SnakeLines, Week 23: GoldWalks

Week 22 review

I'd like to thank the Diamondbacks for allowing me to get this written up early on. Like, really early. The expected line was 6.5 double-plays over seven games, and things started quietly against the Giants, with one on Friday and another on Sunday. However, the opening game against the Blue Jays the following day, turned into a reenactment of Noah's Ark, the Diamondbacks meandering sadly back into the dugout, two by two. Gerardo Parra got things started in the second, and was followed by Eric Chavez, Wil Nieves and Paul Goldschmidt, who ended each of the last three innings with a twin killing.

That left us just half a GIDP short by Tuesday: that came in the fourth, courtesy of Aaron Hill. Martin Prado - inevitably - chipped in with one in the sixth, and Willie Bloomquist added another in the next frame. It was the first time since August 2005 that the D-backs had recorded consecutive games with 3+ double-plays: impressive, as we had 11 hits and four walks combined over the games. Bloomquist also DP'd on Wednesday, and we don't even need to argue whether or not to include the later incident, where Goldschmidt struck out, and Willie was caught stealing. Goldie has a more conventional one last night, his 19th, and may follow Prado past the previous franchise record.

The net result: over. Well over. As in eleven. But grimmy01 was the only one of the leading pack to get it right, and moves into a tie for second place, with blank_38 and AJV19 coming down on the wrong side of the line this week.

• Winners (7): AzDbackfanInDc, grimmy01, GuruB, imstillhungry95, JoelPre, TimInTucson, walleye01
  
• Sinners (6): Angry_Saguaro, AJV19, AzRattler, blank_38, catbat, frienetic

Standings

• 13 points
  blank_38
• 12 points
  AJV19
  grimmy01
• 11 points
  Gildo
  
• 10 points
  
• 9 points
  GuruB
  
• 8 points
  JoelPre
  SenSurround
  TolkienBard
  
• 7 points
  Angry_Saguaro
  AzRattler
  piratedan7
  walleye01
  xmet
  
• 6 points
  frienetic
  
• 5 points
  imstillhungry95
  preston.salisbury
  rd33
  
• 4 points
  AzDbackfanInDc
  azshadowwalker
  BigLeagueAZ
  Craig from Az
  eel
  FlannelFlapjacks
  Marc Fournier
  TimInTucson
  
• 3 points
  azcougs
  catbat
  
• 2 points
  bozzy35
  BrokeNBattleX
  Maizefed
  Songbird
  
• 1 point
  AZfan85308
  babakolo
  backtocali
  benhat
  BobRob12
  LiamNeeson
  Muu
  navyazfan
  porty99
  Shawnwck
  Xipooo
  
• 0 points
  azsportsfan31
  BattleMoses
  Daniel Corbin Jr.
  Diamondhacks
  hotclaws
  leemellon
  littleRoom
  PatrickPetersonAZ
  since_98
  Stumpy657
  Surksquatch
  

Week 23 line

Paul Goldschmidt's increasing walk-rate has been one of the quirks of the season. He walked 28 times in August - that's more than over the entire first-third of the season. Pitchers have realized that he can destroy them, particularly on pitches in his happy place [on the inner half of the plate], and would rather not take the risk, erring on the side of caution, away from his batter's box. This is why it has now been 14 games and 67 PAs since Goldschmidt's last home-run on August 20. However, since then, he has walked no less than 16 times. He sits on 90, ten short of the franchise record, set by Luis Gonzalez in 2001. Will this be the week he makes it?

Well, probably not, since only six road games are involved in this week's line. First. we complete the series in San Francisco, and then move down the coast to Los Angeles, for a series which feels like it's more of a moral battle than with anything meaningful at stake for the Diamondbacks. Still, here are some stats to help you decide where to wager your virtual SnakePit dollars.

• Goldschmidt walks per game: 0.66
  
• Goldschmidt walks last six games: six
• Goldschmidt walks last six road games: six

Goldschmidt walks: five

Usual rules. Will the line be over, under or push (exactly five)? Tell us in the comments, by first pitch Friday night at AT&T Park - which feels like it's around midnight, but is actually 7:15pm. Get it right, and get a point, two points if push comes through - results next week!