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Diamondbacks 4, Rockies 5: Angel of Death

2013-05-22T08:28:17Z

The game starts out with the Dbacks going down 1-2-3 and so do the Rockies in their half of the inning. Things get, uh... Rocky in the bottom of the 2nd when Troy Tulowitzki hits a double to center to lead off the bottom of the 2nd and Rosario hits a single to put runners on the corners. Jordan Pacheco pops up and Nolan Arenado singles to bring Tulo home. DJ LeMahieu singles to drive home Rosario to make the score 2-0 in favor the of the Rockies. Things die down until the bottom of the third when Tulo hits a Homerun to make it 3-0 in favor of the Rockies. The game quiets down until the Rockies score again when Nolan Arenado reaches base on a throwing error by Gregorious, and DJ LeMahieu lines a double to left to make the score 4-0 in favor of the Rockies. There's another break in the action when in the top of the 7th Paul Goldschmidt gets things going by drawing a walk and Eric Chavez reaches first on a throwing error by Jordan Pacheco. Cody Ross draws a walk and Jason Kubel hits a two run double to left to make the score 4-2. Martin Prado singles on a ground ball to center to tie the game up at 4-4. This inning ends somewhat controversially when Angel Hernandez, in typical Angel Hernandez fashion, makes two awful strikeout calls in a row. The pitching takes over for a little while until the tenth inning when "Stone Cold" Matt Reynolds replaces David Hernandez. Reynolds manages to get a 4 pitch strike out from Charlie Blackmon. Carlos Gonzalez comes to the plate and quickly doubles. Reynolds then intentionally walks Tulo to get to Wilin Rosario who hits a walk off single on the first pitch he sees from Reynolds which ends the game with a score of 5-4.

via www.fangraphs.com

Mace Windu: Jason Kubel 19.9%

Obi Wan: David Hernandez 17.6%

General Grievous: Matt Reynolds 32.4%

We had a lively game day thread with 820 comments today's comment king was 'skins with ISH and DCmouth in 2nd and 3rd respectively. All participating were: AJV19, Augdogs, AzDbackfanInDc, Circa4life, Clefo, DbacksSkins, Diamondhacks, GuruB, JoeCB1991, Marc Fournier, Muu, PR151, Paper Clip, Rockkstarr12, SenSurround, SongBird, The so-called Beautiful, TinySarabia, TolkienBard, TylerO, UofAZGrad, asteroid, azshadowwalker, benhat, blank_38, coldblueAZ, edbigghead, hotclaws, imstillhungry95, luckycc, onedotfive, piratedan7, rd33, snakecharmer, soco

Dbacks Minor League Round-Up 5/21: Hagens Tosses Five Shutout Innings

2013-05-22T07:13:50Z

One overlooked prospect pitcher is Mobile's Bradin Hagens who is quietly having a nice season for Mobile. Hagens has been steadily making his way up the organizational ladder after being drafted in the 6th round of the 2009 draft. The 24-year-old has been doing so without doing anything spectacular but also without doing anything to keep him back. His peripherals don't generate a lot of excitement either that make you think he's sitting on some kind of breakout season. But he's steadily getting the job done for Mobile with a 2.91 ERA in 9 starts, a solid .245 BAA and an enviable GO/AO of 1.70. The K/BB of 1.38 isn't going to generate a lot of notice and being in a rotation with Archie Bradley, David Holmberg and Andrew Chafin doesn't help either. Hagens may always have a hard time getting out of the shadow of that group but for now he's more than holding his own.

In league action the Reno offense remained in hibernation as they got shut out again, this time collecting just 5 hits. Bradin Hagens tossed 5 shutout innings in Mobile's 4-2 win that gets them a game over .500. Visalia lost to Modesto 7-2 as Kyle Winkler had another difficult start. And South Bend had a travel day.

Snake Stars
3 Stars: Bradin Hagens, Mobile 5 IP, 4 H, 4 BB, 4 K, 0 ER, W (5-3)
2 Stars: Bryan Woodall, Mobile 2 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K, 0 ER
1 Star: Ender Inciarte, Mobile 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 DBL
0 Stars: Kyle Winkler, Visalia 5.2 IP, 8 H, 3 BB, 6 K, 6 ER, L (1-4)

Triple A: Reno 0 Round Rock 6. Charles Brewer ended his streak of solid starts with a not=so-solid one as he allowed 6 runs on 10 hits and a walk in 6 innings with 3 strikeouts. The offense is in a major funk as they outdid Monday's 3-hit effort with a 5-hit effort last night.

Double A: Mobile 4 @ Pensacola 2. Our featured player today Bradin Hagens threw 5 shutout innings and the bullpen added 3 more zeros until Kevin Munson surrendered 2 runs in the 9th to make it close. The Bay Bears offense had 12 hits and the game never should have been close. Ender Inciarte went 2 for 5 with a double. Nick Evans and Raywilly Gomez each added a pair of singles.

