MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks Today, the Blog Site for Fans.

2008-11-25T11:16:00.000-08:00

Still no deal for Vazquez! Maybe everyone will feel better after Turkey Day and get things rolling.

2008-10-30T11:37:00.001-07:00

Get out there and vote next Tuesday, November 4th, Dback fans!

2008-10-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

Wanna carve a cool pumpkin? You can download Diamondback stencils here! Hey, you may even win an autographed jersey!

Curiosity Kills the Game

2008-09-23T11:57:00.000-07:00

This is a good article about the Snakes keeping their focus. The pressure is on like crazy right now, so there's no need for them to add more on top of that voluntarily. But I can just see them in the locker room, debating over whether or not to turn on the Dodgers game. Like, one guy was just going, "I've gotta do it! I've got to!" And the rest of the team was saying, "Be strong, dude. Don't touch it."

I'll admit, I would have been that guy.

2008-07-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July! I'm going to spend it doing a few of my favorite things: drinking a cold beer, watching the D-Backs, and seeing some fireworks. One stop shopping at Chase Field for me.

Let's get this started again...

2008-02-14T07:44:00.000-08:00

A year ago, the Diamondbacks had the best record in the league with 90 wins. 90 wins! How can you not have a good season coming off of something like that?

Bob Melvin, Diamondbacks manager, says he's looking forward to getting started. He's not the only one! :)

I think we got some bird poop on our heads.

2007-07-04T00:32:00.000-07:00

OUCH. I suppose congratulations are in order for the St. Louis Cardinals, who scored 11 runs for the second day in a row vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Monday night. Not that I want to give them any congratulations, but an 11-3 win is pretty impressive. Wish it'd been ours...

DBacks Looking Strong

2007-04-09T14:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's a little too early to tell. I get it. But still, ya gotta be happy with the results so far - .714 win average and 5-2 in the first seven games. That puts us up at the top of the NL West and ties us with the Mets for number two in the National League. Getting off on the right foot never hurt a season...

Tucson Triple Play Replay

2007-03-08T09:13:00.000-08:00

Hmmmm, great 07 season? Okay, the triple play was as sweet as baseball gets and I suppose 4 decisive wins and 4 hard fought losses holds promise. Let's keep our fingers crossed for that triple play chemistry against the LA Angels. That play alone was worth the tickets.

2007-01-17T11:32:00.000-08:00

Diamondbacks have a great '07 season to look forward to with the powerhouse Hudson- Drew keystone combo. There will be some great games!

Gonzalez Gone for L.A.

2006-12-10T15:13:00.000-08:00

Arizona Diamonbacks left fielder Luis Gonzalez signed a one year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, ending a eight year stint with the Diamondbacks. It was definitely time for Gonzalez to move on, he's been steadily declining in his numbers 2001 when he hit .325. Gonzalez will turn 40 during this coming up season so he will definitely be an injury risk. Bon Voyage, Luis.

Is it something we Diamondbacks said?

2006-11-15T13:38:00.000-08:00

I'll want to learn some more about before I can figure it out, but I am curious. Why are the Chicago White Sox talking with the city of Glendale about relocating their spring training up there, away from the preseason home we share down in Tucson? I thought we managed to get along okay.

Having a place of there own--that would be an explanation. But Glendale is also in talks with the Los Angeles Dodgers, trying to get them to buy out their lease in Florida and come practice in Glendale. How many teams does that town need anyway?

Broadcaster spot announced

2006-11-05T21:30:00.000-08:00

So much for Ross Porter maybe doing the broadcasting... looks like they went with Daron Sutton instead. From the press release:

"Sutton, the son of Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton, just completed his fifth season (2002-2006) as the Brewers’ play-by-play announcer on FOX Sports Net North. He won an Emmy Award in 2003 from the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and was nominated for a Regional Emmy in 1999, 2004 and 2006. Sutton also handled play-by-play duties for FOX’s Major League Baseball coverage this past season."

