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Arizona 5, Los Angeles Angels 4
Zack Godley provided the pitching and David Peralta provided the offense in this mid-spring contest.
Godley Trying to Build on 2017
In 2017 Zack Godley was an under the radar performer. This year, more teams will be ready for him. Godley seems to be up for the challenge. In his most recent outing on Tuesday, Godley only needed 47 pitches (30 strikes) to pitch four scoreless frames against the Angels.
“I worked a little bit more on different pitches this time out than I had the last couple of times and just trying to establish strike-one and get ahead of guys. I might’ve thrown a few more curveballs than what I kind of wanted to just because I was trying to work on that a little bit today just because I haven’t the last couple of outings.”
Ahmed/Marte Infield Taking Shape for Arizona
Add Diamondbacks insider, Nick Piecoro to the growing list of observers who think Arizona’s show of a competition for playing time is more show than substance.
There are a variety of reasons for this conclusion. Start with Ahmed. When he went down last season in late June with a fractured hand, the Diamondbacks proceeded to play some of their worst baseball of the season, going 17-29 over a 46-game stretch.
People around the team didn’t think the timing was coincidental; Ahmed, they believed, had been an instrumental player, particularly when it came to the defensive stability and leadership he provided at shortstop.
Diamondbacks Charting Course for Next Level of Success
Mike Hazen has a pair of objectives to meet. On the one hand, Arizona is looking to return to the playoffs in 2018, and to have a better showing in the NLDS. On the other hand, Hazen is also forced to balance competitiveness in 2018 while he has Pollock and Goldschmidt, with sustainability moving forward.