|
|
It has been a while since Arizona has had a rotation mostly staffed with left-handers. You've got to go all the way back to 2004, in fact, when we finished the year with Randy Johnson, Mike Gosling and Casey Fossum in the rotation, and Stephen Randolph making a few starts as well. We've had three left-handed starters in a season since - last year, for example, but Zach Duke and Wade Miley were never both in the rotation simultaneously. I'm still trying to work out if this is a good thing or not. In general, it should be, but I suspect the key question is really, how good are they, rather than what arm they use.
I'll be at the game (as will songbird incidentally, since she's part of the group singing the anthem!) so Clefo on the recap. Tonight's also the night when our colleagues over at Viva El Birdos will be having their "neutral thread", so he'll have to figure out whether that counts for numbers and Comment of the Night purposes. Someone will post the link, I'm sure - if you can't find anyone here, try over there. Shouldn't have to say this, but after recent incidents, I feel it needs stressing. Play nice. You're representing the 'Pit in someone else's house.
Right, on with the line-up, which is shaken up a bit...
- Gerardo Parra CF
- Justin Upton RF
- Jason Kubel LF
- Miguel Montero C
- Cody Ransom 3B
- Lyle Overbay 1B
- Aaron Hill 2B
- Willie Bloomquist SS
- Joe Saunders P
Yep, that's Upton starting in the #2 hole, the first time he has done that since September 14, 2010. I actually quite like this order, with speed and on-base skills at the top. Actually, I can get behind just about any batting order which does not feature Bloomquist above #8. Paul Goldschmidt sits, and despite Ryan Roberts' heating up, it's not enough to displace Ransom from third-base.