D-Backs Walk up Music 2018

Once a year, I like to check on the music that selected Arizona Diamondbacks chose to use when they start an at-bat/are subbed into the game as a reliever. It’s (mostly) a fun tongue and cheek sort of thing, because I’ve gotten to the point in my life where I know that popular music is going to get beyond the tastes that got cultivated for me. A good deal of MLB players are younger than me, so they’re going to like DJ Screwdriver Austerity6969420 and I probably won’t and that’s fine. So let’s grok the aux (a thing I’m 99% sure a teenage coworker said at my rent-paying job in reference to putting music from their phone on the soundsystem as we were cleaning up for the night) and listen to some music.

(Some notes. I’ve pulled the first hit Music Video from YouTube for all of these. As such, some of these songs may contain words that are considered naughty and might not want to be played in a public place. You shouldn’t blast music in a public place anyway, that’s really rude. Buy headphones. The full list of D-Backs music can be found here)

Alex Avila - Icky Thump by The White Stripes

Alex Avila is less than a month older than I am, so we probably participated in the same musical zeitgeist of the 2000s, and I remember The White Stripes being absolutely huge. We were all in awe at the selling size of this lad, absolute unit. Icky Thump was their last album as a band before Jack White decided to try to turn into some weird kinda Bob Dylan 2.0. Maybe Alex chose this song because he’s a 31 year-old catcher and they have the most wear and tear and maybe he’ll have to reinvent himself soon. Or maybe he just thinks this song bangs. Could be either. Props for not using the overplayed Seven Nation Army from The White Stripes catalog.

Brad Boxberger - God’s Gonna Cut You Down by Johnny Cash

Closer entry music is always interesting. Mariano Rivera had Enter Sandman. J.J. Putz had Thunderstruck. The idea is intimidation, and probably some badass stadium spectacle as well. This is more understated than those, but I understand why a closer would use it. Sooner or later, you’re gonna get cut down in the 9th inning leading to a victory and a save for the closer. It’s definitely a better choice than the Elvis version of this song.

If Brad gets into a really long slump, he can also call weird beard Rick Rubin and just sit in a room with a tape recorder while Brad, I dunno, throws fastballs at it. (This is a reference to the story behind Johnny Cash’s American Anthology albums. Thank you for this joke explanation)

Clay Buchholz - Simple Man by Shinedown

Jake Diekman - House of the Rising Sun by Five Finger Death Punch

Look Baby Boomers, if you don’t fork over the cash in the suitcase by midnight tonight at the drop zone, quasi-metal bands are going to up the ante and start covering The Who, or even The Beatles. You know what to do.

(Side note, The Animals seem really underrated in the pantheon of 60s Bands. Maybe not as prolific as others, but House of the Rising Sun and We Gotta Get Out Of This Place hold up.)

Zack Greinke - Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day

Last year, Zack’s music was, well, this. American Idiot era Green Day is very normie of him by comparison. (Unless he uses The Broadway Musical version, which is possible)

Also, I was of a prime age when American Idiot came out (As was Zack, and that was his first MLB season), but I think it still holds up, and more in some old man “You know, the album tracks are way better than the singles!” I’ve become that person and I do not apologize for it.

Some other thoughts: Green Day is in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, is Zack Greinke destined for the Baseball Hall of Fame? His is an interesting case.

Hopefully he pitches well down the stretch, or we may not want to wake up until September ends.

John Jay - Mix It Up by DJ Uncle Al

A dance song you’d probably hear at a club or something (I don’t get out much.) It’s catchy and I could see myself nodding along on the side while people who are better dancers than me really tear it up.

I just really like the name “DJ Uncle Al” because it seems fun.

“DJ Uncle Al is gonna spin those tracks for you, but first I gotta borrow 5 gs to pay off some bad gambling debts. Where does your mom keep her credit cards? I’ll let you smoke behind the dumpster behind the Knights of Columbus building if you show me where and don’t tell anyone.”

John Ryan Murphy - No Diggity by Blackstreet

“Diggity” must be a slang term meaning “base hits”

A.J. Pollock - Come Together by Gary Clark Jr.

The Beatles are hard to cover, but I kinda dig this. Making a good DC Comics movie, which this song is from the soundtrack of one, is waaaaaaaay harder, apparently.

Those are the ones I felt interested me the most. What are some of the songs the Diamondbacks use that you like? (Again, this link for reference) Let us know in the comments!