AZ Snake Pit - Game #25: 8/19, Diamondbacks @ AthleticsAn unofficial Arizona Diamondbacks community and bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47033/azsnakepit_f.png2020-08-20T02:30:39-04:00http://www.azsnakepit.com/rss/stream/211405002020-08-20T02:30:39-04:002020-08-20T02:30:39-04:00Arizona Diamondbacks 1, Oakland Athletics 4: Woes From the Bay
<figure>
<img alt="Arizona Diamondbacks v Oakland Athletics" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4yH9aVgiNsxjJVteCvAmQe3EohU=/0x0:3600x2400/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67231285/1267249933.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Merrill Kelly starting. Six game winning streak looking for number seven. Should be fun, right?</p> <p id="JSArvR">Right about this time last year I was writing to you from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, so with that being said...</p>
<p id="Hwx1Gf"></p>
<p id="E4kYe7"><strong>Beer #1: Pabst Blue Ribbon, Milwaukee, WI, 4.8% ABV</strong></p>
<p id="kqhuzq">So a couple weeks back a building caught fire at the Molson Coors factory in Golden, Colorado. Since then I’ve been unable to find Coors Banquet, and bros, lemme tell you I am not happy. It’s been 30 counts of PBR’s weekly since then, and tonight’s game added to that count. I was going to put it out into the universe about how excited I was to recap a <span>Merrill Kelly</span> start, buuuuuuut my superstitions got the best of me and I decided not to hoping I wouldn’t throw off his mojo. As if my feelings would have anything to do with his results on the mound. I assumed it would be a good evening considering the beat down Arizona put on Oakland yesterday with a less than ideal starting lineup.</p>
<p id="8isrZ7"></p>
<p id="ao8ree"><span>Tim Locastro</span> got the start for <span>David Peralta</span> today in left field, and if you watched the Brute Squad chat earlier this week, or know anything about my fandom, you’d know that I was fired up to watch him play today. Unfortunately, he struck out to begin the game preventing me the enjoyment of watching him be a terror on the bases until late in the game. <span>Ketel Marte</span> hit a line single to center field following his day off yesterday, but was quickly erased on a double play from Starling <span>Marte</span>.</p>
<p id="uIKyo9"></p>
<p id="v9hf89"><strong>Beer #2: Pabst Blue Ribbon</strong></p>
<p id="54JEOd">So Turambar is adventurous and I’m a cheap plain Jane that likes to slam multiple light beers in a single inning. So what? <span>Merrill Kelly</span> struggled with his command in the early innings of this game. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that MiLB umpire Malachi Moore was calling his first MLB game behind the plate (it didn’t). <span>Kelly</span> retired two of the first three batters he faced, allowing only a leadoff single to <span>Marcus Semien</span>, but loaded the bases by walking <span>Matt Chapman</span> and hitting <span>Mark Canha</span> (he’d make <span>Kelly</span> pay for that later on). <span>Kelly</span> tried to get too “cute” against Chapman after getting ahead in the count 0-2 and could not put him away. <span>Robbie Grossman</span> followed with a ground rule double into the right field corner to give the <a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Athletics</a> the quick two run lead. </p>
<p id="IpGD6c"></p>
<p id="TZaMYx"><strong>Beer #3: PBR</strong></p>
<p id="ZlXqBX">I shouldn’t walk past the fact that one of the Oakland Athletics’ best young players, Jesus Lazardo, took the start for the Oakland Athletics. He is a very large and impressive 6’0”, 218 pounder, left handed twenty-two year old who was fairly filthy tonight. After dancing out of danger in the first with the double play, he ripped through the heart of the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> lineup, <span>Christian Walker</span>, <span>Eduardo Escobar</span>, and <span>Kole Calhoun</span>, in the second inning with relative ease.</p>
<p id="l8YA8l"></p>
<p id="uM890c">Merrill <span>Kelly</span> had only walked three batters total through three starts to begin the season, but a one out walk to <span>Sean Murphy</span> in the bottom of the second gave him two for this game already. By that point, it was evident he was going to have to labor a bit more in this start than his previous outings in the season. Fortunately, he stranded <span>Murphy</span> with consecutive strikeouts to <span>Marcus Semien</span>, and Ramon Laureno to conclude the bottom of the second</p>
<p id="z5ag0x"></p>
<p id="wU2nIa"><span>Nick Ahmed</span> singled to left field to begin the third, his first of two hits on the evening, and was able to reach third with one out courtesy of a wild pitch and a balk. However, two pitches later he would be jogging back to his position on the field because <span>Carson Kelly</span> and <span>Locastro</span> failed to drive him in.</p>
