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Friday, October 28, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Dbacks: Fixing 3rd Base
After a brilliant spring training and a stellar May, it's quickly becoming clear that any hopes the Dbacks had of making Ryan Roberts a cheap/permanent fix at 3rd base are quickly dissolving.
In March/April, Roberts hit .313 with an OBP of .413 putting him near the top of the NL in both categories. However, the drop from there has been dismal and heartbreaking for a guy who plays so hard. In June, Roberts is hitting .232 with an OBP of .267. He has only walked times compared to the 16 walks he drew last month. Roberts has also increased his strikeouts month over month and has 20 in June so far. Roberts is a fan favorite and his fielding % is right at the league average but he will not be at lock at this position past this year. At least his WAR at least is 2.0
Melvin Mora has been terrible this year at the plate and below average in the field. His WAR is -.4 and he is hitting .230 in 41 games this year with no home runs. Kurt Gibson has pulled him out of the lineup just before game time recently without any reason. He is being paid $2 million to sit on the bench and get the occasional AB. He will not be returning next year in all probability.
Now let's look into the minors for a second and see if there is a legit 3B candidate down there.
Sean Burroughs had a brief stint with the Dbacks recently but was sent back down to AAA to make room for Wily Mo Pena. He was at one time the pride of the Padres far system and their 3rd baseman of the future. He is hitting .412 in the minors and is an average fielder but proved to be decently clutch when he was with the Dbacks. He is not a long term fix but could provide some much needed plate discipline and OBP at the 3rd base position.
Also at AAA is 35 year old Cody Ransom. He is hitting .321 through 75 games this year with 20 homers and 70 RBI. He is no spring chicken anymore but could help a Dbacks team that is struggling to get any pop out of 3B. Look for him to get a call up if the Dbacks continue to be competitive late into the season.
The next and last 3B prospect can be found at Visalia the High-A affiliate of the Dbacks. Bobby Borchering was taken in the 1st round of the 2009 draft and has moved through the system as a good pace. At 20 years old he is hitting .271 with 14 HR this year for Visalia. Borchering's glove is suspect as his fielding % is barely .900. The 14 HR are only one HR behind his 15 he hit all of last year. If Borchering can get the fielding issues worked out he may provide the pop the Dbacks need at 3rd base for years to come. The Dbacks have said they may move him to 1B permanently but with their lack of depth at 3B it may be wiser to keep him there. His upside is he turns into a Mark Reynolds type player with plus power and a .270 average with better plate discipline.
In March/April, Roberts hit .313 with an OBP of .413 putting him near the top of the NL in both categories. However, the drop from there has been dismal and heartbreaking for a guy who plays so hard. In June, Roberts is hitting .232 with an OBP of .267. He has only walked times compared to the 16 walks he drew last month. Roberts has also increased his strikeouts month over month and has 20 in June so far. Roberts is a fan favorite and his fielding % is right at the league average but he will not be at lock at this position past this year. At least his WAR at least is 2.0
Melvin Mora has been terrible this year at the plate and below average in the field. His WAR is -.4 and he is hitting .230 in 41 games this year with no home runs. Kurt Gibson has pulled him out of the lineup just before game time recently without any reason. He is being paid $2 million to sit on the bench and get the occasional AB. He will not be returning next year in all probability.
Now let's look into the minors for a second and see if there is a legit 3B candidate down there.
Sean Burroughs had a brief stint with the Dbacks recently but was sent back down to AAA to make room for Wily Mo Pena. He was at one time the pride of the Padres far system and their 3rd baseman of the future. He is hitting .412 in the minors and is an average fielder but proved to be decently clutch when he was with the Dbacks. He is not a long term fix but could provide some much needed plate discipline and OBP at the 3rd base position.
Also at AAA is 35 year old Cody Ransom. He is hitting .321 through 75 games this year with 20 homers and 70 RBI. He is no spring chicken anymore but could help a Dbacks team that is struggling to get any pop out of 3B. Look for him to get a call up if the Dbacks continue to be competitive late into the season.
