Ortiz (4-8, 6.95)
Williams (6-10, 5.14)
- Craig Counsell, 2B
- Royce Clayton, SS
- Luis Gonzalez, LF
- Tony Clark, 1B
- Shawn Green, CF
- Troy Glaus, 3B
- Chad Tracy, RF
- Kelly Stinnett, C
- Russ Ortiz, P
The question, it would appear, is no longer, "Will Ortiz be bad?" It's now closer to, "How bad will Ortiz be?" His appearances since his return have been, respectively, poor, horrendous and merely awful: last time out, he conceded eight earned runs in four innings. It's amazing that everyone bar the D'backs management is able to see this isn't working.
If Ortiz had any real guts (rather than the overhanging one he seems to have acquired during his layoff - he now has all the mobility of Mr. Creosote), he'd withdraw gracefully from the rotation and go voluntarily down to Tucson until he gets his head and his performances straight. Or his large, undeserved contract expires, whichever happens first.
The good - frankly, unprecedented - news is, today, he's actually facing a pitcher whom he has a chance to beat. For Woody Williams has been pretty bad too, posting a 7.26 ERA over his last seven outings, which is almost in the same (large, cavernous) ballpark as Ortiz's 0-6, 9.15 over his last eight. Anyone fancy a 1-0 result? Thought not. Even Petco might not be able to contain the clash of these pitching titans.
And scope out the ever-entertaining Gaslamp Ball for the take from the NL West's least-worst club. Last time, they were writing haiku; now, they're using quotes from The Big Lebowski to relate to the Padres. Here in Arizona, we should probably be using Friday the 13th, Part VI or something similar...