SnakeBytes 9/13: Lucky Seven Edition

You know, it's hard to feel comfortable about this season just yet. But... I'm getting there.

Recaps:

• [DBacks.com] Magic number now 7, D-backs catch Brewers - It may have taken a little while for the offense to wake up, but when it did, as usual, it did some good work.

• [AZ Central] Arizona Diamondbacks land very decisive knockout with win over Los Angeles Dodgers -The Dodgers have been on a good run lately, but Joe Saunders kept their bats quiet.

• [LA Times] Dodgers can't meet Arizona in the middle in 7-2 loss - Odd to see Ted Lilly be so effective for so long- it always seems like he struggles against the DBacks- but at least it turned out well in the end.

• [Phoenix New Times] Arizona Diamondbacks Stomp Los Angeles Dodgers in 7-2 Win. Magic Number's Now at Only Seven Games - Seven games. Just seven...

• [DBacks Venom] Projecting the 2011 Diamondbacks' Playoff Roster
  - Yeah, we should start thinking about this now. 25 roster spots, who's going to be showing up for us in the playoffs?

• [The Greyhound - Loyola University Maryland] Division-leading Diamondbacks playing the role of Cinderella in NL West - "For now though, the K's are a distant memory, and desert-baseball fanatics aren't having nightmares of 2010 anymore[.]" Well, mostly. I still get flashbacks every so often.

• [SI.com] Diamondbacks' turnaround makes Kevin Towers pick for GM of year - Is there an actual GM of the Year award? Well, if there is, it'd be hard to pick out someone else for the award- though Towers has benefited from some of Josh Byrnes and Jerry DiPoto's moves, too.

• [AZ Central] Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson's focus on team goals - The team really has turned around. Many of us may have doubted Gibby's effect, but it's hard to deny that he's had a positive influence on the clubhouse.

• [Toronto Star] Johnny Mac loving it in Arizona - Going from Canada to a playoff race certainly seems to have turned John McDonald into a different player.

• [Fox Sports AZ] D-backs in line for some major hardware - Manager of the Year, Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, maybe an MVP? Big change from last year.

• [DBacks.com] Star Wars Day at Chase Field - Yessssssss.

• [Terez Owens] Arizona Diamondbacks Haze Rookies By Making Them Wear Bikinis - It's up to you if you want to click through for the picture.

• [Birmingham News] Charles Brewer pitches Mobile BayBears past Birmingham, into SL championship series - Mobile heads on to play for the Southern League title- and we'll wait a little longer to see if we call anyone up to the majors.

Around Baseball:

• [LA Times/Bleacher Report] Catching a Foul Ball; What Would You Do? - It's a question of etiquette- would you keep the foul ball or give it to a kid?

• [Columbus, Indiana Republic] Baseball icon Hank Aaron establishes $100,000 endowed scholarship at Clark Atlanta University - The first of twelve scholarships the foundation hopes to start. Definitely a worthy goal.

• [The Oklahoman] Strange But True: What makes the perfect baseball pitch? - An interesting look at the physics of pitching. There's more to it than most of us really think of.

• [CBS Sports] Baseball's current system for selecting MVP is broken - How to fix it? Gregg Doyel thinks there need to be more voters. I wouldn't necessarily object.

• [Science 2.0] Major League Baseball Umpires Are Racist, Says Economist - Or, rather, the study says that minority pitchers think white umpires are racist. Seems like some questionable "science" to me.

• [Miami Herald] At bat after 'Moneyball' lineup change - The movie comes out next week, but at one point it looked like the movie was dead in the water. Somehow, things worked out.

• [NY Times] Mets’ Sept. 11 Caps Rejected for Sake of Uniformity - Apparently the league is trying to "streamline" the way that they pay tribute. It seems unfortunate to me.

• [McCovey Chronicles] In a 193-game season, this team would start making some noise - McCC works out how the Giants could make it to the playoffs, and then face the DBacks in the NLCS. It starts with the Braves catching Malaria on Mosquito Island...