SnakeBytes, 5/13: Blown edition

Recaps

[Dbacks.com] Reed's blown save sends D-backs to defeat - "There's no controversy here. He's our closer, and he's done a hell of a job for us," Gibson said. "You can forget that. It didn't work out for us tonight, and it [stinks]." "I'm locating the ball bad right now, and they are making me pay for it," Reed said. "I just have to keep the ball down and throw the ball where I'm trying to throw it. Location is everything in pitching, and right now, I'm kind of leaving it right over the middle of the plate."

[ArizonaSports] Diamondbacks' home struggles pick up where they left off vs. Nationals - Collmenter struggled to get through five innings. And while he only allowed four hits, two were home runs to account for three of the four runs scored against him. "I was just behind in the count a lot," said Collmenter, who suffered his first loss in four career starts versus the Nationals. "You want to keep the ball in the ballpark and to give up four runs on four hits, it's not ideal."

[AZ Central] Addison Reed blows save, Diamondbacks fall to Nationals - There are plenty of people who would rather do away with the save statistic. Reed may have converted eight consecutive save opportunities before blowing his second of the season Monday, but he now has a 6.35 ERA in his last six outings. He's given up a run in five of his last seven save chances. Meanwhile, Ziegler is riding a 19-game scoreless streak, and made back-to-back hitters look foolish with a pair of strikeouts Monday. Manager Gibson said Reed is still his closer, but he's probably on a short leash.

[Fox Sports] Nationals batter Reed in ninth to beat D-backs The Diamondbacks thought they had it. Arizona had 13 hits -- three by Aaron Hill -- and went up 5-4 when A.J. Pollock hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning. The bullpen did its job for three innings until it got to the ninth, where Reed struggled for his second blown save and Arizona's first loss when leading after eight innings (11-1). Both teams knocked the ball around the ballpark most of the night. Collmenter hit his first career double in the third inning and scored on Martin Prado's ground-rule double to end Jordan Zimmermann's scoreless streak at 12 innings.

The return of Matt Williams

[Fox Sports] Still in red, Williams rolls with the punches in his first season in D.C - "At the very beginning of this thing, I went from a World Series team to an expansion team. One of the best memories was opening day the first year. We lost 97 games that year, but it was all new," said Williams. "That's one of the lasting memories. Certainly playing in the World Series and winning a championship was pretty fond as well." The D-backs paid a tribute to Williams on the video board before the second inning, and many in the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Williams stood up in the Nationals' dugout and waved, although it was clear he was in game mode.

[AZ Central] Former Diamondback Matt Williams embraces new role - [Williams and Gibson] are cut from the same black-and-white cloth, without a lot of mystery. Hard work equals success. Effort translates to results. "We're old school," Gibson said. "I think as a player he was pretty much no-nonsense. I was like that. You have to learn to morph away from that sometimes. You just can't grind all the time. Maybe I can handle it, but everybody can't."

[ArizonaSports] Ex-Diamondbacks player, coach Matt Williams: 'It's nice to be home' - Yes, he knows Diamondbacks personnel, and players' tendencies, but at the same time "if you hang a breaking ball to Goldy, it's dangerous and if you don't make the pitches you want to make to Miggy it's dangerous. But that's the case with everybody." Still, Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson is prepared to make an adjustment or two if needed. "I've added a few things since he's been gone in anticipation he might anticipate something from me," he said. "It's a good match. He's taken over a very good team, a very good organization. Now he gets to find out the finer points of being a manager."

[dbacks.com] Gibson happy to see old friend Williams - "He wants to win, and I want to beat his [butt], too, so that's mutual," Gibson said with a smile. "We have a lot in common, just the way we were brought up. We talked a lot when I was here and he was here. It will be interesting to see what changes he's made in his philosophies."

And, elsewhere...

[Fish Stripes] Jose Fernandez to disabled list with elbow injury - Dum, dum, dum.... Another one bites the dust. According to multiple reports, Miami Marlins starter Jose Fernandez is expected to go on the disabled list with an unknown injury. Fernandez reportedly had an MRI on Monday and could require Tommy John surgery.

[NYTimes.com] Who’s on Third? In Baseball’s Shifting Defenses, Maybe Nobody - A radical reworking of defensive principles is reshaping the way the old game is played, and even the way it looks. If you cannot find the third baseman, he might be the one standing in shallow right field. The second baseman? That’s him on the other side of the diamond, next to the shortstop. Some baseball positions as they have long been known are changing before our eyes. The cause is the infield shift, a phenomenon exploding this year as more teams are using statistical analysis and embracing a dynamic approach to previously static defenses.

[HardballTalk] If the Devil ever gives me one pitcher to play for my soul … - There are roughly as many people in the Dominican Republic as in the state of Georgia. Since 1960, there have been three shortstops from the state of Georgia who have gotten 500 plate appearances in the big leagues. There have been 37 from the Dominican Republic. There has never been a pitcher born in Georgia elected to the Hall of Fame/ There is a Hall of Fame pitcher from the Dominican Republic — Juan Marichal. And next year Pedro Martinez will become the second.