High A: Visalia 2 @ Modesto 7. Kyle Winkler is having a tough season and can't seem to string together consecutive good starts. Last night he allowed 6 runs on 8 hits and 3 walks and the offense couldn't overcome it. David Nick had a pair of hits to tweak his average above the Mendoza line for the first time this year. And hot-hitting Ryan Court went 2 for 4.

Diamondbacks 4, Rockies 5

2013-05-22T04:25:22Z

Ian Kennedy looked to be having a good night early on as he sat down 6 in a row to start the game. He started to fall apart a little in the bottom of the 2nd when Kennedy gave up 2 runs to the Rockies. Troy Tulowitzki homered in the third inning, and DJ LeMahieu doubled in Nolan Arenado to make the score 4-0 in favor of the Rockies. On the flip side Rockies pitcher Jhoulys Chacin was having a good night, until the 7th inning when he imploded having only given up 2 hits in 6 innings. He imploded by giving up 4 runs on a 2RBI single from Jason Kubel and a 2RBI single to Martin Prado. After the 7th inning, the game kind of quieted down for a little bit as both teams' bullpens kept it together until "Stone Cold" Matt Reynolds thawed and gave up a double to Carlos Gonzalez and then Wilin Rosario hit a walk off single to right to end the game making the final score 5-4 in favor of the Rockies.

Game #46: Diamondbacks @ Rockies

2013-05-21T23:03:11Z

Ian Kennedy
RHP, 2-3, 4.88

Jhoulys Chacin
RHP, 3-3, 4.07

Diamondbacks Line-up

How the mighty are fallen. Our Opening Day starter now has the highest ERA of anyone who has started a game for the Diamondbacks this year. Part of that is due to some over-performance of expectations, most obviously from Patrick Corbin, but I figured it'd be interesting to take a look at all 30 Opening Day starters, and see how their seasons have gone. Here's the list, in decreasing order of ERA+.

Kennedy, though below average, isn't as far down the list as I'd perhaps have expected. And, surprisingly, there's not much evidence from this list, for Opening Day pitchers being particularly "acey" - the majority have an ERA+ below 100, which would be league average for all pitchers (albeit an average that includes relievers, who tend to have lower ERAs). Not clear how much of that is injury-related: four of the bottom 11 are currently on the DL (they're marked with an asterisk), which seems quite a high percentage of Opening Day starters. Is there some correlation between the pressure of that position and injury? No idea, just a thought.

Kennedy's ERA has been trending downwards of late, though it has been progress of the "two steps forward, one step back" kind, with a 4.42 ERA over the last six starts, since it peaked at 5.79, three games into the season. Still not what we'd want from our "ace," but if that's going to be the worst ERA we get from our rotation the rest of the way, I think we'll cope with it. He pitched at Coors the first time we were here: Kennedy did give us a quality start (albeit just: 6 IP, 3 ER), but took the loss, as the offense could only muster one run against Chacin. Hopefully, the rematch tonight will go a bit better, and we won't repeat the Marlins series, using up all our offense in the opener.

This is the free MLB.TV Game of the Day (H/T songbird), so those of you outside the dreaded blackout territory will be able to enjoy it on their device of choice.

Preview: Game #46: Diamondbacks @ Rockies

2013-05-21T23:00:09Z

Ian Kennedy
RHP, 2-3, 4.88

Jhoulys Chacin
RHP, 3-3, 4.07

Diamondbacks Line-up

This is the free MLB.TV Game of the Day (H/T songbird), so those of you outside the dreaded blackout territory will be able to enjoy it on their device of choice.

Fan Confidence: Most Underrated Diamondbacks

2013-05-21T17:00:07Z

There are some that cross over into the mainstream, such as Justin Upton, Paul Goldschmidt, or Brandon Webb. Others still are bought that were already in the mainstream, like just about anyone on the 2001 World Series team. Yet even if most baseball fans have heard of Aaron Hill, they probably don't realize how great he was last year. They probably don't realize how good Parra was in 2011 or is this year.

'Underrate' is one of those words people like to use fast and loose because it's largely a matter of perspective. It requires the position to believe a player isn't as good as they are simply by lack of reputation. Fans of the team obviously will be less likely to underrate their own. Of course, the flip side to this coin is overrating, because we want to believe our players are always really, really good, even when they're slipping helplessly into Miggy Time. Non-fans are also guilty of overrating players, because they're relying on reputation as a substitution for knowledge (see, most national fans opinions about Trevor Bauer).

Yet there are players that we as fans underrate. I'll admit I'm guilty of underrating Gerardo Parra. I've always felt his bat was a little light, and although he can rake, I didn't think he'd keep it up. Yet here were are, almost to June, and he's put up a slash of .316/.381/.492, and has a bWAR of 3. He's already earned as much Wins Above Replacement as he did for his entire 2011 season.

