Arizona Diamondbacks @ New York Mets GameThread, Jun 10, 2008 7:10 PM EDT

Gameday Thread, #65: 6/10 vs. Mets

by Jim McLennan on Jun 10, 2008 5:21 PM EDT

Arizona Diamondbacks @ New York Mets

Micah Owings
RHP, 6-4, 4.50

John Maine
RHP, 6-4, 3.47

Baseball-Reference.com preview [opens in new window]

Into Shea we go, and was should be an interesting series. The opener is a Big Apple remake of the game on May 2 in Arizona, where New York came out on top 7-2. Micah got tagged with the loss, and we'll be hoping for better today, especially after his last outing, which saw him tagged for eight hits in three innings. Be nice if he can get a few hits - he has managed just one in the past month, with nine strikeouts in 16 at-bats - but that is really secondary to a quality start.

Anything less, and on current form, our offense will not be going anywhere. This month, we have hit just .208, with particularly poor performances there from Upton (.105), Hudson (.143) and Snyder (.190). All three have had poor BABIP figures, however, so some rebound seem inevitable. But will we ever get more than eight hits in a game again? There was a spell early in the year [April 4-13, to be specific] where we did that nine games in a row - it's been two weeks since the last time we managed it.

With Webb going tomorrow, a victory would set us up in good shape to take the series. We'll see. Oh, and I did a quick Q+A for Take the 7 Train, which can be found here. Will be lurking, then not here, and finally at home and in full effect. Commenting from this end will therefore be sporadic. I'm sure there will be people about though...

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Evening all

My last GDT for a while and pleaaaase let it end with a win :)

So...time for another drink then?

by Wimb on Jun 10, 2008 6:25 PM EDT 0 recs

Last for a while?

Max Scherzer is all out of bubblegum.

by DbacksSkins on Jun 10, 2008 6:32 PM EDT up 0 recs

Download Music Festival

In Donnington :) so off to that tomorrow, wont be back until Monday

So...time for another drink then?

by Wimb on Jun 10, 2008 6:35 PM EDT up 0 recs

Well, enjoy!

I hope we can send you off with a win, too.

Max Scherzer is all out of bubblegum.

by DbacksSkins on Jun 10, 2008 6:46 PM EDT up 0 recs

Today's lineup

C. Young cf .240
S. Drew ss .265
O. Hudson 2b .288
C. Jackson 1b .301
M. Reynolds 3b .259
C. Snyder c .250
J. Upton rf .260
J. Salazar lf .243
M. Owings p .275

Looks like the best possible offensive linep we can muster. I’m optimistic today might be the data we get as many as nine hits… :-)

by Jim McLennan on Jun 10, 2008 7:02 PM EDT 0 recs

Looking back at the schedule our slide seems to have started when the Mets came to town and took 2 of 3 and with a few exceptions after that (sweep of CO and splits of three 4-game series) it has been pretty dismal ever since. Here’s hoping we can take advantage of any breaks, play good defense and hit with RISP! Go Diamondbacks!

by TwinnerA on Jun 10, 2008 7:03 PM EDT 0 recs

The Mets always win at Chase,

and I believe in our history we’re 18-17 at Shea, so it balances out.

Max Scherzer is all out of bubblegum.

by DbacksSkins on Jun 10, 2008 7:09 PM EDT up 0 recs

let's get some runs

We will meet in Red 3 at the hour of scampering.

by hotclaws on Jun 10, 2008 7:10 PM EDT 0 recs

Dreeeeewww

We will meet in Red 3 at the hour of scampering.

by hotclaws on Jun 10, 2008 7:14 PM EDT 0 recs

Drew with a base hit

Let’s have lots of those tonight.

by luckycc on Jun 10, 2008 7:14 PM EDT 0 recs

And one of these

We will meet in Red 3 at the hour of scampering.

by hotclaws on Jun 10, 2008 7:18 PM EDT 0 recs

Screw the Mets

We need a win!

by Augie's Army on Jun 10, 2008 7:19 PM EDT 0 recs

Excellent

An excellent start to this series. Let’s keep this up!

by bcloirao on Jun 10, 2008 7:21 PM EDT 0 recs

Hmmmm....

Good start, anyway; strikeouts suck, though.

Max Scherzer is all out of bubblegum.

by DbacksSkins on Jun 10, 2008 7:24 PM EDT 0 recs

Oh, well...

