Game #132 Preview: 9/1 Game 1, Arizona Diamondbacks @ Colorado Rockies

The La Russa Heartbreakometer

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Patrick Corbin LHP, 3-3, 3.78

Yohan Flande LHP, 3-1, 4.09

Ender Inciarte - LF	Charlie Blackmon - CF
Phil Gosselin - 2B	Jose Reyes - SS
Paul Goldschmidt - 1B	Nolan Arenado - 3B
A.J. Pollock - CF	Wilin Rosario - 1B
Jarrod Saltalamacchia - C	DJ LeMahieu - 2B
Yasmany Tomas - RF	Nick Hundley - C
Brandon Drury - 3B	Kyle Parker - LF
Nick Ahmed - SS	Brandon Barnes - RF
Patrick Corbin - LHP	Yohan Flande - LHP

I am still pissed about last night's loss, and pin it squarely on Chip Hale for running Brad Ziegler out there again, apparently in the belief that a save situation means you must use your closer, even if it's the night after he had thrown 30 pitches and given up a career high six hits. Twice previously this season, Ziegler had thrown 30+ pitches in a game, most recently on July 20; he was not used for the next three days there. The other occasion was on May 8, when he threw 31 pitches in a non-save situation, then was brought in on the 9th for a save. Which he promptly blew. All told, in 2015, Ziegler's ERA on zero days rest = 3.31. On one day: 2.35. On two-plus = 2.05.

Like Phil Gosselin yesterday, Drury is dropped straight into the starting line-up by Hale, becoming the 48th man and 21st position player used by the Diamondbacks this season. [The other two 1st September call-ups, Enrique Burgos and Matt Stites, have both appeared already, so won't increase the count]. That 21 is actually kinda low. If it doesn't go higher in the final month [and, barring injuries, it may not], there haven't been fewer used since 2010, and will be sharply down on last year's 27. The general good health of the roster has played into that. I'll be writing more about this in a bit, but right now, we are 24th for total days lost to the DL this season.

Well, I had a full paragraph written up on how crappy Kyle Kendrick is, before I realized he is actually starting the second part of the double-header. Still, Corbin has been solid, and I'm optimistic the team can prevail here, and then exploit the soft underbelly of the Diamondbacks rotation for the second game. Having a day off Thursday should help in terms of working around this one, and the roster expansion is also useful. I'm not sure yet what the rotation plan will be going forward, but if we need to work a bullpen game, all those extra arms would make it a more viable proposition.