Another player I find myself underrating, if we're looking at all-time Diamondbacks, is Jay Bell. Sure, I remember him scoring the winning run in the 2001 World Series, but I forget that in 1999 he was money in the bank and had one of the best all-time Diamondback seasons. Of course, it was virtually out of line with the rest of his good career, but I'll admit I don't think Jay Bell when I think of players with nearly 5 bWAR in a season.

Sometimes we consider a bad player to be underrated simply because we like him for extraneous reasons. Sure, Willie Bloomquist is Doomquist and No Offense Willie Bloomquist, the current inspiration for Diamondbacks TOOTBLAN, and probably a hundred other negative things we could say, but I can't help that I root for him a little more because he went to ASU. He's not really underrated, though, he's just awful and I have weird criteria for who I root for.

So what about you? What are some of your underrated Diamondbacks on the 2013 squad and all-time?

Poll

How confident are you with how the Diamondbacks are performing?

Dbacks Minor League Round-Up 5/20: Glenn Blasts Off

2013-05-21T15:04:04Z

South Bend's Alex Glenn hit two home runs last night flashing some of the power potential projected for this 22-year-old outfielder. That gives him 5 for the year to go with 20 RBI, a .256 BA and a .778 OPS. Those aren't electric numbers but they keep him on the radar as a breakout candidate who has a nice combination of power, speed and athleticism. Glenn was drafted in the 12th round of the 2012 draft and had a nice rookie season between the AZL Rookie League and Missoula combining for 10 home runs, 40 RBI and an .889 OPS in 187 at bats. He's playing well enough to deserve a watchful eye going forward and he's someone I really like to keep moving up the system. I wouldn't quite put him in Keon Broxton's class as far as athleticism and defense go and he's basically the same age and playing two levels lower. But he still has potential.

Around the leagues, Reno fell 4-0 as Chase Anderson was decent but the offense was pretty bad. Mobile got 2 home runs from Keon Broxton and a good start by Mike Bolsinger in their 4-2 win. Keith Hessler pitched Visalia to a 5-2 win. And Alex Glenn's two home runs led South Bend to a 9-1 rout of Dayton.

Snake Stars
3 Stars: Alex Glenn, South Bend 3 for 5, 3 R, 2 HR (5), 3 RBI
2 Stars: Keon Broxton, Mobile 2 for 4, 2 R, 2 HR (3), 4 RBI
1 Star: Keith Hessler, Visalia 7 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 K, 2 ER, W (3-1)
0 Stars: Michael Perez, Visalia 0 for 4, 3 K

Triple A: Reno 0 @ Round Rock 4. Chase Anderson started and was good enough to keep his team in the hnt with 4 runs allowed on 6 hits and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts over 7 innings. But the offense did not show up picking up just 4 singles on the night. Adam Eaton had one of the singles and played CF.

Double A: Mobile 4 @ Pensacola 2. Keon Broxton broke out of his prolonged slump with 2 home runs accounting for all four of the team's runs, and Mike Bolsinger had a fine start allowing 2 runs in 5+ innings. Bolsinger allowed 8 hits and no walks but had no strikeouts. The bullpen added 3+ innings of scoreless relief with Eric Smith getting his 3rd save.

High A: Visalia 5 @ Modesto 2. Keith Hessler had a terrific start going 7 innings allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7. Tom Belza went 2 for 4 with a triple and 2 RBI, and Jake Lamb hit his 5th homer of the year and walked twice.

Low A: South Bend 9 Dayton 1. The Silver Hawks pounded Dayton as Alex Glenn clubbed 2 home runs. Brandon Sinnery had another fine outing going 6 innings allowing 1 run on 6 hits and a walk with 3 strikeouts. Breland Amadova went 2 for 3 with 3 RBI.

SnakeBytes 5/21: Corbin's Complete Game

2013-05-21T15:00:09Z

Quotes of the Day

"I'm just getting ahead with my fastball, and I think most of the strikeouts were on sliders. Just able to get ahead with my heater, strike them out with my slider and just keep them off balance."

- Patrick Corbin

“I think in the spring, I came in with the same mind-set that I have now. I wanted to go out there and make sure I was ready for every start. I try to go out there and pound the strike zone, and so far I’ve been able to do that. I know there are a lot of starts left, and I just want to make sure that I can keep it going.”

- Patrick Corbin

“If you’ve got an uptick in velocity like that, you can get away with a few more things. The way he’s throwing now, he doesn’t even need to get away with stuff. He’s locating, with plus velocity, with a plus slider, and executing game plans. It’s a pretty unbeatable combination.”

