Game #39: Diamondbacks @ White Sox

Wade Miley LHP, 2-3, 5.14

Jose Quintana LHP, 1-2, 3.56

Diamondbacks Lineup

1. A.J. Pollock - CF
2. Martin Prado - 3B
   
3. Paul Goldschmidt - 1B
4. Miguel Montero - C
5. Aaron Hill - 2B
6. Cody Ross - LF
7. Gerardo Parra - RF
8. Alfredo Marte - DH
9. Chris Owings - SS
   + Wade Miley - P

Largely the same players as yesterday, but in a rather different order, with a left-hander on the mound for the White Sox tonight. So that means Pollock, Prado and Ross move up the order, while Parra and Owings drop down. Yeah, not quite sure the latter makes much sense to me, but with no pitcher's spot in the line-up, it probably makes a little bit less difference. The only change is Eric Chavez getting a day-off. Nick Piecoro says Chavez has been dealing with some knee issues, so Gibson didn't want to push it by using him to DH all three games of the series. We'll probably see him back out there tomorrow, with another right-handed opposing pitcher.

Instead, we have Alfredo Marte, who possesses a career OPS+ of 52, and by that mark would seem a credible contender for the worst designated hitter in Diamondbacks history. However, here are all those who filled that role, with a career OPS+ less than 80.

• Mike Robertson, 32
• Alan Zinter, 37
• Andy Green, 41
• Alfredo Marte, 51
• Rob Ryan, 73
• Tony Abreu, 76

So Marte isn't quite that bad - though it's worth pointing out that of all the players on that list, Marte will be the only one to have made more than one start for the Diamondbacks as a designated hitter. He previously filled that role on April 17 last year, against the Yankees in New York (and he went 0-for-3). In case you were wondering, Robertson was a very fringe player for us in 1998. The game as DH, against the A's on June 6, was his only start for us. Indeed, he only started nine games in his entire career over three seasons with us, the Phillies and White Sox, hitting .190/.230/.276 in 61 PAs, mostly off the bench.