AZ Snake Pit - Game #108: 8/8, Diamondbacks 3, Pirates 0 An unofficial Arizona Diamondbacks community and bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47033/azsnakepit_f.png2022-08-09T01:01:12-04:00http://www.azsnakepit.com/rss/stream/230609662022-08-09T01:01:12-04:002022-08-09T01:01:12-04:00Diamondbacks 3, Pirates 0: Stunning bunts
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<img alt="Pittsburgh Pirates v Arizona Diamondbacks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/MScC1CQlckfm-RjeV194Qww-Tjs=/0x0:5568x3712/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71223116/1413726671.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>This might end up being a short recap. </p> <h4 id="PDbjSA">Record: 49-59. Pace: 74-88. Change on 2021: +15.</h4>
<p id="P4IBKf">Zac Gallen had one of his best starts of the season, tossing seven shutout innings as the D-backs squeaked past the Pirates. For a long time, it looked as if a run-scoring double-play would be all Arizona might obtain, before a two-run Ketel Marte single with the bases loaded in the eighth, provided some much needed breathing room. Chairman of the Closer Committee, Ian Kennedy, notched his seventh save, and the D-backs reached the two-thirds point of the campaign fifteen games better than they were at the same stage in 2021. </p>
<p id="HH1CXe">Through 5<sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>2</sub> innings, there had been precious little to write about, beyond the excellence of Gallen. Not only was the game scoreless, there had been precious little in the way of offensive opportunities for either side. Indeed, the Pirates and D-backs had combined for just a pair of at-bats with a runner in scoring position. Now, while I love watching me a good pitching duel, they are a great deal harder to recap. You are left talking about an absence of activity: runs, chances to score, extra-base hits. It's like reviewing an action movie where the characters sit around, talking about doing things. Still, I'll try and come up with something better than hissing static.</p>
<p id="EiSM7f">We do have to start by praising Zac Gallen, who was massively improved over his start against the Guardians, in just about every way. Most notable was perhaps the efficiency. Against Cleveland, he needed 103 pitches to get through 5.2 innings. Tonight, he reached the same point in 71 pitches. Early efficiency was the key. Through four innings, he had needed only 44, the lowest figure in his career. Helpful were innings like the second, where after a lead-off single, he got three outs on three pitches, courtesy of a popped-up bunt and double-play. The defense also made plays behind him; not least, Gallen himself, who had a trio of nice outs.</p>
<div id="iwfijR"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/zac-gallen-s-scoreless-start-x1951" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="U6kPpM">It was also notable that Zac was using his curveball much more, and to excellent effect. According to Michael in the Gameday Thread, the stats on the Gallen curveball through six innings were as follows: "24 total, 5 called strikes, 5 whiffs, 42% CS+W rate, 50% whiff rate." The effectiveness of the pitch made the other weapons in his arsenal all the more powerful. He went seven shutout innings on 89 pitches, allowing three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. It was the second-most efficient Zac had been through seven, trailing only the one-hit "complete game" i e. seven inning outing against the Atlanta Braves in April 2021, which needed 83 pitches. </p>
<p id="bYrtjk">The only time he hit trouble was the seventh, where a one-out walk was followed by a single just in front of a sliding Alek Thomas and skittered away. However, Daulton Varsho backed up the play, and alertly gunned down the runner who was trying to reach third with one out. The trail man did reach second, giving the Pirates their first RISP. A groundout to third ended the threat, and also Gallen's night. I think the only comparable outing for Zac this year, was probably the one against the Nationals on July 22nd. There, he also tossed seven shutout innings, on two hits and no walks, with seven strikeouts. Gallen remains unbeaten at Chase Field in 12 starts and 71 IP so far. [Brian Anderson went 7-0 over 88 home IP in 1999]</p>
<p id="QgpNyb">Offensively, there was very little going through 5<sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>2</sub> innings either. Arizona’s best chance came in the fourth when Thomas singled to lead the frame off, but was caught stealing one out later. Christian Walker then crashed a double off the wall in dead center, which might (or might not) have scored Thomas. As Jack mentioned, that dropped the team’s success rate to 73%: “You definitely need to be OVER 75%, preferably closer to 80%. Also, Rojas perfect 13 for 13, everyone else 36 SB, 18 CS, 67%.” I genuinely had not realized Rojas was even leading the team in SB: he only had a total of fourteen over 197 games coming into this campaign. </p>
<div id="p9kjJU"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/manny-banuelos-in-play-run-s-to-alek-thomas" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="edUmXw">Arizona finally got on the board in the sixth, courtesy of some Pirates’ defensive indifference. Geraldo Perdomo reached on an error at third, after a hard smash ended up being lost track of by their third basemen. He got himself picked off, but the first baseman dropped the ball on the transfer. Somehow, Perdomo was credited with a stolen base for that. Rojas then dropped down a perfect bunt single, leaping over the despairing tag attempt (pictured, top), with Perdomo reaching third. Thomas’s ground-ball killed the inning, but Perdomo did get across home-plate (above), to give the Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead. That’s where things remained through Gallen’s departure.</p>
<p id="c6UKWl">Joe Mantiply took over, and though the Pirates brought up a pair of right-handed pinch hitters, Joe disposed of them without trouble, and struck out a pair in an 11-pitch eighth. In the Arizona half, they loaded the bases with no outs, on a Seth Beer single, Carson Kelly walk and another beautiful bunt, this time by Perdomo. It looked like the Diamondbacks would waste the chance: Rojas and Thomas both ground out to the drawn-in infield, letting the runner be cut down at home. However, Marte, who’d have a fairly miserable evening at the plate, came up big with a two-run single (below). IPK came in, working around a one-out walk, and the D-backs had their fifth shutout win of the year. </p>
<div id="LkBB19"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/yohan-ramirez-in-play-run-s-to-ketel-marte" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
