Hah! The Diamondbacks scoff at the Tigers' streak. Never mind seven, we have fourteen in a row! Woo-hoo! Hey, if we're going to suck, let's at least suck at record levels. Another defeat last night - thank you, pitching staff - or, as we call it in Arizona, "business as usual." Here are the gory details, and after the jump, the other stuff, including a game in our minor-league system, which shows it's not just the D-backs' bullpen that blows chunks...
Recaps
- [AZCentral] Diamondbacks drop opener to Tigers - "After the Diamondbacks were handed yet another road loss Friday night, this one by a score of 7-5 to Valverde and his new club, the Detroit Tigers, one of his ex-teammates did more than just roll his eyes. "He's a (bleeping) (bleep)," Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero said."
- [dbacks.com] Emotional day plays role in D-backs' loss - "He seemed a little distracted early in the game, and I tried to be on top of it," catcher Miguel Montero said. "He did a heck of a job today, unfortunately the first two innings were a little rough for him. Today I know what I'm going to have to do to prepare for his next start. I think I'll know how to handle him better the next time."
- [Yahoo!] Inge helps Tigers beat Diamondbacks 7-5 - "Detroit improved to 8-2 this season and a baseball-best 60-22 in interleague action since the start of the 2006 season. Manager Jim Leyland says the record is just a matter of good timing— Detroit played the woeful Pirates and Diamondbacks and missed rookie sensation Stephen Strasburg of Washington."
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[Bless You Boys] Detroit wins seventh in a row: Tigers 7, Diamondbacks 5 - "Who'd have thunk that former Tiger Dontrelle Willis would stay in the game longer than current Tiger Armando Galarraga? Of course Willis gave up five runs, five hits and four walks in five innings, so it wasn't like it was a quality start... In the postgame comments, Galarraga thought it was too hot. And he's Venezuelan. So that's saying something. That it was hot." They also provided the image atop this article.
Team News and Notes
- [AZCentral] Reynolds returning to lineup after a day off - After striking out in all four of his at-bats Thursday night, Reynolds told reporters he felt timid, adding, "Right now, I just have no confidence." "It's more of a mental day," Hinch said. "I talked to him and joked with him a little bit to see what kind of spirits he's in. He'll be fine. He needs a little bit of a break."
- [dbacks.com] Reynolds takes break to rebuild confidence "I'm kind of timid at the plate right now," Reynolds said. "I've never felt this way. Even when I've been going bad before it's like I'll squeak in a blooper here and there. Right now, though, I just have no confidence. I was always confident in the past that I was going to overcome whatever struggles I've had. Right now the confidence isn't there. I really don't know how to describe it."
- [dbacks.com] Mechanical changes help Gutierrez - A pair of recent changes to those mechanics seems to have made a big difference. First, Gutierrez went to pitching only out of the stretch, even when the bases are empty. Second, he shifted from the first-base side of the pitching rubber to the middle of it. "Hitters could see the ball better when I was on the first-base side," he said. "This way they don't see it as good. I've been working very hard with [pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr.] on my mechanics. I think it has really helped."
- [MLB.com] Familiarity breeds competition for Jackson - Edwin Jackson will get his chance Saturday when he takes the mound against the Tigers for the first time since being traded to Arizona this offseason. "It's going to be fun," Jackson said. "I'm not going to try and overdo anything. It's another game against an opposing team as far as I'm concerned."
- [FoxSportsArizona[ D-Backs sign second- and third-round picks - "The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed second-round pick J.R. Bradley and third-round selection Robby Rowland. Both players have been assigned to Rookie-Advanced Missoula."
- [NYTimes.com] Diamondbacks’ Struggles Make Promise a Memory - "The last two years, we have not been able to get airborne," Byrnes said in a telephone interview. "It’s been disappointing. This year, if our bullpen even had a 5.00 E.R.A., we’d probably be .500. It’s been the same story the last few years. We need to be open, whether it’s for 2011 or the longer view, to anything that makes sense."
- [Mobile BayBears News] Crazy Finish Eliminates BayBears - Call this man back up to the majors immediately! "Tied at 2-2 in the top of the ninth inning on Friday night at Hank Aaron Stadium, reliever Daniel Stange made a unique season debut for the BayBears as he balked home the go-ahead run in a 3-2 loss to the Tennessee Smokies." It was Stange's second balk of the inning, so Esmerling Vasquez clearly has a way to go...
Baseball MannyBurg News and Notes
- [The Boston Globe] Ramirez still being Manny - "In his first appearance in Boston since his horrible train wreck of an ending here, he didn’t speak to the media, in keeping with his mantra this season, until he uttered, "We’re gonna have a meeting at 4:30. Media out!’’ After going 1 for 5 with two strikeouts, including a called strike to end the game with runners at the corners, he politely said, "No thank you’’ to interview requests."
- [examiner.com] Strasmas II: Stephen Strasburg strikes out 10 in 2nd home start but Nats lose - "President Obama was in attendance to watch the White Sox take on the Nats and Strasburg in front of a sellout crowd of 40,325 at Nationals Park. Strasburg struck out 10 batters in seven innings and surrendered just one run in his third start. Strasburg now has 32 strikeouts, which is a major league record for most strikeouts in the first three games of a career... In two starts at home Strasburg has an otherworldly 24 strikeouts and no walks."
- [oaklandathletics.com] Jackson likely to remain in third spot - "The A's newly acquired outfielder, Conor Jackson, appeared in his third different lineup spot in as many days on Friday, but manager Bob Geren says the musical chairs will likely stop for now."
- [ESPN] Buzzzzzzzz! Florida Marlins bringing in World Cup sound - "Real loud," said Marlins reliever Brian Sanches, who got a sneak preview of the horn sound earlier this week. "Real big distraction," predicted Rays second baseman Sean Rodriguez, who says he doesn't know what the sound will be like.
- [NYTimes.com] No Pro Baseball in Montreal, and Little Hope of Any - "The Expos’ demise confirmed that the Montreal market was not major league; yet six years later, the city, whose long baseball tradition includes Jackie Robinson’s first minor league home, has yet to attract even a low minor league team."
- [Telegraph] World Cup 2010: England fan enters team dressing room - "It is understood he gained access to the team dressing room after the players had left the pitch... The disgruntled fan is understood to have confronted former England captain David Beckham over the team's poor performance." 25,000 Diamondbacks fans find this idea intriguing, and wish to subscribe to his newsletter.