I'm not sure I've seen much of him, but he sounds good...

New hitting coach time!

2006-10-28T08:46:00.000-07:00

Looks like Kevin Seitzer, of the Royals till now, is interviewing for the hitting coach position for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Interesting, especially since the Royals never used him in that position. Wonder if the Diamondbacks know something the Royals didn't?

Bartender, hand me a mai-tai

2006-10-22T21:48:00.000-07:00

So for those of you who've never been to Chase Field to see the Arizona Diamondbacks... did you know that we actually have a pool in right field, where you can hang out and watch the game and drink at the pool bar? No? Bet you're wishing now you were an Arizona fan, eh?

Arizona goes anywhere but primary

2006-10-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

So the Arizona Diamondbacks are revealing the team’s new uniforms and logo, which is cool, and I'm looking forward to seeing the new look. But "Sedona Red and Sonoran Sand"? Whatever happened to using colors people have actually heard of?

New addition to the Arizona Diamondbacks

2006-10-16T23:16:00.000-07:00

So I just read that the Arizona Diamondbacks acquired righthanded pitcher Abe Woody from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for infielder-outfielder Jerry Gil. Didn't the Toronto Blue Jays just get infielder Trevor Lawhorn from the Cincinatti Reds? Is it just me, or are the players running from Cincinatti in droves? I mean, sure they lost some games, but is the ship sinking?

Let's hope we are getting the GOOD survivors!

Focus on the microphone

2006-10-13T07:35:00.000-07:00

So the big news today? Ross Porter is one of the possibilities for the new Arizona Diamondbacks broadcaster spot. Maybe I'm weird, but I'm actually kind of excited about the change. Porter has plenty of experience, having done the broadcasting for the Dodgers for 28 years, and it'll be nice to hear a change in the voice-overs. Funny how different one broadcaster can be from another, even though they're all talking about the same game...

(Well, except for Madden. No one know what the heck he's talking about.)

Pig Pen plays for the Diamondbacks!

2006-10-04T13:41:00.000-07:00

Do you remember Pig Pen from Charlie Brown? Well apparently he now plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks under the name Eric Byrnes. Sports Illustrated actually named him the dirtiest player in a recent issue. My thinking on this is that he hasn’t he seen the countless Tide commercials with all of his time on the field? C’mon Eric, Tide is your ticket to looking swanky on and off the field!

Goodbye and Good Riddance (one of each)

2006-10-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

The Diamondbacks fans can say good riddance to a rough season, but that also means goodbye to Luis Gonzalez.

Gonzalez has been really popular among D-Back fans for years, as much for his nice guy mentality as his playing. He won Game 7 in the 2001 World Series for the team, and he won the hearts of the Arizona community. But he's getting up there in age (a whopping 39) and his asking price ($10 million) was evidently off-putting enough to the Diamondbacks management that they didn't even bother negotiating. Hopefully he can find a new home to play, where he'll continue to make people happy.

Better luck next year, Diamondbacks!

Extra innings can be energizing!

2006-08-17T10:56:00.000-07:00

Been away for awhile, and it’s good to be back, especially to come back to a double-your-money’s-worth treat: an 18-inning game for the price of 9 innings.

I guess the D’backs were pretty tired after nearly 5 and a half hours of baseball, but they didn’t show it in the follow-up game, scoring 9 runs to the Rockies’ 5!

Diamondbacks are Rockin’ the NL West

2006-05-29T13:23:00.000-07:00

The Arizona Diamondbacks had a great series against the Cincinnati Reds and look like they’re going to be on top of their division for a while. Orlando Hudson, in his first season with the Diamondbacks after spending four years with the Toronto Blue Jays, had three hits as Arizona got their seventh win in the last eight games. His superb three-run homer in the eighth inning gave them the victory.

