Well, that was interesting. Who's looking forward to the next time the Dodgers come to visit?
Recaps:
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[DBacks.com] Emotions run high, but D-backs fall flat in LA - Again, the Dodgers only managed a few runs early on, but this time it was enough for the win.
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[AZ Central] Dodgers' bullpen picks up Clayton Kershaw, holds off Diamondbacks - The thing that convinces me that Clayton Kershaw hit Gerardo Parra on purpose is the swagger Kershaw gets walking off the mound before he sees the umpire tosses him. That's not a "whoops" move, that's a "yeah, what are you going to do about it?" walk. Han Solo thinks it's a bit cocky.
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[LA Times] Dodgers-Diamondbacks and the great angry contest - The LA Times wins for best headline on the game, and they remind us that the Dodgers and DBacks end the regular season in Chase Field.
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[Yahoo! Sports] Going inside was the right move for Kershaw - "Kershaw pleaded. He stomped. He demanded the inside part of the plate." Uh, check where that pitch was again- he apparently demanded the middle of the batter's box.
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[KTAR AZ Sports] Chris Young calls D-backs 'NL West champs' - Chris Young isn't worried about jinxing the team. I'm sure other players are confident, too, he's just the first one to speak up.
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[Dbacks.com MLB] Kirk Gibson clear-cut choice for Manager of Year - "For a first-year manager to completely change the culture and the way our guys play the game is to a large part due to him and his coaching staff. His preparation. His focus. His ability to lead through the tough times we've had. Very rarely do you see that in a young manger."
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[SB Nation Minor League Ball] Prospect of the Day: Jarrod Parker - More love for Parker- he'll be 22 at the end of the season, and he's looking pretty ready to make his move to the majors.
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[AZ Central] Diamondbacks' Kirk Gibson quick to defend his players - Not surprised at all- I don't see Gibby as the kind of guy to sit back and let his players take abuse.
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[Venom Strikes] Goal Should be to Win it All, However Playoff Celebration Ok - I'm looking forward to seeing the DBacks clinch it. This team puts its heart on the field, I'm sure that will be very apparent when they win the division.
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[Fox Sports AZ] New D-backs second baseman Hill hits the ground running - I'm just saying, we're 17-4 since he showed up. The guy obviously knows how to win.
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[azfamily] How to get the most beer for your money at ballparks - If you're going to spend your money getting drunk at Chase Field, you should at least be smart about it. It's just science. Or math. Or something. Look, it's useful.
Around Baseball:
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[Edmonton Sun] Phillies seal playoff spot - A Roy Hallady shut out put the Phillies in the playoffs for the fifth straight year. Not a particular surprise to anyone, I'm sure.
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[Sports Radio Interviews] Jonah Hill Makes a Convincing Case for Why You Should See "Moneyball" - I'm kind of curious to see how it turns out. Probably won't go see it in theaters, though, unless I hear some really convincing reviews.
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[BaseballGB] British Baseball Beat: 2011 Champions crowned - Wait, there are people in the United Kingdom who like baseball? Who knew? The Lakenheath Diamondbacks made it to the title game, but fell to the Southern Nationals. (It says the Diamondbacks are a United States Army Air Force team, but I imagine there should either be a hyphen in there, or we never finished the recall from World War II...) And I know this already an over-long note, but I couldn't pass up the fact that one of the teams is named the Bolton Robots of Doom. I like their style.
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[Bluebird Banter] Can You Improve this Place with the Data that You Gather?: Why I Like Sabrmetrics
- How do we use stats? And is Micah Owings the best player in baseball? Well, no, but there's a point the guy is trying to make. -
ABB [KTVU SF] Bill Neukom to retire as Giants' controlling owner - I wonder if we'll see much difference in the way the team is run.
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ABB [MLB] Art imitates life for Mookie, Buckner - They are forever linked by one play. And now by a painting.
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[MLB] Baltimore's homer-catching fan does it again - He caught home run balls in three straight games, and he's still out there, in the bleachers, waiting... No, wait, I'm confusing him with Batman again.