Snake Bytes 6/13: Killer Kelly

Diamondbacks News:

The Merrill Kelly show was on yesterday afternoon and no one could turn it off.

Kelly went 7.2 innings, allowing only 3 hits, striking out 5 and giving up ZERO WALKS. The Diamondbacks offense only put up two runs but that’s all they would need to take the series and win from the NL East 1st place Phillies. I’d like to note that Bryce Harper’s chin did not start this game, his 1st “day off” since the season began. Harper did come in to PH late in the game but contributed absolutely nothing and his batting average has dropped to a puny .250

Mike Hazen on his trade priorities.

For those of you who cannot afford luxury such as an Athletic subscription allow me to trickle down a few bits from the article. Hazen claims the team is canvassing for starters and that Keuchel was out of the team’s price range. The D-backs are sticking with current bullpen even with its ups n downs. Hazen also says the team is looking for better offense against the leagues better starters, and also more consistency with the offense, figuring out how to win 1 run games. “We’ve had multiple extended winning streaks and multiple extended losing streaks,” he said. “We have 20-plus games of scoring three runs or less that have really been the decider in a lot of our one-run games, extra-inning games. Those are things that need to get ironed out.”

Diamondbacks could be buyers at deadline.

“We’re looking at any way we can to continue to improve and help both our depth and our rotation in general,” Hazen said

Hazen added: “We’re going to have to play better. Where we’re at – there’s been significant separation in the division. But as far as the wild card goes, there are too many teams involved to expect that one or two or three other teams aren’t going to get hot and start to really pull away. We need to be one of those teams.”

Hazen said the team’s plans for the future was up in the air.

Duplantier down (shoulder), Crichton called up.

Duplantier to have an MRI today and has been placed on 10 day IL for shoulder inflammation. There’s not much help in Triple-A. Taylor Widener and Braden Shipley have ERAs north of 9.00, while other starters such as Anthony Vasquez and Matt Koch have had struggles of their own.

The Diamondbacks face the Nats in Washington today at 4:05 p.m. with Zack “Literally Zack Greinke” Greinke facing Erick Fedde.

Around Baseball:

Images of the ugliest baseball uniforms in history.

You guessed it. Our charcoal grey uniforms made the list.

A major gamble: MLB hoped legalized sports betting will engage new fans.

“There are definitely some positives to come from legalized sports betting, including engagement of our fans in more diverse ways and reaching out to people who might not otherwise be fans who are fans of betting,” MLB deputy general counsel Bryan Seeley said. “Imagine a game that is not competitive in the late innings but continues to attract people’s interest because they can engage with that game through sports betting.”

Off Topic Snake News:

Great Wolf Lodge Arizona moves up opening date, adds twisty Diamondbacks drop slide.

The slide will swirl in 360-degree coils before plunging into “the belly of the snake” — a funnel that will slosh riders from side to side before dropping them out of the slide. It’s the first slide of its type for the company and will open at the company’s first lodge in Arizona.