Snake Bytes 9/26: The spoils of WAR

Diamondbacks News:

Diamondbacks 9, Cardinals 7 - D-backs spoil the celebration.

The Diamondbacks prove yet again that they will not just roll over an die. Although our playoff chances are in fact dead, the D-backs are still playing aggressively and for the wins. Yesterday’s game was no different. The D-backs scored 2 in the 1st but then Merrill Kelly unleashed batting practice upon the Cardinals offense. That along with Kevin Cron’s defensive prowess at 1st base, set the D-backs back a couple of runs by the time we came up in the bottom of the 7th. Then all hell broke lose for the D-backs. The thiccness rained down upon the Cardinals and their fans crushing all hopes for clinching the NL Central sooner than later. Jimmie Sherfy came in to close things out but fell off the mound with every pitch and could not seem to locate. Archie Bradley was called in to save Sherfy and the game. Goldy came up in the top of the 9th to pitch-hit, and grounded himself into a game ending double play. It was glorious.

Diamondbacks shut down Luke Weaver and Zac Gallen for 2019.

Torey on Gallen: “We had crossed the threshold several weeks ago with our comfort level [for innings pitched],” Lovullo said. “But we were in the race. He was throwing the ball as good as he ever had. He was feeling very good. So we were going to press on, but pay close attention to that.”

Torey on Weaver: “This is a healthy shutdown,” Lovullo said. “Luke has worked extremely hard to get himself back to this point right now, and he had thrown a couple games — one in [Single-A] Visalia and one here. Checked a lot of boxes. And this was a collective decision. We got information from Luke and we just decided we wanted him to begin his rest protocol as soon as possible.”

Taijuan Walker could start the season finale on Sunday v Padres.

Torey on Walker: “Just to be as fair to (Walker), as we did with Luke, to let him come to the ballpark and be as familiar as he possibly can be with that routine and comfort level,” Lovullo said. “It’s something we’re strongly considering.”

D-backs invest limited amount in Chase Field repairs/upgrades.

You need to subscribe to this site in order to read the full piece but the opening paragraph states: ....have spent only about $3.3M “upgrading Chase Field in the year since the team took control” of the ballpark from Maricopa County government, according to Rebekah Sanders of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. The “bulk of the money” -- nearly $2.7M -- “went to converting the field from grass to artificial turf....

So if my math is cooooooorrect, (minus the turf), roughly 600k has been spent on repairs/upgrades at Chase Field since the team took control from the County. I could not tell by walking around. I did however note a massive spider web (spiders included) in a nook area on the Draft Room porch just feet away from tables and consumers. Looks like it’s been here a long time.

Around Baseball:

Manfred: ‘We need to make a change to the baseball’.

We have reconvened the group of scientists that worked with us before [on the initial study],” he said. “We’ve asked them to take a fresh look at everything that is occurring with the baseball. We expect to get this new report shortly after the World Series.”

MLB and Manfred will make better balls. All of them, better balls.

MLB sets single season record for 12 season in a row for strikeouts.

Major League Baseball set a new single-season strikeout record for the 12th straight year on Tuesday. When Yankees reliever Stephen Tarpley struck out Rays shortstop Willy Adames in the fifth inning during Tuesday’s game, it marked the record-setting 41,208th strikeout of the 2019 season. Before the record-breaking streak began in 2008, the strikeout record had been 32,404 in 2001. Strikeouts broke 40,000 for the first time in 2017.

Bryce Harper mad at Nationals fans over heckling.

No one really knows what was said, Harper and his wife are reporting someone was heckling Harper about his kid. Harper and wife clain the Nationals fans crossed the line and Phillies fans have so far been very supportive of Harper and his hurt feelings because Phillies fans have never, and will never ever cross the line when it comes to heckling or fan behavior.

Jeff Francoeur will work the NL playoffs on TBS.

I still remember watching Frenchy play RF during a spring training Snake Pit Fests. He loved us, he loved our heckles, so we love him. This is Francoeurs 1st season as a a lead analyst for Fox Sports South for the Braves games.

Off Topic Snake Byte:

Man finds full-figured red-bellied black snake, Names it ‘CHONK’.