The next and last 3B prospect can be found at Visalia the High-A affiliate of the Dbacks. Bobby Borchering was taken in the 1st round of the 2009 draft and has moved through the system as a good pace. At 20 years old he is hitting .271 with 14 HR this year for Visalia. Borchering's glove is suspect as his fielding % is barely .900. The 14 HR are only one HR behind his 15 he hit all of last year. If Borchering can get the fielding issues worked out he may provide the pop the Dbacks need at 3rd base for years to come. The Dbacks have said they may move him to 1B permanently but with their lack of depth at 3B it may be wiser to keep him there. His upside is he turns into a Mark Reynolds type player with plus power and a .270 average with better plate discipline.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Why the Dbacks should not draft Bubba Starling
The Arizona Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers has been out to Kansas City to see the quickly rising Bubba Starling. They say he hits 500ft homers and throws 95 mph. He can throw out runners at 1st from center field on a single. he is humble and has a great attitude and a love for baseball. But...
The Diamondbacks should not draft this young man. There are a few reasons this may be a waste of a draft pick for the Dbacks when they have so many other needs.
First of all Starling has committed to Nebraska to play QB and center-field for the Cornhuskers. This means that the team who drafts him is going to have to buy him out of his college education. This could be very expensive considering his agent is Scott Boras. Boras will probably demand a signing bonus upwards of $10 million. The Diamondbacks can not afford this and they probably wont take the chance of losing him to college.
Another reason...The Diamondbacks already have a center fielder. Chris Young has a long and expensive contract to play center field for the Dbacks for through 2014 if the Dbacks decide to keep him. Chris Young is very good defensively but has struggled at the plate the last couple years. He is young and still has the time to become a great CF. The Dbacks will probably stick with him.
And lastly the Dbacks need impact players NOW. They need additional help in the starting rotation, bullpen, first base, third base, and left field. The Dbacks minor league teams are full with talent that still needs time to develop so they would be wiser if they drafted players who can make an impact immediately next spring or at least early into the season in 2012. There are too many college players who are more MLB ready for the Dbacks to waste a first round pick on Bubba Starling.
Starling will need time in the minors to prepare for major league pitching and hitting...IF he decides the money is better than college.
The Diamondbacks should not draft this young man. There are a few reasons this may be a waste of a draft pick for the Dbacks when they have so many other needs.
First of all Starling has committed to Nebraska to play QB and center-field for the Cornhuskers. This means that the team who drafts him is going to have to buy him out of his college education. This could be very expensive considering his agent is Scott Boras. Boras will probably demand a signing bonus upwards of $10 million. The Diamondbacks can not afford this and they probably wont take the chance of losing him to college.
Another reason...The Diamondbacks already have a center fielder. Chris Young has a long and expensive contract to play center field for the Dbacks for through 2014 if the Dbacks decide to keep him. Chris Young is very good defensively but has struggled at the plate the last couple years. He is young and still has the time to become a great CF. The Dbacks will probably stick with him.
And lastly the Dbacks need impact players NOW. They need additional help in the starting rotation, bullpen, first base, third base, and left field. The Dbacks minor league teams are full with talent that still needs time to develop so they would be wiser if they drafted players who can make an impact immediately next spring or at least early into the season in 2012. There are too many college players who are more MLB ready for the Dbacks to waste a first round pick on Bubba Starling.
Starling will need time in the minors to prepare for major league pitching and hitting...IF he decides the money is better than college.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Dbacks offense goes flat in 4-3 loss to Giants
The Dbacks lost tonight in 2010 Diamondback fashion...Juan Gutierrez gave up a HR to break a 3-3 tie game. Aubrey Huff's blast to right field put the Giants up 4-3 and that's all their bullpen needed.
The Giants last 18 games have all been decided by 3 runs or less.
The Snakes had a few chances with runners in scoring position but failed to push them across when it mattered most. They were 1 for 9 w/RISP before the Giants even had a player reach second base. They also had a chance with Brian Wilson on the mound when Xavier Nady led off the ninth with a double to center. They failed to move him over when Henry Blanco struck out on a bunt attempt and Russell Branyan failed to get a pinch hit. In 11 at-bats as a pinch hitter this season he has 0 hits.
Armando Galarraga may have sealed his fate even though his line was decent tonight. He only allowed 3 runs but fell apart in the 6th inning and could not find the strike zone. He may earn himself a demotion to AAA if the Dbacks weren't so thin on quality starting pitching. He will probably be sent down when Zach Duke is healthy.