- Brandon McCarthy on Patrick Corbin

Diamondbacks Links

Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies - Recap

After walking the first batter of the ballgame, Patrick Corbin shifted into cruise control, fanning 10 Rockies over 9 innings for his first complete game in the majors. Corbin's complete game was the second in three nights for the Diamondbacks' pitching staff as Brandon McCarthy went the distance on Saturday in Miami. The Diamondbacks starters are now 8-3 with a 2.24 ERA over their last 14 games.

Arizona Diamondbacks' Pat Corbin throws complete game in series opener against Colorado Rockies

Nick Piecoro traces the origins of Patrick Corbin's career with the Diamondbacks, noting that Corbin was somewhat lost in the shuffle of the Diamondbacks' highly rated pitching prospects - being ranked only the 7th best pitching prospect in the D-Back's system prior to this year.

Corbin wins with dominant breaking ball - Stats & Info Blog - ESPN

Mark Simon of ESPN breaks down Corbin's start from last night, noting that the lefty threw 74 of his 97 pitches for strikes despite only half of his pitches being thrown inside the pitch f/x strike zone. On the topic of swing-and-miss, opponents have taken 94 cuts at Corbin's breaking ball and have come up empty 54 times.

10 Degrees: Dubious run? Little reason to doubt bargain of D'backs' Goldschmidt standard - Yahoo! Sports

The central conceit of this article is a little distracting (McKayla Maroney's incredulous visage is used to represent the dubiousness, or "doobs," of a player's early numbers), but Jeff Passan brings us a lot of good info on Patrick Corbin and Paul Golschmidt.

On Corbin's hot start, Passan quotes an NL scout as saying, "I thought he was a [No.] 4 or 5. I've seen him twice now, and I think he's at worst a 3 and very easily could be a 2. He's got command, that sinker is a kamikaze and he's fearless." Yet, Passan notes, the numbers do not necessarily bear the scout's take out. "[The numbers] say his .259 BABIP is too low, especially for a groundball pitcher. (True.) And they say his strand rate – the percentage of players left on base at the end of innings – is absurd at 89.2 percent. (Yup. Only Jeremy Guthrie and Matt Moore's are higher.) And they worry his home runs-per-flyball rate is unsustainably low. In essence, while a 1.52 ERA and 6-0 record say Corbin is a much better pitcher than last season, the peripherals say otherwise."

He is much less dubious of Paul Goldschmidt's hot start, however, writing that "at 25, Goldschmidt is entering his prime years, and as much fun as it is seeing Bryce Harper and Mike Trout and other no-doubt talents ply their trade, watching the evolution of a player like Goldschmidt is a different sort of treat. He wasn't supposed to be this, not even close. That he is – and that McKayla isn't doobsing him – makes his story all the better."

Angels fleeced D'backs in Haren deal - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

Also from Passan, a reaction to the Dan Haren deal. Passan highlighted this piece on twitter as one of those columns that you look back on and cringe.

Around the League

Jonah Keri ranks the MLB teams - Grantland

"You could reasonably argue that management has done a masterful job building the Diamondbacks into winners this year, that the proof lies in their charge to the top of the standings. Or you could posit that the front office did more harm than good, that trading away Upton was a terrible idea that will haunt them through 2015, that they owe a big chunk of their success to dumb luck because Parra might've been stapled to the bench if not for injuries, and that Mike Rizzo, Tom Allison, and company deserve the lion's share of the credit for what's happened in the desert. Either way, the Snakes are winning, and they've got the talent to keep it up."

Marginalia

GIF: Troy Tulowitzki gets personal with his postgame handshake

In case you missed it, Troy Tulowitzki has an "interesting" way of shaking "hands."

AZ Snake Pit - All Posts

Diamondbacks 4, Rockies 5: Angel of Death

Dbacks Minor League Round-Up 5/21: Hagens Tosses Five Shutout Innings

Diamondbacks 4, Rockies 5

Game #46: Diamondbacks @ Rockies

Ian KennedyRHP, 2-3, 4.88

Jhoulys ChacinRHP, 3-3, 4.07

Diamondbacks Line-up

Preview: Game #46: Diamondbacks @ Rockies

Ian KennedyRHP, 2-3, 4.88

Jhoulys ChacinRHP, 3-3, 4.07

Diamondbacks Line-up

Fan Confidence: Most Underrated Diamondbacks

How confident are you with how the Diamondbacks are performing?

Dbacks Minor League Round-Up 5/20: Glenn Blasts Off

SnakeBytes 5/21: Corbin's Complete Game

Quotes of the Day

Diamondbacks Links

Around the League

Marginalia

Ian Kennedy
RHP, 2-3, 4.88

Jhoulys Chacin
RHP, 3-3, 4.07

Ian Kennedy
RHP, 2-3, 4.88

Jhoulys Chacin
RHP, 3-3, 4.07