Can’t help feeling we should have got more, but two hits per inning for the rest of the day would be fine…

by Jim McLennan on Jun 10, 2008 7:25 PM EDT 0 recs

Pitch Count

At least Maine had to throw a lot of pitches. Keep that going and get into the bullpen early.

by bcloirao on Jun 10, 2008 7:28 PM EDT 0 recs

27 in the 1st.

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 7:31 PM EDT up 0 recs

Damn you Reyes

too quick

So...time for another drink then?

by Wimb on Jun 10, 2008 7:28 PM EDT 0 recs

He's annoying.

Max Scherzer is all out of bubblegum.

by DbacksSkins on Jun 10, 2008 7:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

Holy crap!

We threw someone out?? Bye-bye Reyes. :-D

Max Scherzer is all out of bubblegum.

by DbacksSkins on Jun 10, 2008 7:30 PM EDT 0 recs

Small ball

is the greatest!

by dahlian on Jun 10, 2008 7:30 PM EDT 0 recs

So, which scenario has a higher win expectancy?

A runner at 1st with no outs, or a runner at 1st with one out? ;-)

Max Scherzer is all out of bubblegum.

by DbacksSkins on Jun 10, 2008 7:37 PM EDT up 0 recs

oh yes!

We will meet in Red 3 at the hour of scampering.

by hotclaws on Jun 10, 2008 7:31 PM EDT 0 recs

Nice job by Micah and Snydes to get Reyes stealing!

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 7:31 PM EDT 0 recs

Crime doesn't pay

Unless you are the White Sox who have got away with highway robbery :(

So...time for another drink then?

by Wimb on Jun 10, 2008 7:32 PM EDT 0 recs

Another double play ball to CJ that he eats and goes to 1st with.

Sheesh!

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 7:33 PM EDT 0 recs

every pitch that Micah throws for the rest of the 1st is unnecessary.

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 7:36 PM EDT up 0 recs

Sigh

And to nobody’s surprise, foulpole completely ignores the go-ahead RBI Jackson was responsible for in the first inning.

by Jim McLennan on Jun 10, 2008 7:37 PM EDT up 0 recs

I wasn’t logged on when he hit the single.

Nice ribby CJ! Shitty three runs given up after that.

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 7:44 PM EDT up 0 recs

Two hits and a run post double play ball.

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 7:37 PM EDT up 0 recs

No mention

Of the infield hit to second then?

by Jim McLennan on Jun 10, 2008 7:38 PM EDT up 0 recs

Those two plays were nowhere close to the same thing.

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 7:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

dick

2 infield hits in 1 inning

by CPAYNEonaplane on Jun 10, 2008 7:35 PM EDT 0 recs

Good effort from Drew

So...time for another drink then?

by Wimb on Jun 10, 2008 7:37 PM EDT 0 recs

Damn. Tie game.

::sigh:: I hate this team sometimes….

Max Scherzer is all out of bubblegum.

by DbacksSkins on Jun 10, 2008 7:37 PM EDT 0 recs

3-1, Mets.

Max Scherzer is all out of bubblegum.

by DbacksSkins on Jun 10, 2008 7:38 PM EDT 0 recs

oh for gods sake

So...time for another drink then?

by Wimb on Jun 10, 2008 7:38 PM EDT 0 recs

suddenly, it's 1-3

by luckycc on Jun 10, 2008 7:38 PM EDT 0 recs

Now J-Up allows Delgado a free base on the bobble. Hang this inning on poor D, Again!

Sheesh!

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 7:39 PM EDT 0 recs

by Jim McLennan on Jun 10, 2008 7:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

haha

So...time for another drink then?

by Wimb on Jun 10, 2008 7:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

Baseball is not binary.

Hang this inning on bad luck, a couple suboptimal defensive plays, and Owings’ inability to put batters away.

by dahlian on Jun 10, 2008 7:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

8 errors?

this year for upton? geez

by CPAYNEonaplane on Jun 10, 2008 7:39 PM EDT 0 recs

it’s pretty sad, no?

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 7:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

I would call all three of those Mets’ runs “unearned. “

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 7:41 PM EDT 0 recs

Which is odd,

for someone that speaks so highly of errors and unearned runs as a statistic.

by dahlian on Jun 10, 2008 7:42 PM EDT up 0 recs

I think

Allowing four hits and two walks in an inning to seven batters faced is the real problem here, not a bobble or a hypothetical double-play.

by Jim McLennan on Jun 10, 2008 7:43 PM EDT up 0 recs

Solid D and we are out of that inning after three batters. Micah could have done better but he should not have even been facing those hitters in the 1st. It’s pretty rare that a pitcher throw a perfect game.

