Diamondbacks 5, Brewers 7: Stupidity rules the day

Record: 30-44 On Pace: 66-96 Change on '13: -11

This game started off so promisingly. Mike Bolsinger got a 1-2-3 inning to start things off, striking out Ryan Braun and getting easy outs from Scooter Gennet and Johnathon Lucroy. It got even better in the bottom of the inning, though. Didi Gregorius got grazed by a pitch to lead the game off. Remember that. It's important later. Geraldo Parra got a single, and then Paul Goldschmidt walked, loading the bases, no outs. Then the Diamondbacks started making them pay. Montero got an RBI single, keeping the bases loaded. Prado almost hit into a double play, but legged it out, getting an RBI of his own, sending Miguel Montero to third, and scoring Goldy, only one out. Montero was then brought home by David Peralta grounding into a fielder's choice. That was it for the inning, but it was the end of the first, and the Dbacks were up 3-0.

Bolsinger kept rolling. He hit a couple rough patches, gave up a couple solo home runs, but through six innings, he scattered five hits around, and, more importantly I think, was pounding the strike zone and being very economical. A great night from him, plus did not give up a single walk on the night. He just mowed through the Brewers tonight. Hats off to him.

On the home half of the innings, the Dbacks stayed pretty quiet after the first. Prado drove in another run in the fifth to give the Dbacks a 4-2 lead, and things were looking up. Then Chris Owings was hit in the back by a pitch, which then ricocheted into his helmet. The next batter was Bolsinger. Kyle Loshe lost control of one and sent it over Bolsinger's head. Most nights, this wouldn't be anything more than a footnote in the game. Tonight wasn't most nights, however, and it proved pivotal.

Bolsinger started the seventh inning. He gave up a lead off triple, which he then allowed to score on a sac fly. Gibson removed Bolsinger for Evan Marshall. Marshall came in and gave up a double and a single. Runners at second and third, one out, Ryan Braun at the plate. So what does Marshall do? Tries to hit Braun, and misses. Gets a word from the umpire. Tries again. Hits him. Loads the bases with one out. Intentionally.

Generally speaking, I'm okay with defending your teammates. Not only did I support Ian Kennedy when he hit Kershaw, I vocally defended him on several corners of the internet. Tonight, none of that applies. Tonight was stupid for so many different reasons. Reason number one! There wasn't a reason to retaliate. It's that simple. Loshe lost a couple pitches. Owings got hit. So did Didi, supposedly. You're being paid more than something like 95% of the country's population to play a children's game. You are more than compensated for that occupational hazard. Get over it.

Reason number two! This is the reason that should resonate the most with a professional baseball team. They weren't playing to win. When you load the bases with one out, you will give up at least one run 67% of the time. So with tonight's score, the Brewers will at least tie the game 2/3 of the time. In bases loaded, one out situations, you will give up, on average, 1.6 runs, meaning, the Brewers will not just tie the game, most of the time, they will take the lead. If you intentionally give them that sort of chance, you are intentionally losing the game. That is disrespectful to the game, to your team, and, most importantly, the fans who stick through crappy seasons like this one, and essentially sign your paychecks.

In short, Mike Bolsinger, who pitched a hell of a game, deserved better. The offense, who Marshall and Gibson were supposedly trying to protect, deserved better after the four runs they scored tonight. The fans deserved better. This was pathetic.

After that, most of the Dbacks just went away quietly. One last note of interest, Roger Kieschnick, our much-maligned backup outfielder, hit his first career home run. It was a poolshot to lead off the ninth inning. It really sucks that it's going to be overshadowed, but but good for you, Kieschnick.

<iframe src="http://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=0&type=livewins&num=0&h=450&w=450&date=2014-06-17&team=Diamondbacks&dh=0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" height="450" width = "450" style="border:1px solid black;"></iframe><br /><span style="font-size:9pt;">Source: <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2014-06-17&team=Diamondbacks&dh=0&season=2014">FanGraphs</a></span>

Irrelevant in the end: Geraldo Parra, 9.6%

Victim of Karma: Brad Ziegler, -39.9%

Dumbass: Evan Marshall, -23.6%

Busy GDT tonight. Huh, wonder why. TolkienBard lead the way with almost one hundred comments, and Clefo and Skins trailed fairly distantly behind. All present were...

4 Corners Fan, BrokeNBattleX, BulldogsNotZags, Clefo, DbacksSkins, DeadmanG, Edwong81, GuruB, Jim McLennan, JoeCB1991, Majabe, Makakilo, MrMrrbi, SenSurround, SongBird, TheTrooper, TolkienBard, Zavada's Moustache, catbat, cheese1213, cwolf20, hotclaws, imstillhungry95, mattrsiu, oldspartan, onedotfive, preston.salisbury, rd33, stempke, txzona

Thank you. Well, join us again tomorrow. Same teams, same time, same place. It's going to be interesting to see how the two teams respond.

CotN goes to Clefo. Clefo, can you sum up what I said in almost 700 words in five words?

GIBSON/MARSHALL YOU DUMB MOTHERF****ERS

weltanschauung

by Clefo on Jun 17, 2014 | 8:38 PM reply unrec (2) actions

Thank you. Well, join us again tomorrow. Same teams, same time, same place. It's going to be interesting to see how the two teams respond.