SnakeBytes: 5/23: The Agony and the...More Agony Edition

For five innings last night, the D-backs looked like the defending champions. They pitched well, hit well, moved runners along and dominated the Dodgers in a manner that suggested the season was not yet over. And then... Well, we all know what happened.

Recaps

• [MLB.com] D-backs drop heartbreaker to Dodgers "It's kind of frustrating," Overbay said. "But, like I said, we just couldn't get it done. We had our chances. We battled in the ninth we just couldn't get that tying run across." Guys: you had a five-run lead after six innings. You shouldn't need to be "battling in the ninth" to "get that tying run across"
• [AP] Dodgers rally in 9th to beat Diamondbacks 8-7 - ''In the seventh we brought two relieves in and didn't get any outs out of them,'' Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. ''We are not playing good enough in that situation against a team that's way too good and very opportunistic and they capitalized on our mistakes.''
• [FZAZ] Dodgers stay on their season-long roll - "Every loss is tough, but the way the offense battled for us to get runs, and for us to turn around and give it away is just unacceptable," Putz said. Why, yes - yes, it is unacceptable.
  
• [AZ Centra;] Diamondbacks twice fail to protect a lead in loss to Dodgers - "It's becoming harder to recognize this Diamondbacks team from the memory of the one so many had expected to not just win the division but contend for a World Series title. They often struggle to hit. When they hit, they struggle to protect leads and make plays defensively. Or, when they hit, like they did on this night, they just can't hit enough."

Team news

• [Dbacks.com] Drew dealing with speed bump in rehab - "Drew played nine innings on May 15 in an extended spring training game, but when he tried to do it again two days later, soreness returned to his healing ankle... The 29-year-old is back to building up his innings count and taking things slower. "
• [FSAZ] Hudson on track for Sunday return to rotation - "I feel good, ready to go," Hudson said. "I might not be able to go 120 pitches Sunday, but hopefully I can get deep enough to shorten the game enough."
• [ESPN] Figuring out what's wrong with the Arizona Diamondbacks - "Q. Why would they designate Cody Ransom (.922 OPS) for assignment? A. Karabell: Because he isn't any good."
• [AZ Central] Where did the Arizona Diamondbacks magic go? - "Few of us saw that National League West championship for the Diamondbacks coming last season. And few anticipated their struggles this season, either."
• [dbacks.com] Parra selected for Fan Vote Bobblehead - "Fans voted in the contest conducted on the D-backs' Facebook page from February through the end of April. The bobblehead will feature Parra with his National League Gold Glove Award. "
• [ESPN] Time for Justin Upton to start dominating - "Maybe the thumb is still bothering him, and he's tried to compensate by drawing more walks -- his walk rate is up 3 percent and he's swinging at fewer pitchers outside the strike zone."

Other stuff

• [MLB] Jeff Francoeur leads Kansas City Royals on jaunt to Fan Cave - Your Daily Frenchy: One of the Cave's new amenities -- a 10-foot orange slide that the Dwellers go down after a Major Leaguer homers -- was quickly spotted by the tallest man in the room. "[The slide] was awesome," Francoeur said after scrunching his 6-foot-4 frame down the giant tube. "My butt's hurting."
• [CBSLocal.com] Twins Reporter: Orlando Hudson Might Be The Worst Player - "Every person in the Twins organization, from top to bottom, couldn’t wait to get him out of here," Jim Souhan told The Boers and Bernstein Show. "He drives everybody crazy. He drives teammates crazy. He drives management crazy. He drives the media crazy. He might be one of the worst players I’ve ever covered." Hudson was DFA'd by the Padres and is now with the White Sox.
• [Statesman] Reds' Chapman sued over Cuban conviction - "Cincinnati Reds reliever Aroldis Chapman, who defected from Cuba, was sued for $18 million by a Cuban American who blames the player for his imprisonment on the communist island."