It was announced today that Josh Collmenter will be starting against the Dodgers in the Dbacks next series in LA. Collmenter has be efficient out of the bullpen so far and hopes to carry his momentum into the rotation.
Thanks for reading
The Giants last 18 games have all been decided by 3 runs or less.
The Snakes had a few chances with runners in scoring position but failed to push them across when it mattered most. They were 1 for 9 w/RISP before the Giants even had a player reach second base. They also had a chance with Brian Wilson on the mound when Xavier Nady led off the ninth with a double to center. They failed to move him over when Henry Blanco struck out on a bunt attempt and Russell Branyan failed to get a pinch hit. In 11 at-bats as a pinch hitter this season he has 0 hits.
Armando Galarraga may have sealed his fate even though his line was decent tonight. He only allowed 3 runs but fell apart in the 6th inning and could not find the strike zone. He may earn himself a demotion to AAA if the Dbacks weren't so thin on quality starting pitching. He will probably be sent down when Zach Duke is healthy.
It was announced today that Josh Collmenter will be starting against the Dodgers in the Dbacks next series in LA. Collmenter has be efficient out of the bullpen so far and hopes to carry his momentum into the rotation.
Thanks for reading
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Kennedy's pitching gem ends in a Dbacks loss; Lincecum shuts down clutch offense
Ian Kennedy and Tim Lincecum both pitch 8 innings of shut out baseball tonight in San Francisco. Kennedy consistently got out of jams with runners on base by keeping the hitter off balance through a brilliant performance. Lincecum did the same but didn't allow a hit until Kennedy hit a ball up the middle in the 6th inning.
Kennedy lowered his ERA for the year to 3.25 even though he got a no-decision tonight.
The Dbacks had runners in scoring position a few times tonight but could never string together a couple of hits. Kelly Johnson hit leadoff and was able to go 1-4 with a walk. He also stole second base but could't get any farther as Lincecum shut down the side. This was a positive night for Kelly and hopefully he can build off of it.
Melvin Mora let a routine ground ball get passed him late in the game which put a runner on. Mora was hugging the foul line. The game winning hit later went right by him and down the foul line. His defense is suspect and he probably wont be in the lineup much going forward.
David Hernandez walked a better, who then stole second base, and allowed a hit to take the loss and go 2-1 on the season. This was an off night for Hernandez as he had trouble finding the strike zone and left many of his pitches out over the plate. This is uncharacteristic and he will find his groove again. Joe Paterson probably should have been brought in to face the left-handed hitters tonight. He still hasn't given up a run.
Kennedy lowered his ERA for the year to 3.25 even though he got a no-decision tonight.
The Dbacks had runners in scoring position a few times tonight but could never string together a couple of hits. Kelly Johnson hit leadoff and was able to go 1-4 with a walk. He also stole second base but could't get any farther as Lincecum shut down the side. This was a positive night for Kelly and hopefully he can build off of it.
Melvin Mora let a routine ground ball get passed him late in the game which put a runner on. Mora was hugging the foul line. The game winning hit later went right by him and down the foul line. His defense is suspect and he probably wont be in the lineup much going forward.
David Hernandez walked a better, who then stole second base, and allowed a hit to take the loss and go 2-1 on the season. This was an off night for Hernandez as he had trouble finding the strike zone and left many of his pitches out over the plate. This is uncharacteristic and he will find his groove again. Joe Paterson probably should have been brought in to face the left-handed hitters tonight. He still hasn't given up a run.
Dbacks Draft Notes
The Arizona Diamondbacks have the opportunity to bring some major league ready players into their system this year with the 3rd and 7th overall picks. I'm afraid Gerrit Cole and Danny Hultzen will already be taken when they are on the board at number 3. That would leave Trevor Bauer as the next best pitcher on the board and the Dbacks should take him with this pick. He has a small frame but utilizes his body well to throw his pitches and he should hold up just fine in the majors. Here is what Jon Heyman has to say about him.