Seven Game Winning Streak Broken But Not Diminished

2006-05-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

Johan Santana of the Minnesota Twins is making quite a mark on our game this season. He single-handedly dominated the Detroit Tigers pitching seven no-hit innings in a row on Sunday. We won 4-2 and took the series. I am hoping we can see some of the same in our upcoming series against the Texas Rangers. Can anyone tell me how the Texas Rangers are doing so well after years at the bottom of the pile?

Diamondbacks finally take a bite out of the Brewers

2006-04-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

The Arizona Diamondbacks opened the season with a long stretch of road games and are on their way home to meet the Colorado Rockies for opening day. We lost two in a row to the Brewers but finished the road trip with a 7-0 win. Claudio Vargas pitched an amazing game and ended the Brewers five game winning streak.

We have won three games so far. How do you feel about the Diamondbacks first week of league play?

Classic Coming to a Close

2006-03-19T14:43:00.000-08:00

Well it looks like it is going to be Japan and Cuba in the final game of the World Baseball Classic. The American team was hoping to play in the championship match but got eliminated early on. Japan has put on an impressive show and I am cheering for them to win the championship.

Get Ready! Baseball is coming!

2006-02-14T09:44:00.000-08:00

Spring Training is right around the corner and this Arizona Diamondbacks fan is starting to plan for the season. I’m going to get Diamondbacks opening day tickets and I am considering buying tickets for the Spring Training opener against the Chicago White Sox on March 3rd.

Suns Shining in Phoenix

2006-01-30T17:36:00.000-08:00

The Arizona Diamondbacks are gearing up for the 2006 season while the Phoenix Suns are tearing up the NBA. The Suns have been amazing to watch this season and they seem to have the best assist ratio of any team in the league. That’s my Steve Nash!

New General Manager in the House

2005-10-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

Ever since the Diamondbacks’ first season in 1998, they have had the same general manager, Joe Garagiola Jr. But now Garagiola is moving to the commissioner’s office as vice president of baseball operations. So in response the Diamondbacks tapped the assistant general manager of the Boston Red Sox, Josh Byrnes to take a stab at running the show. Byrnes said, “So many of the people and circumstances here make this a great fit, and it feels like a dream job.” In his welcoming press conference Byrnes talked of balance in all facets of the game, balancing the short term and long term, old school and new school, and balance in the roster. It seems like Byrnes has the right idea of how to win, but can he implement it to bring the Diamondbacks back to the Series.

Off-Season Off to a Fast Start

2005-10-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

When it comes to this time of year, teams not in the playoffs start looking for answers, and usually those answers are best facilitated by firing some people. The Diamondbacks so far this off-season have gotten rid of pitching coach Mark Davis and first base coach Brett Butler. The Diamondbacks were in the worst division in baseball last season, division winner San Diego Padres were only 2 games over .500, and so to finish second in the division is a definite disappointment. But this will not be the extent of personnel changes, the front office said that decisions on other staff will be made in the not too distant future.

Three is All You Need

2005-09-22T05:55:00.000-07:00

“I feel like I can go out there and win every ballgame with three runs,” Brandon Webb said after pitching the Diamondbacks to a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night. “So I try to keep it down below one to two runs for seven or eight innings, and I've been able to do that.”

The win was a little too close for comfort, but a W is a W. In the eighth inning Webb struck out his first two batters, before allowing a single to Brian Myrow. Then rookie Willy Aybar hit a single to move Myrow over to second. By then Bob Melvin had seen enough and sent in reliever Jose Valverde to finish the job. Webb had one of his best outings of the year going at least 7 innings for 10 consecutive starts, and tied a career high of 11 strikeouts.

Hello Win Column, We Missed You

2005-08-30T07:07:00.000-07:00

The Arizona Diamondbacks won their first series in almost a month by beating the Phillies 10-5 Monday night. They did it with the home run: a Shawn Green grand slam followed by a Troy Glaus 3-run shot propelled the Diamondbacks over the Phillies. Monday night was Green’s first game back since leaving the team for the birth of his daughter, Chandler Rose. The Diamondbacks' manager, Bob Melvin, joked, “He said he's got another mouth to feed. He was on a salary drive.” Welcome back, Shawn, we missed you.

