It was heartbreaking, the sound of Dave Niehause resigning himself to another blown save from 'Everyday' Eddie Guardado. It went something like, "Ozuna hits it in the air to left... We're going to extra innings."

Not that I would have expected joy, of course, but the way he finished the sentence was revealing of more than a tie game. It carried the weight of disenchantment, the knowledge that a long season, following two very long seasons, was about to get longer. It was reminiscent of Uecker in 'Major League'. At the beginning of the movie, not the end. The warm, dare I say dulcet voice of Niehaus had the sound of defeat in it. And, as the M's trotted out young arm after young arm in extra innings, defeat was inevitable.

No, this loss was not BB Beltre's fault. He could have won it, but he didn't lose it by himself. This is yet another one you can pin on Guardado, who has blown three saves in the early going, and caused a number of heart attacks in the region during the games he has saved.

Twice against the World Champs he has had them to their final out before giving up a game-tying jack. On April 24th he gave up a shot to CF Brian Anderson, the fourth HR of his career (and 3rd against the M's). Last night it was Pablo "Picasso was never called and asshole" Ozuna with his first career HR. It should be noted that the slap-hitting speed merchant Ozuna was once a Rockie. Unfortunately he must have never faced Guardado in Colorado or he likely would have homered previously.

Could their have been a more demoralizing loss than this one for a struggling club? The M's have managed to play just under .500 ball despite the mediocrity of big money players Sexson, BB Beltre and Ichiro. They fought back valiently after a Joe Crede grand slam put them at a 4-1 disadvantage. They put the ball in the hands of the man expected to do nothing more than get the last 3 guys out. And, for his part, he was handed the gift of the bottom of the ChiSox order. A relative cakewalk. If Guardado was ever meant to be a closer, that time has past. But let's let Eddie tell us what's happening.

"I'm puzzled," Guardado said. "I'm not going to go out there and strike the world out or anything, but I do get ground balls and I do get fly balls. These fly balls are just going over the fence. And at the time, I don't need them to go over the fence." This begs the question, when is it a good time for them to go over the fence? How bout when Beltre's up?

Hargrove needs to realize what the rest of us have known for some time, Everyday Eddie sucks... Everyday.