<p id="dyBPCu"></p>
<p id="BDRSvJ"><strong>Beers #4, 5, 6, 7, 8: PBR (#4 was for regular consumption, the other 4 for beer bratwurst)</strong></p>
<p id="ROVlNC">Yeah, I’m full on reminiscing about better times in Milwaukee at this point. My incredible beer bratwursts were on the menu tonight, and required much more of my attention than I could provide to this game in the coming moments. I truly believe that I could compete with the best of the bratwurst recipes in Milwaukee, but they have a drastically different style than I do. Pretzel buns are just a bizarre choice to me that they seem to be in love with there, as well as red and yellow bell peppers and red onions as opposed to yellow onions and green bell peppers. To each their own. </p>
<p id="CE2YlV"></p>
<p id="b735Sb">Oakland added to their tally in the bottom of the third with consecutive extra base hits. <span>Matt Chapman</span> doubled down the left field corner, and scored when <span>Mark Canha</span> earned retribution against Merrill <span>Kelly</span> for the earlier HBP with a two run home run that squeaked just over the left field wall. Oddly enough, this was seemingly the turning point for Kelly on the mound for he would only allow one other base runner for the remainder of the game. He struck out <span>Robbie Grossman</span> and <span>Stephen Piscotty</span> to end the third.</p>
<p id="B4Lg4Z"></p>
<p id="UYBoDF"><strong>Beers #9 & 10: PBR</strong></p>
<p id="GfYUlB">Dudes, believe me when I tell you that you’ve read all you need to know at this point. Big Brother was recording on the DVR, but you’ll be happy to know that I stuck to my duty and continued to watch the game with the hope that the D’backs would claw their way back into this one. That appeared to be the case in the top of the sixth inning where <span>Locastro</span> drew a leadoff walk and <span>Ketel Marte</span> followed with a single to center field, but the burst was quickly quashed with yet another Starling <span>Marte</span> double play. </p>
<p id="PWLChQ"></p>
<p id="IViRV1">The only Diamondbacks run came in the eighth inning courtesy of none other than <span>Tim Locastro</span>. He singled to left field leading off, and stole second base for his twenty-third consecutive successful attempt to begin his career. Using his unrivaled speed he advanced and scored on consecutive fly balls to center field, but a 4-to-1 defeat to Oakland was imminent.</p>
<p id="B9ujBa"></p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/D0lEvxzvY_kSzqFqxHXBrSP_6N8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21785577/chart.png">
</figure>
<p id="ZHqZvC"></p>
<p id="AzyZ0r">Total comments: 329</p>
<p id="fI1AEE">Total commenters: 19</p>
<p id="is9Fvd">Commenter list: <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/AzDbackfanInDc">AzDbackfanInDc</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/ChuckJohnson56">ChuckJohnson56</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/EdTheRed99">EdTheRed99</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/GuruB">GuruB</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Hannibal4467">Hannibal4467</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Imstillhungry95">Imstillhungry95</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Jack%20Sommers">Jack Sommers</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Jim%20McLennan">Jim McLennan</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Justin27">Justin27</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Makakilo">Makakilo</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Michael%20McDermott">Michael McDermott</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/MrMrrbi">MrMrrbi</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/NikT77">NikT77</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Rockkstarr12">Rockkstarr12</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Schilling2001">Schilling2001</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Snake_Bitten">Snake_Bitten</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/gzimmerm">gzimmerm</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/kilnborn">kilnborn</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/redsedona">redsedona</a></p>
<p id="3fmVV3"></p>
<p id="Bvv60O">No Sedona red comments. I’m tired. And buzzed. Let’s try to take 3 out of 4 from Oakland tomorrow.</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2020/8/20/21376892/arizona-diamondbacks-1-oakland-athletics-4-woes-from-the-bay-merrill-kellyKeegan Thompson2020-08-19T21:30:00-04:002020-08-19T21:30:00-04:00Gameday Thread, #25: 8/19 @ Athletics
<figure>
<img alt="Star Trek: The Original Series" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YBJ_UtWE6tV-1PprKuFVx9SzbCk=/0x139:2400x1739/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67230487/482207282.jpg.0.jpg" />