Trevor Bauer, RHP, UCLA. He's "shooting up the draft,'' one scout said of the pitcher who's pitching brilliantly as the No. 2 man, behind Cole, for the Bruins. Bauer is 5-1 with a 1.53 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched. He has been likened to Tim Lincecum, which only helps him, as a smallish (6'2", 185 pounds) righthander with a unique delivery; previously, that might have caused teams to shy away from him. Now it's all positive. "Has swing-and-miss stuff,'' said one scouting director.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jon_heyman/05/02/draft.top.players/index.html#ixzz1Lzkahawg
Bauer would have an impact on the Dbacks rotation much sooner than some of their other top pitching prospects. He may need a year of low pitch counts after being abused at UCLA. He has thrown over 120 pitches in most of his outings this year.
The next pick at #7 may be a little more tricky but Anthony Rendon may still be around for it. If he is, the Dbacks should not hesitate to pick him here. They are in need of 3rd baseman and his bat may be ready for the majors faster than any of their current prospects. Bobby Borchering will probably move to 1st base and Matt Davidson needs more work in the minors. Rendon would be a great pick in this slot. Heyman had this to say about him.
Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice. "He's a tremendous defender,'' one scout said. "Big track record,'' said another. The one issue is a shoulder injury that's kept him to DHing all year. While it isn't believed to be serious, one scouting director said it's enough of a concern when you're talking about a player who's going to exceed a $5 million signing bonus to drop him out of the top two, and perhaps even more than that.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jon_heyman/05/02/draft.top.players/index.html#ixzz1LzmvVOcM
Thanks for reading
Trevor Bauer, RHP, UCLA. He's "shooting up the draft,'' one scout said of the pitcher who's pitching brilliantly as the No. 2 man, behind Cole, for the Bruins. Bauer is 5-1 with a 1.53 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched. He has been likened to Tim Lincecum, which only helps him, as a smallish (6'2", 185 pounds) righthander with a unique delivery; previously, that might have caused teams to shy away from him. Now it's all positive. "Has swing-and-miss stuff,'' said one scouting director.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jon_heyman/05/02/draft.top.players/index.html#ixzz1Lzkahawg
Bauer would have an impact on the Dbacks rotation much sooner than some of their other top pitching prospects. He may need a year of low pitch counts after being abused at UCLA. He has thrown over 120 pitches in most of his outings this year.
The next pick at #7 may be a little more tricky but Anthony Rendon may still be around for it. If he is, the Dbacks should not hesitate to pick him here. They are in need of 3rd baseman and his bat may be ready for the majors faster than any of their current prospects. Bobby Borchering will probably move to 1st base and Matt Davidson needs more work in the minors. Rendon would be a great pick in this slot. Heyman had this to say about him.
Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice. "He's a tremendous defender,'' one scout said. "Big track record,'' said another. The one issue is a shoulder injury that's kept him to DHing all year. While it isn't believed to be serious, one scouting director said it's enough of a concern when you're talking about a player who's going to exceed a $5 million signing bonus to drop him out of the top two, and perhaps even more than that.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jon_heyman/05/02/draft.top.players/index.html#ixzz1LzmvVOcM
Thanks for reading
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Tuesday Night, Homerun Fight!
What a Slugfest tonight! The Dbacks had it all going tonight except of course for pitching. Of the Dbacks 13 home-runs this year 6 have been with two outs and only 5 have been solo shots. That is great clutch hitting.
Kurt Gibson showed the fire we need out of manager tonight as he was thrown out of the game for arguing a call with the home-plate umpire. The umpire called Montero out after a checked swing two innings in a row! Montero clearly did not swing and that's why Gibbie took one for the team and got thrown out instead of Montero. This confrontation will be great for the ball club.
The Dbacks just need to just trade for Lance Berkman somehow. He hit 3 home-runs in 3 at-bats between last night and tonight.
Justin Upton smashed a homer into the Fatburger restaurant! They measured it at around 480 feet!
The lineup tonight was exactly how I wanted to see it. Ryan Roberts at third and Willie Bloomquist in LF. Also Russell Branyan started at first and made a very agile play to his right to get an out. His defense is looking pretty good.
One of the best plays of the game was by a fan who almost caught a ball down the right field line. The key to this play was that neither Pujols or Berkman caught it!
My boy Ryan Roberts was clutch tonight with a 2-run double down the left field line. How many times do I need to say this...KEEP HIM IN THE LINEUP!
