews at the Yard House after the game. It's probably just as well that my next trip to San Diego probably won't coincide with a visit from the Birds.