Love in "Blind": Korn praises Padres closer Miller for using their song

Currently, facing Mason Miller might be the most daunting experience in MLB. This San Diego Padres' flame-throwing closer has faced 30 batters this year, with only one hitting a single off him—achieved by Luis Arraez—while the other 23 were all struck out. Miller has already pitched 30.2 innings without allowing a run, just three innings shy of Cla Meredith's team record set in 2006.

Such a formidable closer naturally requires a suitably intense entrance song. This season, Miller strides onto the field accompanied by Korn's "Blind," perfectly setting the tone for his barrage of 102 mph (about 164 km/h) four-seam fastballs.

It turns out that Korn, the band from Bakersfield, California—just a few hours' drive from San Diego—clearly appreciates Miller's choice of song. Today, hours before Miller secured the Padres' eighth consecutive win, he returned to the locker room and found a pile of Korn merchandise waiting for him, along with a letter from the band's manager, Mark Wakefield, inviting him to attend a future show.

Interestingly, Miller didn't actually pick the song himself; he delegated the selection to the Padres' staff. This isn't surprising, as "Blind" was released in 1994, about four years before Miller was born. Moreover, there's precedent: Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman similarly connected with AC/DC's "Hells Bells" through the team's staff.

Regarding the gift package from Korn, Miller said: "I'm glad they noticed this. It's awesome to receive such attention, and it's cool to have this kind of support. Obviously, the fans really enjoy it, and I heard the band itself likes it too. So everyone is happy."

Could we possibly see Korn perform live for Miller someday, similar to how Timmy Trumpet played live for Edwin Díaz? Just in case, it might be wise to prepare earplugs ahead of time.