The bullpen once again has the worst ERA in the league and showed flashes of their dismal 2010 campaign. They have got to lock down and start throwing strikes. The walks are killing them. Thank God for David Hernandez. He seems to be the only one that doesn't want to have his ERA skyrocket. Lets make him our 8th inning guy?
Galarraga was not very consistent tonight but at least he got through 5 innings and only gave up 4 runs.
The defense and pitching was really able to lock-down at the end of the game to secure a win 13-8 for the Dbacks. Hopefully there will be many more of those in the future. Thanks for reading
follow me on twitter @dbacker6
Kurt Gibson showed the fire we need out of manager tonight as he was thrown out of the game for arguing a call with the home-plate umpire. The umpire called Montero out after a checked swing two innings in a row! Montero clearly did not swing and that's why Gibbie took one for the team and got thrown out instead of Montero. This confrontation will be great for the ball club.
The Dbacks just need to just trade for Lance Berkman somehow. He hit 3 home-runs in 3 at-bats between last night and tonight.
Justin Upton smashed a homer into the Fatburger restaurant! They measured it at around 480 feet!
The lineup tonight was exactly how I wanted to see it. Ryan Roberts at third and Willie Bloomquist in LF. Also Russell Branyan started at first and made a very agile play to his right to get an out. His defense is looking pretty good.
One of the best plays of the game was by a fan who almost caught a ball down the right field line. The key to this play was that neither Pujols or Berkman caught it!
My boy Ryan Roberts was clutch tonight with a 2-run double down the left field line. How many times do I need to say this...KEEP HIM IN THE LINEUP!
The bullpen once again has the worst ERA in the league and showed flashes of their dismal 2010 campaign. They have got to lock down and start throwing strikes. The walks are killing them. Thank God for David Hernandez. He seems to be the only one that doesn't want to have his ERA skyrocket. Lets make him our 8th inning guy?
Galarraga was not very consistent tonight but at least he got through 5 innings and only gave up 4 runs.
The defense and pitching was really able to lock-down at the end of the game to secure a win 13-8 for the Dbacks. Hopefully there will be many more of those in the future. Thanks for reading
follow me on twitter @dbacker6
Monday, April 11, 2011
The Fall of King Albert? Gutierrez is terrible once again
Well I didn't get to see all the game today because my daughter had a softball game. Ironically her team is also the Dbacks and their bullpen is a little shaky.
I almost feel bad for Albert Pujols. He couldn't hit a watermelon if someone threw it over the plate! I know this probably wont last for long but could this be the end of a baseball great? Is the invincible King Albert finally starting to show that he is human after all? For baseball's sake I sure hope not. King Albert has more draw than almost any other player and he may be the last of a dying breed.
That dying breed is a classy player who can also perform. He has been so consistent over the decade that he has been in the league and there is never any drama that follows him. He truly loves the game and I believe he plays for the right reasons. Albert please start hitting the ball(preferably after this weeks series against the Diamondbacks). Thanks
Willie Bloomquist is a stud. Enough said.
Barry Enright did a decent job tonight. He wasn't too wild and he kept the damage to a minimum.
The Dbacks batters had 6 hits tonight through 7 innings! We could only score one run off of that!?! Kyle M. is a chump and not a great pitcher. We should have done a better job working him.
Melvin Mora finally had a decent game and got a couple hits. I still would have rather seen Ryan Roberts out there.
Why is Miranda playing first? He is hitting around .130 and his defense is good but not great. We might as well put someone with less defense but more bat in there.
Once again Juan Gutierrez is the worst bullpen pitcher in the league! We have to release him or waive him. What we should do is bring Tyler Skaggs or another left hander into the bullpen. Just having Joe Paterson as a lefty specialist is not enough. I think Tyler would be a great addition to the 'pen.
Well a disappointing loss especially when Ryan Roberts struck out. Those last 4 runs off of Gutierrez were very disheartening. Let't get it together and win tomorrow. Thanks for reading
follow me on Twitter @dbacker6
I almost feel bad for Albert Pujols. He couldn't hit a watermelon if someone threw it over the plate! I know this probably wont last for long but could this be the end of a baseball great? Is the invincible King Albert finally starting to show that he is human after all? For baseball's sake I sure hope not. King Albert has more draw than almost any other player and he may be the last of a dying breed.