</figure>
<div id="2hSfTg">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Remembering television screenwriter and producer <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GeneRoddenberry?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GeneRoddenberry</a> (RIP), best known for creating the science-fiction series <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StarTrek?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StarTrek</a>, born this day in 1921. <a href="https://t.co/CejIzl8T12">pic.twitter.com/CejIzl8T12</a></p>— Silver Age Television (@SilverAgeTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/SilverAgeTV/status/1296110253499723783?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2020</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2020/8/19/21376509/gameday-thread-25-8-19-athleticsJim McLennan2020-08-19T20:30:00-04:002020-08-19T20:30:00-04:00Preview #25: 8/19, Diamondbacks @ Athletics
<figure>
<img alt="LNU Lightning Complex Fire" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4HAOVeliVshso8dJVOp7cUq-Pks=/0x0:5514x3676/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67230266/1267191023.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Karl Mondon/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Wild fires permitting, anyway... :(</p> <div id="L1J5dE">
<div class="pane sports_data_widget lineup clearfix">
<h3>Today's Lineups</h3>
<div class="lineup">
<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" class="zebra">
<thead>
<tr>
<th align="left">DIAMONDBACKS</th>
<th align="left">ATHLETICS</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Tim Locastro - LF</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Marcus Semien - SS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Ketel Marte - 2B</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Ramon Laureano - CF</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Starling Marte - CF</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Matt Olson - 1B</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Christian Walker - 1B</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Matt Chapman - 3B</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Eduardo Escobar - 3B</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Mark Canha - DH</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Kole Calhoun - RF</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Robbie Grossman - LF</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Nick Ahmed - SS</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Stephen Piscotty - RF</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Kevin Cron - DH</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Tony Kemp - 2B</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Carson Kelly - C</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Sean Murphy - C</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name"></td>
<td class="td-first td-name"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Merrill Kelly - RHP</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Jesus Luzardo - LHP</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="mACuzd">
<p id="Ek9q7O">At the time of writing, tonight’s game is more than a little uncertain. The terrible fires which have been ravaging California of late, have caused the air quality in Oakland to deteriorate, to a point where it may be too bad to play. The San Franciso Chronicle <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/athletics/article/A-s-monitoring-Coliseum-air-quality-Wednesday-15496191.php?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral">writes</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p id="mOh5s1">“We are monitoring the air quality and its potential impact on tonight’s game,” the A’s said in a statement. “The health and safety of our players, staff and community is our highest priority.” On Wednesday afternoon, the air quality at the Coliseum was listed as unhealthy.</p></blockquote>
<p id="7Bc9Uw">I’m not sure I can think of any MLB game which has ever been postponed due to smoke. I remember being in Florida during their wildfires, in early July 1998, and the Pepsi 400 race at Daytona had to be postponed as a result. But in a year where so many games have been postponed due to a pandemic, would air quality really be such an outlier? </p>
<p id="ZSkx4P">The D-backs have won six in a row. They haven’t had a longer run of victories since taking the franchise record 13-game win streak in 2017, from August 24 through September 6. So, still quite some way to go before we match that. However, the current run scales up to a 16-win streak if this were a regular, 162-game season, so on a “percentage of the season” basis they’ve already set a new record! It has certainly had a dramatic impact on our playoff odds. <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds-graphs?lg=NL&div=W&stat=poff&year=2020">According to Fangraphs</a>, on August 11, the D-backs sat at 18.7%. That has more than tripled, in little over a week, and is now at 62.4%. Not bad, considering the D-backs have still been outscored by four runs, 119-123. Yesterday did help a bit there!</p>