Silly Superstitions

2005-06-09T10:54:00.000-07:00

Your Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Chad Tracy was having a difficult time at the plate this past month. It is hard for baseball players to keep a consistent swing and run production through out the season, so ball players tend to work harder and stay in the batting cages for longer periods of time.

But not Chad Tracy, he prefers to stick to his method that worked last season. Tracy ended up shaving his head and is goatee off, as a method to bring his offensive game back. Apparently it is working because last night he managed to get three hits in a 10-8 win against Philadelphia.

Team Report:

2005-05-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

- from FOXSports.com

With RHP Brandon Lyon (strained elbow) on the D.L., RHP Brian Bruney has been serving as the fill-in closer. He throws hard enough to be a late-inning reliever, but Bruney struggles with his control and lacks a consistent off-speed pitch. When Lyon returns, look for the club to be more cautious with him. He has appeared three straight days on three occasions. . . .

OF Luis Terrero is showing signs of improvement. He is striking out less and starting to take what the pitcher gives him instead of trying to crush everything.

Series against Astros

2005-05-19T16:33:00.000-07:00

The D-Backs will be taking on the Houston Astros to finish off their series this Thursday. During the last game, the D-Backs won by one point with a score of 7-6. The Astros struggled to come back from the seven-point deficit for mainly the whole game, since Arizona scored all its points before the sixth inning.

For the next game, Veteran pitcher Roger Clemens will be taking on youthful Brad Halsey. Brad Halsey is beginning his second year in the pro’s. He originally started with the New York Yankees and just came over to the D-Backs at the beginning of this year. Currently, Halsey is matching his 3.88 ERA against Clemens 1.11 ERA.

Pitching matchup:

2005-05-17T14:10:00.000-07:00

ARI: RHP Javier Vazquez
• 4-2, 4.41 ERA in 2005
• Has not faced HOU in 2004 or 2005

HOU: RHP Roy Oswalt
• 4-4, 4.02 ERA in 2005
• 2-0, 1.29 ERA vs. ARI in 2004

Counsell’s Revenge

2005-05-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

After spending a night in the hospital being x-rayed, short stop Craig Counsell was ready to get even when he stepped on the field. At the former game against the Rockies, Counsell was pelted by a pitch in his leg.

During his first at bat, Counsell got on base and was brought in by Luis Gonzales. Later in the game, Counsell blasted out his first home run this season, breaking a 3-3 tie. The game ended with the score of 5-4.

Team Report:

2005-05-12T16:53:00.000-07:00

- from FOXSports.com

3B Troy Glaus has been at or near the top of the N.L. home run chart all season, but he's working to improve his situational hitting; he struggled early with men in scoring position. . . .

The club hoped LHP Randy Choate would wind up at Class AAA Tucson after being designated for assignment last week. Choate lost his specialist's job to LHP Javier Lopez. RHP Kerry Ligtenberg replaced Choate on the roster. Ligtenberg is a candidate for long relief, something Choate isn't suited for. . . .

When RHP Mike Koplove's fastball dips into the low to mid-80s and his slider isn't effective, that's a sign Koplove, a busy setup reliever, needs a break.

Lose Opener Against Pirates

2005-05-06T11:41:00.000-07:00

The Pirates have been rolling on a winning streak that has been much needed by the team. They’ve won three in a row making their record 11-17 with the third victory being the opening game in the series against the D-Backs.

Up to the fourth inning, the game was staying solid with low scores. It was matched up 2-2 up to the fourth and then the Pirates started busting them out. Shawn Estes, who started that day, let three homers pop out of the park.

