Snake Bytes: 10/02 - “Thank God it’s (almost) all over.”

Diamondbacks News

[AZSnakePit] Diamondbacks 7, Rockies 9: Tanks, but no thanks...

The D-Backs keep on setting records. Yesterday they hit yet another record. Writes Jim: “Coming in to 2021, the D-backs had lost ONE game in history where they had a seven-run lead. They have done it TWICE this year”. The Diamondbacks have already hit the list of terrible teams and we will find the 2021 D-Backs back on many articles in the future when media outlets start writing about the worst teams in history. Maybe we will be even worse than the 2004 Diamondbacks, which is quite an accomplishment.

But, if you care about all that, then my advice is to be like Jim: “The baseball game tonight was an abject reminder of why I’ve given up caring.”

[dbacks.com] D-backs see large lead fade late

“A large lead”, writes Steve Gilbert. You could describe it like that. Or just write something like the D-Backs blew a 7-0 lead in 4 innings, because it is quite a disgrace. The good vibes we had with Humberto Castellanos are probably pretty much gone right now, I guess. The ERA is close to 5, his FIP is already there and the ERA+ is thus below 100. Yesterday it was the sinker that became extremely hittable, since all hits in the 6th inning (if I reviewed it correctly) came off the sinker. They didn’t seem all badly located, but a mix of bad luck and the Rockies sitting on that pitch made a 7-0 lead vanish quickly. That is a problem if the sinker counts for a third of your pitches.

But we should not only blame Humberto Castellanos for his sorrowful outing. Torey Lovullo definitely left his starter out too long. Check the video in the reel and you can hear that the Rockies’ commentators were wondering why Lovullo was still keeping Castellanos in.

The game just went too fast for Torey Lovullo: “That sixth inning, things just happened quickly. [...] And everybody’s got to be better, everybody. [...] You can start with me.” Hope the lesson was learned. Although I have my doubts about that.

Fun fact: Dave Magadan is the Rockies’ hitting coach.

[AZ Central] Pitcher homers, but Diamondbacks blow seven-run lead in loss to Rockies

Nick Piecoro shares more records: “If nothing else, the Diamondbacks are making their race to the bottom one for the ages. [...] The Diamondbacks dropped to 56 games back of the first-place San Francisco Giants in the NL West [...] only one other club has finished as many as 50 games out: the 1998 Florida Marlins, who were 52 back.

[AZ Central] D-Backs’ Geraldo Perdomo putting new swing on display in majors

Well, after the early struggles we all know pretty well about now, he even has a very acceptable slash line in the majors after 28 PA: .261/.393/.348. Yep, the future is something to be be excited about.

Around The MLB

[mlb.com] Prospects of the Year for every org.

[CBS Sports] 10 awards for 2021 minor-league season

Do you have a Fantasy team we should care about or are you interested in who will be the next superstar? Well, some 2019 and 2020 first rounders are already leaving a terrific impression in the minors.

[CBS Sports] Clayton Kershaw injury: Dodgers ‘not too optimistic’ about postseason as lefty exits start with forearm issue

Kershaw keeps on struggling with injuries. Yesterday he had to be pulled in the second inning in a game against the Brewers (that the Dodgers would eventually win). The future of the soon-to-be free agent is pretty unclear. He won’t pitch in the post-season and keeps on having forearm problems so an extension in LA seems pretty plausible.

[CBS Sports] Every tiebreaker scenario explained

Especially the AL Wild Card race is as wild as you might think. Red Sox and Blue Jays won while Yankees and Mariners lost. Yankees need just one more win or one more loss from Mariners and Blue Jays, while Red Sox are now one game ahead of both Mariners and Blue Jays. Crazy! But that is what we enjoy about baseball and it shows that even after that many games in a season baseball is still enjoyable.

[ESPN] Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals reach one-year deal for 2022

In a shortened 2020 season there were glimpses of the old Wainwright and 2021 showed that Wainwright’s 2020 was not a fluke. The lifetime Cardinal has limited walks and reduced the hard hitted balls, which is always a great combination for success. Though not the ace he once was, Wainwright is happy in St. Louis and St. Louis is happy with him, thus resulting in a one year extension. Wainwright has been named the starter for the Cardinals in the NL Wild Card and therefore lines up to start against Max Scherzer.

[Yahoo Sports] MLB’s biggest disappointments: Mets and Padres collapsed under weight of lofty expectations

What is worse? Being a Diamondbacks’ fan or a Mets or Padres fan? You name it!