<p id="exUadK">At least we are not the Mariners or Pirates, whose play-off odds are both already down to less than 1% - the latter haven’t even reached one-third of their scheduled sixty games. Right now, Pittsburgh has a .211 win percentage, which would be the worst since the 19th century, when the infamous Cleveland Spiders went 20-134 (.130) in 1899. In the modern era, the worst were the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics, at 36-117. The Pirates need to go 14-46 to set a new mark, which given their current 4-15 record, would mean them going 10-31 the rest of the way. Difficult, but not impossible: another feat on which to keep an eye the rest of the season. </p>
<h4 id="z2qjIQ">Pre-game audio from Stephen Vogt</h4>
<div id="5d19LH">
<audio controls="controls">
<source src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21784989/Stephen_Vogt_2020_08_19.0.mp3">
<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="https://s2.wp.com/wp-content/plugins/audio-player/player.swf?m=1293710960g" width="290" height="24" id="audioplayer1"><param name="movie" value="https://s2.wp.com/wp-content/plugins/audio-player/player.swf?m=1293710960g">
<param name="FlashVars" value="&bg=0xf8f8f8&leftbg=0xeeeeee&lefticon=0x666666&rightbg=0xcccccc&rightbghover=0x999999&righticon=0x003581&righticonhover=0xffffff&text=0x666666&slider=0x666666&track=0xFFFFFF&border=0x666666&loader=0x003581&soundFile=https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21784989/Stephen_Vogt_2020_08_19.0.mp3">
<param name="quality" value="high">
<param name="menu" value="false">
<param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF">
<param name="wmode" value="opaque"></object>
</source></audio>
</div>
<ul>
<li id="wfuTe6">A lot of emotions coming back to place where he played for 5 years, and remembering his walk off hit in the 2013 ALDS</li>
<li id="uBorRC">
<strong>Bob Melvin</strong> is his biggest mentor in the game. Very close to Mel, “he was like a father when you play for him”. Many heartfelt comments followed.</li>
<li id="90NeaO">The key for <strong>Luke Weaver</strong> was getting out of the first inning jam yesterday. His entire demeanor changed when he got Olson and Chapman. </li>
</ul>
<h4 id="90vpZz">Pre-game audio from Torey Lovullo</h4>
<div id="gGvLFk">
<audio controls="controls">
<source src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21784990/Torey_Lovullo_2020_08_19.0.mp3">
<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="https://s2.wp.com/wp-content/plugins/audio-player/player.swf?m=1293710960g" width="290" height="24" id="audioplayer1"><param name="movie" value="https://s2.wp.com/wp-content/plugins/audio-player/player.swf?m=1293710960g">
<param name="FlashVars" value="&bg=0xf8f8f8&leftbg=0xeeeeee&lefticon=0x666666&rightbg=0xcccccc&rightbghover=0x999999&righticon=0x003581&righticonhover=0xffffff&text=0x666666&slider=0x666666&track=0xFFFFFF&border=0x666666&loader=0x003581&soundFile=https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21784990/Torey_Lovullo_2020_08_19.0.mp3">
<param name="quality" value="high">
<param name="menu" value="false">
<param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF">
<param name="wmode" value="opaque"></object>
</source></audio>
</div>
<ul>
<li id="Pc3SCK">
<strong>Air Quality: </strong>As of 4:15 P.M. no indication they will have to cancel the game due to the smoke and air quality from the fires in Northern California. </li>
<li id="3pZfr4">
<strong>Madison Bumgarner:</strong> will throw another bullpen on Thursday and then be evaluated again. He still has not spoken to Bumgarner directly, only exchanged text messages. Will not indicate any return date. </li>
<li id="sQsuxm">
<strong>David Peralta off day, Tim Locastro</strong> in leadoff spot: Will continue to rotate different players to give a day off to the starters during the 17 straight game stretch. </li>
<li id="lDvNKf">
<strong>Kevin Cron</strong> likely to start tomorrow as well with a lefty on the mound.</li>
<li id="TYTg25">
<strong>Corbin Martin:</strong> has thrown off mound, but in his last outing suffered a strain on his left side and is recovering from that after some down time.</li>
<li id="LDYos1">
<strong>Taylor Widener:</strong> As well as he’s pitched not really be considered for high leverage outings, will continue in his current role.</li>
</ul>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2020/8/19/21376462/preview-25-8-19-diamondbacks-athleticsJim McLennanJack Sommers