Snake Bytes 5/29: Homer: A D’backs Story

Diamondbacks 12, Reds 5

[D’backs.com] D-backs score season-high 12 runs to beat Reds - Arizona’s offense is as confusing to me as the Star Wars timeline after watching Solo. Cincinnati outhit Arizona 16-11, struck out less, and performed marginally better with runners in scoring position. Fortunately, the D’backs capitalized with Homer Bailey on the mound hitting two home runs off of him and a third off of reliever Jackson Stephen. It was the first time all season that the Diamondbacks had scored double digits in runs.

“This was just a game that we all needed,” Owings said. “Just get everybody on the bases, just get everybody swinging the bat. I feel like we had really good at-bats today. I think we just need to keep having at-bats like that.”

[AZ Central] Diamondbacks break out offensively in series opener vs. Reds - Matt Koch was less than spectacular giving up 5 earned runs and 11 hits while failing to strike out a batter. He was doing well until being knocked around for 4 runs in the 5th inning. For the first time in what seems like forever, the D’backs offense picked up the slack after a sub-par pitching performance to secure a victory.

“We caught a break, and I want to make a point because we haven’t gotten a lot of breaks,” manager Torey Lovullo said of the botched double-play ball. “I’m not up here whining about it, but teams have been playing their best against us and we’ve suffered because we’ve made a mistake (in recent games).”

[Arizona Sports] D-backs return home, rediscover their offense in win over Cincinnati - Arizona had 5 extra base hits including 3 home runs from Nick Ahmed, John Ryan Murphy, and Chris Owings. All of the starting position players successfully reached base in the contest. The Reds had a chance to end the second inning with a double play on a Socrates Brito ground ball, but Jose Peraza botched it to keep the inning alive. That kept the inning alive for Ahmed’s 3 run blast.

“Any time you can get those opportunities where a team kind of hands you something or gives you one of those free 90s or opportunities to continue an inning, you want to try to pounce on it and that’s what the good teams do,” said Ahmed, who finished four RBI.

Diamondbacks News

[D’backs.com] Miller set for Minor League rehab start Tuesday - Shelby Miller will make his first rehab start outside of extended spring training in an actual game setting today for the Visalia Rawhide. He has had a handful of starts at Salt River Fields over the past month. Robbie Ray is scheduled to have a follow up MRI today as well to check progress on his right oblique injury, and A.J. Pollock is having an x-ray to evaluate his left thumb fracture.

“So far I’ve felt really good physically,” Miller said. “I still think there’s some room to work on some command stuff. So, going into my start tomorrow, I’m going to really work on fastball command and my cutter and curveball command.”

[AZ Central] Diamondbacks say slumping Yasmany Tomas working hard in minors - In 43 games for the Reno Aces, Yasmany Tomas is hitting .239/.261/.329 with a 46:5 K:BB ratio in 161 plate appearances. All while making a crisp $13.5 million. He has started 8 games at first base while predominantly playing in left field. Diamondbacks farm director is quick to point out that the poor numbers are not a result of him possessing a bad attitude after being demoted.

“I’ll tell you what, he’s been unbelievable there,” Bell said. “I can’t say enough good things about him in terms of the way he’s playing, his energy, the way he’s working in left field and first base, the way he’s working at the plate. He hasn’t gotten hot yet, that’s for sure, but everything else (has been good).”

[Roof and Panels Open] Facing Patrick Corbin - Joshua Inman plays around with Baseball Prospectus’s new Interactive Matchup Tool by taking a look at Patrick Corbin’s near no hitter against the San Fransisco Giants on April 17th. It’s a great resource to help you visualize what a hitter sees at the plate by recreating the release point and flight path of pitches in an at bat. Don’t forget that those squares, triangles, and diamonds are coming at you with velocities varying from ~60 mph to around ~105 mph. Best of luck to you Mr. MLB hitter.

[The Athletic] As the Diamondbacks fall to .500, was their early success a mirage? - Here is a question that I’ve pondered frequently in the past week. Would you as a fan feel have felt better about the Diamondbacks if they lost 15 of their first 17, but then turned around to go 24-11 over their next 35? Would you feel any differently than you do now? Which is worse, how it actually went or that hypothetical season I just threw out? Would it even matter? I’d think fans would be pretty irate if the team only won 2 of their first 17 following a Postseason appearance especially considering the heavy volume of games against NL West opponents to being the season.

Around the League

[ESPN] Power Rankings: There’s a new No. 1 among MLB’s power trio - For the first time this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers (#14) rank above the Arizona Diamondbacks (#17). CBS Sports takes a brief look at the NL West as a whole, and drops Arizona down to #18. The Athletic acknowledges that recent struggles are dumbfounding considering the hot start, putting the D’backs at #15. Bleacher Report spots them at #16.

[Sports Business Journal] Roster Change: Nike, Not Under Armour, To Get MLB On-Field Rights - Under Armour had gone back and forth with Major League Baseball over the start date for the company to begin supplying the league with uniforms. It had been pushed forward, it had been moved back, and now it appears it isn’t going to happen at all because of Under Armour’s financial struggles. Now the league has been in talks with Nike to become the official supplier beginning in 2020. It looks remarkably bad and does not bode well for UA’s future having to reverse course with a professional sports league. UA predicts they will save $50 million by ending the agreement. Nike will then become the official supplier for MLB, NBA, and the NFL.

[Sports Illustrated] Giants to Call Up Dereck Rodriguez, Son of Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez - Dereck Rodriguez began his professional career as a position player when drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 2011. Fast forward to today and you will find that the San Fransisco Giants are giving him a call to the big league club as a pitcher.