"In a game like this, when the ball is going to be carrying a little bit better than normal, my objective is to keep the ball on the ground. When I'm pitching well, regardless of where I'm pitching, I'm getting a lot of ground balls. Tonight they ended up hitting the ball in the air a lot more."
- Shawn Estes

Team Report:

2005-04-28T14:07:00.000-07:00

- from FOXSports.com

It will be interesting to see what the team does with OF Luis Terrero, who is out of minor league options. He's a five-tool player, but with the outfield full, his playing time is limited. Without playing time, he won't get better, which means it's unlikely the club could get what it thinks he's worth in a trade. . . .

OF Scott Hairston was called up when OF Jose Cruz went on the D.L. with a strained lower back. It's an unusual call-up because Hairston won't start. Young players usually don't make good pinch hitters, but Hairston can turn on any fastball and has simple mechanics at the

plate -- two key qualities for pinch hitters. . . .

RHP Javier Vazquez threw in more of a downward plane in his fourth start. He mixed his pitches well, and his two-seamer was strong as he picked up his first win.

The Power of Vazquez

2005-04-21T13:19:00.000-07:00

The D-Backs are beginning their series against the San Francisco Giants with a win (2-1). Javier Vazquez proved himself through this game. So far, Vazquez has not been winning any games; this marks his record back up to 1-2. Vazquez pitched seven straight scoreless innings.

In the third inning, Luis Gonzalez made sure to assist Vazquez by rocking an RBI and setting up for a second run. This upped the D-Backs to a 2-score lead. The Nationals couldn’t do anything about it but put one run in during the ninth inning.

The D-Backs will be taking on the Nationals again on the 21st.

The Diamondbacks Swept

2005-04-17T17:24:00.000-07:00

After having a great series against the Colorado Rockies, the Arizona Diamondbacks took a vicious defeat at the hands of the Washington Nationals. After 34 years of not having a franchise, Washington set up the Nationals and now showed the D-Backs what has been set up.

The D-Backs lost the first two games of the series, but it was looking like a victory for the first seven innings of the last game against the Nationals. Washington is currently 8-4 and has won the last 5 games in a row.

Arizona screwed up in the seventh inning. Allowing 6 runs in that inning, the D-Backs could not rebound and bring about a win.

Team Report:

2005-04-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

- from FOXSports.com

C Chris Snyder has impressed the pitchers with his game-calling ability and skills. After watching him block several balls in the dirt in a tight game against the Cubs, the staff is confident it can throw any pitch in any situation with Snyder catching. . . .

RHP Russ Ortiz allows a lot of runners to reach base, but he always seems to make the big pitch when he needs it to get out of jams. . . .

Chad Tracy, who is making the switch from third to first base, is beginning to settle in at first. He is getting a better feel for how the ball comes off the bat toward first.

D-Backs try for Win #3

2005-04-12T14:32:00.000-07:00

The Diamond Backs are going up against the Colorado Rockies for game 2 of a 3 game stint at Bank One Ballpark. As of now, the Colorado Rockies have had a terrible start and have only won 1 game in the 6 that they have played since season opened. The D-Backs, on the other hand, are 4-3.

Arizona won the first game of the series against Colorado 2-0. This was a lot in part due to the pitching of Brad Halsey who threw for over six shutout innings.

"I know what I'm capable of, and you're going to have good games and you're going to have bad games. But I know when I'm right I can be very effective."
- Brad Halsey

D-Backs Win Opening Series

2005-04-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

The Arizona Diamondbacks showed some serious play in their previous game against the Chicago Cubs. On the side of the Cubs, the pitching rotation did not show its potential, letting too many things bust through. This is no problem for the D-Backs. They led the score finishing 8-3.

Brandon Webb gave up only two runs and five hits with his start for Arizona. But, the real contribution came from the batting order. The “G-Force” (Glaus, Gonzalez, and Green) added in to give the D-Backs an early 7-0 lead.

