Snake Bytes 4/30: Evil Empire

Arizona Diamondbacks News

[D’backs.com] Inbox: Will Godley stick in the rotation? - D’backs fans have had no shortage of mailbag/inbox Q&A’s over the last week first with Clefo, and then yesterday with Steve Gilbert. Least surprising and on the minds of many is how long we can reasonably expect Zack Godley to stick around, and how long before Jon Duplantier takes his spot in the rotation. Gilbert weighs in on the matter.

[Arizona Sports] As D-backs host Yankees, memories surface of 2001 World Series - Maybe someday we’ll have the luxury of another World Series Championship to reflect on. Just as long as it doesn’t take a century or more for that next opportunity to come around. We at least have the benefit of recalling one of the greatest World Series of all time, and anytime the D’backs play the Yankees we’re reminded of how special it truly was.

“We were up two games to none,” [Luis] Gonzalez said. “And if we went over there and if we swept, we were going to be very respectful about the situation. These were the biggest games in our career but we realized there was something even bigger going on. And for us to say, ‘Hey, if we win this in four or five games, whatever it was, we’ll take it in the locker room, we’ll celebrate in there.’ Because of the simple fact that we were doing it in New York. “But the way the scenario played out, it was perfect.”

[AZ Central] Jon Duplantier has shown he belongs with Diamondbacks: ‘I kind of feel like a hitman’ - Sunday’s extra inning marathon against the Chicago Cubs was the most amount of innings Jon Duplantier had thrown this season, either in Reno or in the majors. Obviously, the organization would like to continue to develop him as a starting pitcher, and he just isn’t going to get that kind of a ramp up in the majors this far into the season. However, he’s at least demonstrated in a small sample size that he is capable of succeeding in the big leagues.

“I was telling the guys that I kind of feel like a hitman down in the bullpen, like an old western,” Duplantier said. ”They call, ‘Hey, Dup, we need you for this,’ and the only thing I can do is to go out there and do it. To do my job multiple times now, it’s a confidence boost. A lot of guys go through the, ‘Do I belong and does my stuff play? Have these guys accepted me as one of their own?’

[The Athletic] Christian Walker earned his breakout, as the Diamondbacks build a new core - Paul Goldschmidt’s offensive production is catching up to Chrstian Walker’s quickly. The fact that Walker has been the better of the two, offensively speaking, for the first month of the season is a large reason why the D’backs have been this enjoyable to watch despite key departures. It probably won’t last for long, but Walker has Goldy beat in a number of areas at the plate. For the first time in his career, Walker has the opportunity to seize everyday playing time in the majors and prove that he deserves to be there.

[The Rattle] The Diamondbacks are Punishing the ‘Pen - Jeff Wiser comments on the damage that Arizona has been able to inflict on opposing bullpens this season but cautions that it is a league wide trend and could hurt Arizona in the future. I wouldn’t be opposed to more come from behind wins as long as the baseball gods continue to favor the D’backs.

Around the League

[MLB.com] Power Rankings: One stat offers clue to success - Would you look at who is sitting just outside the top 10. An 8-2 road trip tends to do that for a team this early in the season. Bleacher Report has Arizona at the middle of the pack #15. Arizona rounds out the first dozen over at The Athletic. The D’backs rocketed up the charts over at CBS Sports all the way to #10. Sporting News is holds the most pessimistic view of the snakes slotting them at #20. Finally, ESPN lists them at #11.

[MLB.com] Vlad Jr.’s first rookie card sets Topps record -

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was perhaps the story of this past weekend in the Major Leagues, and now we have another way of measuring fans’ immense interest in his debut. The Topps trading card company announced Monday that Guerrero’s first rookie card, made available the day after his debut Friday in Toronto, has broken a record for any card released through the company’s TOPPS NOW program by selling 19,396 copies within the one day of sales. That mark broke the previous one-day record of 17,323, set by Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani last year.

[ESPN] Tigers prospect Mize throws no-hitter in AA debut -

Detroit Tigers top prospect Casey Mize pitched a no-hitter for the Erie Seawolves in his Double-A debut Monday night. Mize, the top overall pick in last year’s MLB draft, faced one batter over the minimum and needed just 98 pitches to shut down the Altoona Curve, a Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate. He hit the first batter of the game but went on to strike out seven and walk one.

[Royals Review] Chris Owings is a sunk cost - Poor Chris Owings. The previously promising D’backs prospect fell out of favor in Arizona and is already making a bad impression in Kansas City. I pray that his mother does not read the comments over at Royals Review.