Team News

Diamondbacks drop finale of homestand to Braves in flat offensive showing

https://arizonasports.com/story/3162548/diamondbacks-drop-finale-of-homestand-to-braves-in-flat-offensive-showing/

Bumgarner fights through rough start, but D-Backs drop series finale to Braves

In the first four innings alone Wednesday afternoon, the Braves hit six Madison Bumgarner pitches at least 100 mph. Five of those nestled into the outfield for doubles — the most the Diamondbacks’ left-hander has allowed in nearly two years.

Sitting behind a press room dais hours later, Bumgarner remarked that “nothing” felt good. Not his stuff, not his command. Not his cutter, not his off-speed. The outing, especially in those first few innings, seemed to be playing on loop.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2022/06/01/d-backs-drop-series-finale-braves-fall-short-sweep/7472327001/

How D-Backs rookie Alek Thomas is altering his approach in hopes of beating the shift

Going the other way, though, isn’t as simple as it sounds. The natural way to hit to the opposite field is to push your hands out over the plate, forcing the ball in that direction. But according to Mather, that leads batters to drop the barrel, making the bat heavier and leading to swings-and-misses or lazy pop-ups.

The proper way to hit the other way is to back the ball up in your swing.

“That allows you to have a flatter path,” Mather said. “… If we can catch it deep in our swing, we’re gonna be able to drive it.”

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2022/06/01/arizona-diamondbacks-rookie-alek-thomas-working-hitting-against-shift/7472272001/

Starter Humberto Castellanos sent to 15-day IL, D-backs recall LHP Paul Fry

We aquired Fry from Baltimore in a trade this past May 18th
https://arizonasports.com/story/3162246/d-backs-starter-humberto-castellanos-sent-to-15-day-il/

Other baseball

Rodgers calls game — on his THIRD homer!

“I didn’t have a walk-off homer ever in my life,” said Rodgers, who with the trifecta brought his season’s homer total to five. “So I had a lot of firsts today — first two-homer game, first three-homer game, first walk-off homer — a lot of cool things today.”

https://www.mlb.com/news/brendan-rodgers-walk-off-home-run-vs-marlins

Nats GM: ‘We are not trading Juan Soto’

“It doesn’t frustrate me,” Rizzo said of trade talks on Wednesday in the visitor’s dugout at Citi Field. “I get it. You guys got a blank piece of paper every day to fill up, and this is a very clickable, very writable story. And I can only say it so many times and in so many words what our decision on that topic is.”

https://www.mlb.com/news/nationals-don-t-plan-to-trade-juan-soto

Bucs stun Dodgers in 1st LA sweep since 2000
Who do the Pirates play next? .....Oh.

It was their first sweep at Dodger Stadium since September 2000, back when most of this roster was in their early childhood, if not downright infancy.

For the Pirates to knock off three straight against this club, one that hadn’t been swept in its own ballpark since August 2018, the importance of these wins cannot be undersold.

https://www.mlb.com/news/pirates-sweep-dodgers-at-dodger-stadium

Farm Implements

Jordan Lawlar diagnosed with rib issue but D-Backs’ prospect expected back this year

Diamondbacks prospect Jordan Lawlar has a “benign bone growth” on one of his ribs, farm director Josh Barfield said, and the club expects the well-regarded shortstop to be able to get back on the field at some point this season.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2022/06/01/jordan-lawlar-diagnosed-rib-issue-but-d-backs-prospect-expected-back-year/7473216001/

AAA Reno Lost 6-5 to Tacoma Rainiers
AA Sod Poodles won 5-3 over Midland
A Hillsboro Hops beat Tri-City 14-3, getting 19 hits.
https://www.milb.com/hillsboro/news/hops-nuke-devils-with-19-hit-barrage
A Visalia beat Inland Empire 7-5

Anything Goes

This day in history:
Babe Ruth retired in 1935. This is actually listed on history channel’s “this day...” page as the top story. That is how great Ruth was. In 1997, Timothy McViegh was convicted of the OKC bombing in 1995. The American Civil War ended. Yes, Lee surrednered the Army of Northern Virginia in April, but the West was still fighting. Confederate General Edmund Smith, commander of Confederate forces west of the Mississippi, surrendered.

This day in baseball history:

In 1925, Lou Gehrig replaced Wally Pipp after Pipp was a scratch, he played in the next 2,130 games. Gehrig also died in 1941, on this date. Rod Carew retired in 1986. RJ51 threw the first no hitter in Seattle Mariners history, in 1990, striking out 8.
I thought this was kind of cool:

The Montreal Expos announce they will wear Maurice Richard’s uniform number 9 on their jerseys for the rest of the season to honor the Montreal Canadiens great who died last week. It is believed to be the first time a major league team has honored an athlete from another sport in this way.

Ken Griffey Jr retired on this date, in 2010. Geez, 3 retirements and a death for June 2nd?
2010 also saw Armando Galarragas “1 hitter” , the game where Jim Joyce in correctly called the 27th batter safe at first. To his credit, Joyce apologized and I remember him saying “I cost the kid a perfect game.” (just going by memory on that)