"All up and down our lineup, everybody contributed tonight in some way. We got a lot of two-out hits when we needed them, and that's the sign of a good team."
- Luis Gonzalez

Vazquez Opening

2005-04-02T15:42:00.000-08:00

Since 1998, no one has started opening day for the Arizona Diamondbacks except for Randy Johnson. Well, we do not have Randy Johnson anymore. In the most recent trade with the New York Yankees, Randy Johnson went to the Yanks and we acquired Javier Vazquez, with pitcher Brad Halsey, minor league catcher Dioner Navarro and $9 million.

Vazquez has a big gap to fill. Johnson, who is a classic player and has been for quite some years, will be great for the Yankees. But, Vasquez has lasting potential. He is still a very youthful player and needs to develop his skill.

As of now, he will be taking the mound opening day.

"It's an honor and hopefully I don't disappoint. It's fun, it's the first day of the season and you're pumped up for that one. You always want to get that first win."
- Javier Vazquez

BREAKOUT PLAYER:

2005-03-24T15:35:00.000-08:00

- provided by MLB.com

After missing all of last season with an elbow injury, RHP Brandon Lyon has shown this spring why the Diamondbacks wanted him included in the Curt Schilling trade. His sinker is the second-best on the club behind Webb and he also has a hard-biting slider, curveball and changeup in his arsenal. With that deep repertoire, he can "hide" one of those pitches until a crucial situation before breaking it out and catching a hitter off guard.

Sucker Punch

2005-03-20T16:02:00.000-08:00

In a book written by Buzz Bissinger, "3 Nights in August: Strategy, Heartbreak and Joy Inside the Mind of a Manager"(to be released in April), Bissinger accounts decisions made by Tony La Russa. Bissinger, who had unprecedented access to La Russa during the 2003 season, compiled various stories of decisions made during that period.

One of these decisions was to take a payback pitch at Luis Gonzalez. Gonzalez, who had nothing to do with it, was personally chosen to be the target of a retribution pitch for Miguel Batista hitting Tino Martinez.

"I knew it was coming; knowing the situation and being a baseball guy. Fassero is a guy who's always around the plate. When there was two outs and nobody on, I thought the first pitch was going to get me, but then when I saw the first pitch way outside, I knew sooner or later it was coming."
- Luis Gonzalez

Gosling Re-Learning

2005-03-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

After taking some time to tweak with his pitch, Michael Gosling is starting to show serious improvements in very miniscule ways. By this I mean Gosling has been working out very small mechanics of his pitches. Gosling keyed in on letting the ball go further in front on him during his pitches. This improved his fastball and at the same time added difficulty to the man up at bat. Bob Melvin (manager of the Diamondbacks) was quoted saying it’s the “best I’ve seen him.”

"It's something that I've known for years and it's one of those little things that kind of gets away from you without you even realizing it. It's just one of those little things I have to stay on top of."
- Michael Gosling

Updates

2005-03-08T16:56:00.000-08:00

- excerpt from FOXSports.com

LHP Brad Halsey is the rare lefty that isn't afraid to work inside against righthanded hitters. That's in large part because of a good cut fastball that he uses to get in on their hands. It's always a risk because if a pitcher misses, then he leaves a ball over the plate, but Halsey has impressed the staff with his fearlessness on the mound. . . .

RHP Oscar Villarreal reported to camp a bit out of shape, and his chances of winning the fifth spot in the rotation will diminish if he doesn't have the stamina to pitch deep into games. Villarreal is the only fifth spot candidate that the club would consider using as a reliever. . . .

First base coach Brett Butler has been working with the club not only on the art of bunting, but also on how to run the bases. Don't be surprised to see the D-backs pull off some delayed steals this year.

Team Report

2005-03-03T12:32:00.000-08:00

- following excerpt taken from FOXSports.com

The Diamondbacks think that Troy Glaus' swing is perfectly suited to the National League. Glaus has an arc to his swing that makes him a very good low-ball hitter. The N.L. has always been known as more of a low-ball league. . . .

RHP Brandon Lyon throws a heavy sinker that is not quite on the same level as Brandon Webb's, but it is still a nasty pitch. Look for Lyon to nab a bullpen spot if he has a decent spring. . . .

