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Preview: Game #77, Diamondbacks @ Nationals

Wade Miley was the last Diamondbacks starter to get a W. How long ago that seems. Can he be the one who breaks the streak for our rotation, this evening in Washington?

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USA TODAY Sports

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Wade Miley
LHP, 4-6, 4.70
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Jordan Zimmermann
RHP, 10-3, 2.26

Diamondbacks Line-up

  1. Gerardo Parra, RF
  2. Aaron Hill, 2B
  3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
  4. Miguel Montero, C
  5. Martin Prado, 3B
  6. Jason Kubel, LF
  7. A.J. Pollock, CF
  8. Didi Gregorius, SS
  9. Wade Miley, P

Some discussion on our starting pitching in last night's Gameday Thread. In some ways, I can see the cause for concern, as it has certainly not been a strength this month. After posting ERAs of 3.78 and 3.71 in the first two months, our rotational ERA has ballooned to a hefty 5.44 in June, a good part of why our starters haven't one a game in three weeks. However, in the broader term, our starting pitching is still not doing too badly. Thus far, they've been good for 5.4 fWAR, second-best in the division, trailing only the Rockies. Even by straight ERA, their 3.94 is comparable to SF (3.91) and better than SD (4.34) - which considering where we play, is quite impressive.

If we look at the stats for June, the main cause is pretty clear: too many home-runs. Our rate of 1.60 bombs per nine innings is two-thirds higher than the overall NL average this month, and the same goes for our HR/FB rate (18.0% vs. 10.8%). Cahill is almost twice that (21.4%), which is way out of whack with his career norm, of 12.1%, and Wade Miley is higher still, with a full one-third of his June fly-balls leaving the park. Add in a June BABIP for Cahill of .414, and you've just about explained this month's suckage in its entirety. Things like HR/FB rate should return to a more reasonable rate, so basically, I think we just need to breathe into a paper-bag and not panic.

Everyone in the division bar the Dodgers lost last night, so the defeat for the D-backs had little or no impact on the standings. San Francisco will face Los Angeles again tonight, with Colorado joining us on the East coast, taking on Boston - that one is already under way, with the Red Sox up on the Rockies at the time of writing - and San Diego playing host to Philadelphia.

Finally, a curious advert found by Mrs. SnakePit on Craigslist. Where's shoewizard when you need him? Oh, I forgot: he's in China. :)

Need Chinese Speaker to MLB / NBA game (Chase Field)

We are a group that are fans of MLB, and most of us are in Asia. We need a person (or more) to go to MLB DBack games.

Fans from asia will give you a call when you are at the ball park, and all you need to do is report what happens in the game. For example: hitter hits a double or home run or runner is stealing the base etc..

Very flexible schedule, you can do it when you want to.
Student, international student, 9-5 employee are all welcome!


This is a great job for everyone who understand Baseball Rules Very Well and knows how to speak Chinese. If you are not a native Chinese speaker, I will provide you with training, however we still need a person who has at least 5 years of Chinese speaking experience.

+++ You don't have to speak Chinese very well, but you must understand Baseball rules really well ++++++

We have another Chinese report position for NBA/ WNBA if you don't understand baseball. Of course the idea candidate can report both leagues

Pay is $120 Per Game, you are responsible for your game tickets.