Diamondbacks 6, Giants 11 - The Devil you (don't) know

by Jim McLennan on Mar 14, 2008 11:24 PM EDT in Diamondbacks News

I was just sending an email to a customer of ours on the bead side of things, who's in Tasmania, and I suddenly realised that just about the only thing I know about the place is the Tasmanian Devil, from those old Warner Bros cartoons. I'm sure it's a very nice place, but I think the tourism industry there has likely been harmed by a perception that the island is infested with gibbering monsters that buzz-saw their way through trees. Chuck Jones has a lot to answer for - and it's not the first time. I remember seeing my first coyote after moving to Arizona: I was surprised it wasn't flicking through an Acme catalog, with rocket-powered skates strapped to its feet. I am still to see my first roadrunner; if it doesn't leave a trail of smoke behind it as it runs, I'll be very disappointed.

Friday night, and so I'll keep this one relatively short, as Mrs. SnakePit and I will be indulging in a crap DVD double-bill, and we need to get that started before too much longer. Another day, another defeat for the D-backs, as we fall 11-6 to the Giants, despite putting out what looks suspiciously like a full-strength lineup. Brandon Webb got smoked for 11 hits in 4.2 innings, but professed to be pleased; he was working mostly on locating his fastball. "Maybe I'll reevaluate during the season if I'm getting hit like this. But right now, we're just trying to get some work in, get my pitch count up, get the innings in, which I did today."

Not much success for the rest of the pitchers either: Cruz got the loss despite striking out four in 1.1 innings, thanks to two walks and a hit. Qualls was the only pitcher to escaped unscathed, with a 1-2-3 seventh, but the Giants were clearly in safari mode - intent on bagging Lyons - taking our new closer for four hits and three runs in his inning of work. Insert obvious spring excuses here, but our Cactus League ERA is now the wrong side of six. About the only saving graces are that we're leading the National League in strikeouts with 132 in 157 innings, and it's not as if the rest of the division are posting shutouts - the Padres' ERA is at 5.97, the Rockies' 5.33 and the Giants 7.09. Only the Dodgers (4.65) are doing much and they play in Florida, which is less hitter-friendly.

The batters were a bit better, getting ten hits, including a pair for Byrnes and a bases-clearing double for Bonifacio. Drew and Upton each had a hit and a walk, with the latter getting two RBI as well. We scored four times in the sixth to tie the game at six, but Cruz immediately handed back the lead, and we didn't add anything to our tally down the stretch. The defeat drops the D-backs to 6-11, and Arizona is now seriously in danger of our first losing spring since 2004, when we went 14-17. Last year, we led the Cactus League, going 20-12 - interesting to compare results for the NL teams, beside how they performed in April once the season started.

       APR   SPRING   DIFF
ATL   .640    .600     +40
MIL   .640    .433    +207
NYM   .625    .364    +261
ARI   .593    .625     -32
LAD   .577    .515     +62
SFG   .543    .469     +84
SDP   .500    .563     -63
PIT   .500    .414     +86
FLA   .480    .433     +47
CIN   .480    .600    -120
PHI   .440    .379     +61
STL   .417    .615    -198
HOU   .417    .621    -204
CHC   .417    .567    -150
COL   .385    .520    -135
WSN   .346    .393     -47

There. I feel much better after that, since it appears there was little or no correlation between spring training performance and results after Opening Day. However, most eye-witness reports seems to suggest the Diamondbacks play has been pretty sluggish this month. Though they looked pretty decent the game I saw them play down in Tucson, that was back when they were capable of winning, and they haven't done much of that lately. Here's to them extending my record to 2-0 this spring, with a victory behind Randy tomorrow. But before that, another week has gone by, so time to update the heroes and villains of spring training to date. First the pitchers, then the hitters; all stats are up to and including March 14:

Chris Burke: .394/.487/.818 in 33 AB
Chris Snyder: .417/.517/.958 in 24 AB
Jesus Merchan: .522/.560/.696 in 23 AB
--------------------------
Chris Young: .229/.325/.371 in 35 AB
Trot Nixon: .179/.294/.357 in 28 AB
Robby Hammock: .154/.241/.269 in 26 AB