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 7:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

And they score at least one run

if those hits and walks all come in the NEXT inning, too.

Max Scherzer is all out of bubblegum.

by DbacksSkins on Jun 10, 2008 7:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

I guess

Throwing out the top base-stealer in the National League counts for nothing as far as D goes? Like I said, Owings retired ONE of the first seven hitters he faced. That’s what’s responsible for the 3-1 score, much though you want to keep blaming the same players for everything.

by Jim McLennan on Jun 10, 2008 7:54 PM EDT up 0 recs

So

I’m still waiting for your answer as to why the three best fielding percentage teams in the NL have the three worst records.

by Jim McLennan on Jun 10, 2008 7:46 PM EDT up 0 recs

My guess would be poor pitching and hitting. But I haven’t looked into it.

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 7:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

Or that those stats are relatively meaningless when it comes to wins or losses

by Augie's Army on Jun 10, 2008 7:55 PM EDT up 0 recs

The most important stat that there is is wins and losses.

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 8:17 PM EDT up 0 recs

I think he means

and not to put words in his mouth, that there isn’t necessarily a correlation. In the end, yes, all that matters is that you win or lose.

"D'backs" means seatbelts! "D'backs" means crash positions!

by soco on Jun 10, 2008 8:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

When the dust settles, the only stat that really matters is wins and losses.

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 8:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

Well, yeah

but that’s not what he’s saying.

"D'backs" means seatbelts! "D'backs" means crash positions!

by soco on Jun 10, 2008 11:35 PM EDT up 0 recs

Which... fielding % seems to have nothing to do with.....

Max Scherzer is all out of bubblegum.

by DbacksSkins on Jun 10, 2008 8:20 PM EDT up 0 recs

Exactly

Hitting and pitching are FAR more responsible for wins and losses than errors and unearned runs.

by Jim McLennan on Jun 10, 2008 7:55 PM EDT up 0 recs

Top 5 teams by OPS

Texas (32-33)
Chicago Cubs (40-24)
Boston (40-26)
Philadelphia (39-26)
Florida (34-29)

Top 5 teams by ERA
Chicago White Sox (37-26)
Oakland (34-29)
Toronto (33-33)
Chicago Cubs (40-24)
Atlanta (32-32)

Top 5 teams by fielding percentage
San Diego (28-37)
Tampa Bay (38-26)
LA Angels (39-26)
Kansas City (25-39)
Washington (25-40)

Top 5 teams by Defensive efficiency
Atlanta (32-32)
Baltimore (31-31)
Chicago Cubs (40-24)
Tampa Bay (38-26)
Oakland (34-29)

One of these things is not like the other…

by dahlian on Jun 10, 2008 8:14 PM EDT up 0 recs

It's also interesting to note,

that even though they’re pitching in front of the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th best defenses by fielding percentage, LAA has the 12th best team ERA, San Diego the 14th (in the best pitcher’s park), Washington is 22nd and Kansas City is the 25th in the league in team ERA.

Looking at the top 5 DER teams, Atlanta has the 5th best ERA, Baltimore 16th, Cubs 4th, Tampa Bay 8th and Oakland 2nd.

To argue that fielding percentage is a better evaluator of team defense than DER, is to argue that “defense” has virtually no effect on pitching quality.

by dahlian on Jun 10, 2008 8:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

What is up with all the bobbling of balls by Upton. He just can’t seem to pick up the ball cleanly. Is that the case here?

by TwinnerA on Jun 10, 2008 7:41 PM EDT 0 recs

Yup…SSDD

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 7:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

Can you imagine what he looked like playing ss? I never saw him play there but with all the trouble he has on those routine grounders in RF it would have to be pretty ugly. No?

by foulpole on Jun 10, 2008 9:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

I think

it’s a completely different position. At SS, you just react and act quickly without thinking about it—you’re mostly just scooping up groundballs anyway. In the OF, you have to be more aware of how to “play” liners, adjust for bounce, etc.

Max Scherzer is all out of bubblegum.

by DbacksSkins on Jun 10, 2008 10:02 PM EDT up 0 recs