If RHP Oscar Villarreal doesn't win the No. 5 spot in the rotation but pitches well, he'll likely wind up in the bullpen. He's the only fifth-spot candidate that the team would consider using in a relief role.

New Pitchers in the Line

2005-02-06T13:38:00.000-08:00

The start of the lineup will not fall to the typical starter, Randy Johnson, but has been given to new incoming player Javier Vazquez. Vazquez, who was traded in the offseason from the Yankees, was 14-10 last year with the Yankees; averaging a lower ERA during the first half of the season.

Russ Ortiz also becomes a new addition to the rotation. He has gained the number 2 spot in the rotation, moving Webb down to number 3 and also alleviating some pressure off of the youthful Webb. Parts of the rotation are still up in the air and will be established during Spring Training.

The Diamondbacks have also signed a few people to strengthen the infield defense. Royce Clayton will be coming in at short stop and Craig Counsell at second base. The infield defense needed a little buffing up. We can’t just leave it all up to the pitcher.

Left and Right… Nice. Oh wait, we forgot Center field.

2005-01-27T13:10:00.000-08:00

Steve Finley, who has been with the Arizona Diamondbacks for approximately a little over half a decade, has moved to the Anaheim Angels. Great for the Angels, but this leaves a big gap in center field. What are we going to do about that 100 some odd feet of space?

The Diamondbacks have been weighing out their options for the replacement. In the beginning of last season Danny Bautista, the current right fielder, also came off of the roster due to his free agent status. This hole was filled by Shawn Green.

One of the top possible replacements is Luis Terrero, who has proved to have a lot of talent. Either way, 2005 will show if anyone can step up to fill Steve Finley’s slot. I’m sure the Angels will not be suffering the same problem, at least not for the next two years.

51-111

2004-10-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

Man, we kicked ass this year!!

Randolph aims to settle in

2004-09-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

By Steve Gilbert / MLB.com

DENVER -- Stephen Randolph will have one more chance to show the Diamondbacks he can be a member of the starting rotation next year.
The left-hander is scheduled to pitch Saturday in San Diego and an off day Thursday means he will miss his final turn with Casey Fossum scheduled to pitch next Wednesday and Michael Gosling on Friday.

Randolph had been a starter throughout most of his minor league career, but switched to the bullpen when he made the big league team out of Spring Training in 2003. He made 50 relief appearances for the D-Backs last year and another 39 this year before the club decided to give him a chance to start.

In five starts, he is 0-3 with an 8.14 ERA, while he was 2-2 with a 4.42 ERA out of the bullpen. More troubling than the ERA total as a starter is the fact that Randolph is still struggling with his command as evidenced by his 71 walks and 57 strikeouts.

The walks and deep counts force Randolph to throw a lot of pitches, which does not allow him to work many innings and take stress off the bullpen. The club would also like to see him improve his tempo on the mound.

"It's tough because I know he's had a couple of good outings, but he's still having control problems," D-Backs manager Al Pedrique said. "That's the one thing that we are focused in on. At this point we just have to wait and see how he finishes. I'm sure after the season, we will meet and see where he will fit in the plan for next year. But right now, we haven't seen 100 percent of what we expect -- total control of the strike zone."

Go D'backs!

Good Ole Pedrique

2004-09-15T10:22:00.000-07:00

There's been a bit of controversy over his decision and related statements about walking Bonds... he keeps saying "you got to have pride, you got to have pride." Yeah, yeah, sure, you got to have pride when you play the game: winning helps secure that pride. What's the deal, Pedrique?

Take Your Base

2004-09-12T16:01:00.000-07:00

By Jim Richards / Special to MLB.com

PHOENIX -- The thousands of fans that purchased tickets in the right-field stands at Bank One Ballpark this weekend in the hopes of catching Barry Bonds' 700th home run have two enemies working against them -- ticket scalpers and Diamondbacks manager Al Pedrique.
The scalpers, big losers all season working outside a ballpark where the team had 98 losses entering Saturday's game vs. the Giants, are looking to make up some of their losses this weekend. Reportedly, the scalpers are selling right-field tickets for 10 times the original price of the ticket.