Edgar Gonzalez: 5 H, 0 BB, 1 ER in 7 IP
Yusmeiro Petit: 8 H, 2 ER, 11 K in 7.1 IP
Conner Robertson: 4 H, 1BB, 1 ER in 6 IP
--------------------------
Dustin Nippert: 9 H, 8 BB, 6 ER in 5.1 IP
Brandon Lyon: 11 H, 0 K, 7 ER in 5 IP
Micah Owings: 12 H, 8 BB, 8 ER in 6.1 IP

Today's comment starter Yesterday's one was greeted with an uncomfortable silence and foot-shuffling, until foulpole's recent comment bravely broke the ice - but it seems I am the only person who has ever been in this kind of situation. Either I am dysfunctional, or you're too embarrassed to 'fess up. :-) On that front, it has been agreed that I am not attending the service, and will be picked up by Mrs. SnakePit after it's over. This is for the best, I think, and we'll all be more comfortable as a result. Something less controversial for today, I think. The National League East; has the Mets' acquisition of Santana pushed them back over the top, or will the Phillies repeat? And should the rest of the division even bother showing up?

Tweet Comment 3 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

The two questions

I have about the Mets are these :

First, can they actually stay healthy all season? Hmm... let's rephrase that : will they even be able to field a 25-man roster of real live major leaguers on Opening Day? Old, slow and injury-prone is no way to go through life, son.

Second, what kind of psychological scars have been left by the astounding - nay, historic! - display of organisation-wide ineptitude that was September 2007?

It's easy to see the Mets blasting their way through all opposition on their way to the playoffs. But it's equally easy to see a DL as long as your arm, line-ups full of no-names, and a team that chokes like van de Velde when the pressure is on late.

by peachy rex on Mar 15, 2008 2:11 AM EDT reply actions

You summed it up well

The question for the Phillies of course is pitching. They should have as good or better lineup than the Mets, but will their pitching stand up?

Hamels is a stud, but he has to get over his whining over contract renewal. Also, the Phillies are starting Myers over Hamels on opening day....and considering how Hamels felt about being "dissed" with contract renewal, this has to be a blow for him as well. The question is does he use it as a motivating factor, or a crutch?

Myers may be a world class jerk, but when he is right, he is one very tough customer.

Beyond these two though,....Kyle Kendrick was a bit lucky last year, (An ERA more than a full run lower than his FIP) and is getting hammered to death in Spring. He is a very poor bet to repeat a sub 4 ERA as the #3 starter.

Jamie Moyer is 45.....then again, he is an ageless wonder, so maybe he can keep going.

The guy they signed to be 5th starter, Kris Benson, won't be ready till June. Adam Eaton has a sore back, is having a bad spring, and may start the year on the DL. The Phillies are basically down to choosing between the Durbins, Chad and JD, to fill the 5th spot in the rotation. Not good.

3-5 in the rotation a lot of questions.

New Phillies closer Brad Lidge had to have knee surgery, and Tom Gordon is now the top setup man. He is 40, and injury prone.

It's hard to imagine the Phillies getting through a 162 game season without having some major pitching problems again.

If the Mets falter, the team I think that will pass them up is the Braves. They have a very strong lineup too, and appear to have more depth in the rotation than the Phillies, and definitely have a better bullpen.

If the Mets manage to get healthy in April, and stay healthy for the season, they should walk away with the East....but if they don't, then it will be a close 3 team race, and if I had to pick today, under the assumption the Mets WON'T be healthy, then I'd go with the Braves.

by shoewizard on Mar 15, 2008 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions

NL East

Personally, I think that the Mets will win the NL East, with the Phillies giving chase, but I wouldn't count the Braves out. Two players who I think will break out this year are Matt Diaz and Kelly Johnson of Atlanta, and both the Mets and Philadelphia have many questions to answer.

For the Mets, the main problem will be health. Moises Alou is already injured, which leaves the inadequate Endy Chavez as a starter. Also, though Johan Santana is probably the best starter in baseball year after year, he could take a decline, moving from small market Minneapolis/St. Paul to HUGE-market New York City.

Also, for the Phillies, there are major pitching problems, as Lidge is injured, and the 3-4-5 of the rotation isn't great.

Last, I assume the NL East division winner will probably get beaten by teams from the NL West.

by LucaMaz3 on Mar 15, 2008 9:03 PM EDT reply actions