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<p style="text-align:center"><a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2022-08-08&team=Diamondbacks&dh=0&season=2022">Click for details</a> at Fangraphs.com
<br><b>Safe as houses: Zac Gallen, +45.7%</b>
<br>Built of brick: Mantiply, +12.3%; Perdomo, +10.8%
<br><b><i>Crashing down: Alex Thomas, -11.7%</i></b></p>
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<p id="sXEJfQ">There were a couple of Sedona Red comments, but I could not possibly let Jack get away with this one.</p>
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<p id="pQJbb9">No. They’re not. Though I was actually pulling for them not to score, and pull off the 1-0 win, because those are a lot rarer. Arizona hasn’t had one of those since the final game of the 2019 season, when they beat San Diego on Tim Locastro’s walk-off single. Oh, well: maybe tomorrow. It’s the second game against the Pirates, with Tommy Henry making his Chase Field debut. And, hey, I got my thousand words out anyway. This recapping thing’s a piece of cake, really...</p>
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https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/8/9/23297728/diamondbacks-3-pirates-0-stunning-buntsJim McLennan2022-08-08T21:30:00-04:002022-08-08T21:30:00-04:00Gameday Thread, #108: 8/8 vs. Pirates
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<img alt="1915 World Series Philadelphia Crowd" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DZfHnqlmtD98xV2awKSgcvn4dn0=/0x233:3300x2433/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71222785/73858511.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>On this day in 1903, 12 are killed and 232 injured when a section of balcony collapses during a game between the Braves and Phillies. It was the worst disaster in the history of American sports spectating. <a href="https://sabr.org/journal/article/baseballs-deadliest-disaster-black-saturday-in-philadelphia/">More info</a>.</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/8/8/23296932/gameday-thread-108-8-8-vs-piratesJim McLennan2022-08-08T20:00:00-04:002022-08-08T20:00:00-04:00Diamondbacks Game Preview #108: 8/8 vs. Pirates
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<img alt="MLB: JUN 25 Tigers at Diamondbacks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ECEMtCMsxYzeO1pV4_QJDoMdQrQ=/0x0:4375x2917/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71222600/1241925538.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>How low can Jose Herrera go? </p> <div id="jd0Ht3">
<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">PIRATES</th>
<th align="left">DIAMONDBACKS</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Tucupita Marcano - LF</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Josh Rojas - 3B</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Kevin Newman - 2B</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Alek Thomas - CF</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Bryan Reynolds - CF</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Ketel Marte - 2B</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Ben Gamel - DH</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Christian Walker - 1B</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Michael Chavis - 3B</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Daulton Varsho - RF</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Bligh Madris - 1B</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Jake McCarthy - LF</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Oneil Cruz - SS</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Seth Beer - DH</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-last td-name">Cal Mitchell - RF</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Carson Kelly - C</td>
</tr>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Jason Delay - C</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Geraldo Perdomo - SS</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">Tyler Beede - RHP</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Zac Gallen - RHP</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="Prur4C">
<h4 id="sqdYUz">Roster moves</h4>
<p id="AUU4Ic">The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves:</p>
<ul>
<li id="XxiTBU">Recalled RHP <strong>Edwin Uceta </strong>(No. 66) from Triple-A Reno.</li>
<li id="Z11KH9">Placed LHP <strong>Kyle Nelson</strong> on the 15-day injured list (lower back spasms), retro to Aug. 5.</li>
</ul>
<p id="y0YeUn">Jose Herrera went 0-for-4 yesterday, dropping his OPS for the season to just .457. It’s startling, considering he has been on the team since Opening Day, and there has been no real suggestion any change should be made. He’s on pace to get 188 PA over the course of the season, and really needs to pump up his production at the plate, if he’s not going to become the worst hitting Diamondback by OPS, with that many PA. Here are where he would rank, along with the nine other such lowest OPS’s in franchise history (min. those projected 188 PA):</p>
<div id="qMg1HS"><div data-anthem-component="table:11454202"></div></div>
<p id="kBz480">As you can see, Herrera is currently 82 points below the next-worst, Jarrod Dyson in 2018. Remember how bad a hitter Jeff Mathis was? Herrera is 87 points <em>below </em>Mathis. It’s not as if Herrera appears to offer any particular set of skills as a catcher either. Pitchers throwing to him have a collective ERA of 4.23, almost identical to the team’s overall ERA, 4.18. <a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/catcher_framing?year=2022&team=&min=q&type=catcher&sort=4,1">Catcher framing</a> has Herrera exactly at zero. He just blows chunks at the plate. Even if you allow for the lower environment, and use OPS+, Herrera’s figure of 33 would still be the worst, ahead of Quinton McCracken’s 39 in the 2003 campaign. [Related: Gerardo Perdomo is on pace for the lowest OPS by a qualified D-backs hitter, his .574 beating Chris Owings’s .587 in 2017]</p>
<p id="Sss02V">I imagine one reason Herrera is still here, is because Madison Bumgarner seems to like throwing to him. MadBum’s ERA over 13 starts to Herrera is 3.55, compared to 4.34 in eight games throwing to Carson Kelly. There’s also apparently a dearth of alternative options, as far as the team is concerned. They don’t seem to want Daulton Varsho catching any more - his last start there was June 9 - even if there’s no longer any particular need for him to be in the outfield (though the trade of David Peralta has opened up more PA there). But why not call up Dominic Miroglio? While Reno is surely inflating his numbers, it’d take a hell of a hit for his .957 OPS there to turn into anything approaching Herrera’s. </p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/8/8/23296950/diamondbacks-game-preview-108-8-8-vs-piratesJim McLennan