That dying breed is a classy player who can also perform. He has been so consistent over the decade that he has been in the league and there is never any drama that follows him. He truly loves the game and I believe he plays for the right reasons. Albert please start hitting the ball(preferably after this weeks series against the Diamondbacks). Thanks
Willie Bloomquist is a stud. Enough said.
Barry Enright did a decent job tonight. He wasn't too wild and he kept the damage to a minimum.
The Dbacks batters had 6 hits tonight through 7 innings! We could only score one run off of that!?! Kyle M. is a chump and not a great pitcher. We should have done a better job working him.
Melvin Mora finally had a decent game and got a couple hits. I still would have rather seen Ryan Roberts out there.
Why is Miranda playing first? He is hitting around .130 and his defense is good but not great. We might as well put someone with less defense but more bat in there.
Once again Juan Gutierrez is the worst bullpen pitcher in the league! We have to release him or waive him. What we should do is bring Tyler Skaggs or another left hander into the bullpen. Just having Joe Paterson as a lefty specialist is not enough. I think Tyler would be a great addition to the 'pen.
Well a disappointing loss especially when Ryan Roberts struck out. Those last 4 runs off of Gutierrez were very disheartening. Let't get it together and win tomorrow. Thanks for reading
follow me on Twitter @dbacker6
Dbacks win 10-8 over Reds
What a comeback! The Diamondbacks came back from a 5-0 deficit to win this game 10-8. Joe Saunders was roughed up and ended up having to leave early. Kam Mickolio was brilliant in my opinion and did a very good job keeping the damage minimal giving the Dbacks offense a chance to come back and put some runs on the board. And boy did they make a comeback!
Ryan Roberts with a 3-run blast to left field to take the lead! I just mentioned how much I like this guy in my last post and I am glad to see him come through in a clutch situation. More playing time and I think this guy will be valuable.
Later in the game Chris Young added to the lead with another 3-run homer in the 8th inning to put the home team up 10-7. Chris Young's defense was also superb as he made a brilliant catch in the ninth inning to save a couple of runs.
JJ Putz was able to punch out a pinch-hitter and Jay Bruce to earn himself a save. I like what I'm seeing out of Putz but I think he needs to throw more strikes and stop dancing around batters. Have confidence and go right at them!
The Dbacks are playing .500 ball right now at 4-4. I hope they can keep this up but I just don't see how the young pitching staff and solid play of some of these veterans can hold up. Willie Bloomquist is human...I think.
Ryan Roberts with a 3-run blast to left field to take the lead! I just mentioned how much I like this guy in my last post and I am glad to see him come through in a clutch situation. More playing time and I think this guy will be valuable.
Later in the game Chris Young added to the lead with another 3-run homer in the 8th inning to put the home team up 10-7. Chris Young's defense was also superb as he made a brilliant catch in the ninth inning to save a couple of runs.
JJ Putz was able to punch out a pinch-hitter and Jay Bruce to earn himself a save. I like what I'm seeing out of Putz but I think he needs to throw more strikes and stop dancing around batters. Have confidence and go right at them!
The Dbacks are playing .500 ball right now at 4-4. I hope they can keep this up but I just don't see how the young pitching staff and solid play of some of these veterans can hold up. Willie Bloomquist is human...I think.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Saturday night loss to the Reds
What a waste of a great start for Daniel Hudson! He has a small hiccup in the first inning and gave up 2 runs. He settled down after that and ended up with a quality start and racked up 8 K's. Juan Gutierrez is terrible. No question about it. He has an ERA over 4.00 for his career and has many more losses than wins. We need to post a sign at the exit of the dugout that says "Keep the ball down, throw strikes". That's all it has to say! No free passes! We need to get rid of Gutierrez and bring up some minor leaguer who wants to throw strikes. There has to be someone in AA or AAA who can do it. Parker or Zavada would probably do great if given the chance. I know Zavada has had struggles but lets give him another shot. Parker would be lights out in the bullpen and it would give him a chance to get some major league time. I know they don't want to start the clock on him but we are going to have to do it some time.
The batting wasn't much better either. Actually the Dbacks did a great job of getting guys on base but just couldn't push those runs across the plate. Gibson said that Arroyo was sneaky and almost magic when they had runners in scoring position...no he wasn't!!! The problem was that every batter who stepped into the box with a RISP tried to crush the ball and do too much with it! All we needed was for someone to put the ball in play and at least give us a chance! Instead all we got was fly balls and strikeouts. The Dbacks had been playing some great small ball up until then and had really shown some fight. It seemed like they completely forgot how to push runs across the plate last night.
My final thought is the Dbacks need to release Juan Gutierrez. Or at least send him to the minors. He is can not be trusted with the baseball. How can we expect him to throw the ball over the plate when he can't even make the throw to first base? Get rid of him and call up someone else, anyone else. Thanks for reading
The batting wasn't much better either. Actually the Dbacks did a great job of getting guys on base but just couldn't push those runs across the plate. Gibson said that Arroyo was sneaky and almost magic when they had runners in scoring position...no he wasn't!!! The problem was that every batter who stepped into the box with a RISP tried to crush the ball and do too much with it! All we needed was for someone to put the ball in play and at least give us a chance! Instead all we got was fly balls and strikeouts. The Dbacks had been playing some great small ball up until then and had really shown some fight. It seemed like they completely forgot how to push runs across the plate last night.
My final thought is the Dbacks need to release Juan Gutierrez. Or at least send him to the minors. He is can not be trusted with the baseball. How can we expect him to throw the ball over the plate when he can't even make the throw to first base? Get rid of him and call up someone else, anyone else. Thanks for reading
Saturday, April 9, 2011
2011 Arizona Diamondbacks
Where do I even begin? How about we begin with 2011 spring training? Perfect. Sounds great. Even though the Dbacks had a terrible record in spring training, I was still very encouraged by the heart and fight they showed. Juan Miranda, Brandon Allen, and Russell Branyan put on a great show, each trying to earn the 1st baseman spot. Branyan was clearly the best hitter and Miranda the best fielder. Sorry Allen, this year may not be your breakout year after all (although I never thought it would be anyway). The left field and 3rd base battles were less entertaining but I do think the team is doing the right thing by basically having "platoons" out there. Xavier Nady has shown promise and I am all but fed up with Gerardo Parra. Any other team and he would probably be at the AA level. Having a good arm, average defense, and a little speed does not make up for his poor hitting, especially in key situations. Melvin Mora is a nice asset to have at 3rd especially because of his clutch hitting. However, Ryan Roberts is a stud. He may not be the most toolsy player on the team but he makes up for it with "heart". What is "heart" you say? Well I can understand your confusion about this word if you have been watching the Dbacks for the last couple years. Let me expand on "heart" for a minute. This is what makes a player run to first as hard as he can even though he knows he will get thrown out. It makes a man slam his helmet and bat to ground when he strikes out, and makes a pitcher scream into his gloves when he records a K for the last out of an inning. "Heart" has been one of key things missing from the Dbacks for the last couple years. Which makes Gibson a godsend to our team. Manager Kurt Gibson has "heart". He did when he played and he does now as a manager. Ryan Roberts shows "heart" every game, every inning, and every at-bat. He runs hard and shows emotion not to mention he straight raked in Spring Training. He hit .519 and had over .600 OBP. I know, I know...it's only Spring Training. But isn't that where players go to prove themselves and earn playing time!?! I think he more than deserves a shot to play regularly between 3rd base and left field. The same goes for Willie Bloomquist. He plays hard and is a great example for our young players. Now on to pitching for a moment. The young starting rotation (with the exception of Saunders, sorry Joe) is very exciting! Possibly the most exciting part of the team. Kennedy is lockdown and Hudson has some nasty stuff that will strike out lots of batters. Barry Enright is a fighter and plays with that "heart" that was mentioned before. The bullpen looks revamped except for Juan Gutierrez. Why is he still on this team? He has never had an ERA below 4.06 and seems to blow a ton of games. He is the weak link that still remains. Other than him the bullpen has the chance to be quite good. Really it wouldn't take much to improve upon last years results. I had the privilege to see Jarrod Parker pitch this spring and he looked very good. I actually think he should have been the 5th starter. We have to give the kid a chance at some point! Why not now? Now for my amateur prediction for the Dbacks record at the end of the season.....75-87! In other words getting better but not quite there yet. Thanks for reading
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