And once the buyer has plunked down the money, Pedrique plans to make it awfully tough for fans to grab the sought-after home run ball, which some reports say will bring as much as $250,000 in a sale.

"I'm going to be honest with you," Pedrique said. "I don't want him to do it here at home. I'm sorry for the fans. I'm sorry for baseball. But that's the way it is. In this game, you have to have a lot of pride. And the way this year has gone for us, this would be the last thing that we need."

Pedrique ordered reliever Mike Koplove to walk Bonds, who entered Saturday's game with 698 career home runs, in the eighth inning of Friday night's D-Backs victory with two out and nobody on. At the time, the D-Backs were holding a 2-1 lead. The walk was the 198th of the season issued to Bonds, tying him for the all-time single-season record for walks, which he set in 2002. His 103 intentional walks this season easily shattered his 2002 record mark of 68.

Bonds set the all-time single-season mark when he drew a two-out walk from Stephen Randolph in the first inning Saturday night. The ball is not likely to be worth anything more than the price of a baseball.

The first player to hold the record ball was D-Backs catcher Juan Brito, who got the starting nod for Saturday's game. Pedrique, well aware of the rubber chickens that have been shaken by Giants fans whenever a pitcher intentionally walks Bonds, said that Brito has the best idea for signaling an intentional walk to the slugger.

Pedrique said Brito suggested he place a rubber chicken under his chest protector. When an intentional walk is ordered, Brito would simply grab the chicken and wave it.

Something Positive

2004-09-05T14:57:00.000-07:00

Well, Mr. Bautista is up for a Hank Aaron award. Cool. I'm in a rush, so I'll just pull this story from their official site:

Diamondbacks manager Al Pedrique doesn't mince words when he's asked about Danny Bautista.
"He's been outstanding," the skipper said. "He's been one of the most consistent guys offensively and defensively. He's a hard worker. He comes to the park and he's always working. I don't think we can find anything to say against Danny because everything he's done so far has been positive."

In a year of injuries and poor play, Bautista has been a steady performer. Before this year, the most at-bats he'd had in a season was 351. He already had a hundred more than that with a month left in the season.

That's why Bautista was a natural choice to be the Diamondbacks' Century 21 Hank Aaron Award finalist.

"It's an honor to be nominated," Bautista said. "It makes me proud. Especially the way we've been playing, it's tough to stay focused, but you've still got to go out there and give your best."

The Century 21 Real Estate Corporation, official real estate organization of Major League Baseball, is the presenting sponsor of the Hank Aaron Award for the second consecutive season. This coveted honor is annually awarded to the best overall hitter in both the American League and National League. Originally introduced in 1999 to honor the 25th anniversary of Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth's all-time home run record, the Hank Aaron Award was the first major award to be introduced in 30 years.

For the first time ever, Century 21 and MLB.com are excited to offer fans the opportunity to decide the winner in each league. In addition, by casting their votes, fans will automatically be registered for chance to win a trip to the 2004 World Series and meet home run king Hank Aaron. Voting takes place at MLB.com from Sept. 9-30.

Steve Gilbert is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Los Angeles (77-54) at Arizona (41-91), 6:37 p.m. MST

2004-09-01T14:54:00.000-07:00

You want a piece of Arizona, LA?? Huh? We are going to stomp you guys into the ground. Johnson shut you guys down last game and Webb is going to shut you down tonight. Bring it on.

Surely we can all agree

2004-08-25T11:36:00.000-07:00

that the 'backs are kicking some major ass this year. Of course, I'm operating from an alternative reality in which golf and baseball are blended. Hey, at least I have a sense of humor. One day, I will be able to say "yeah, they're a great team now, but I stuck with the guys even through the worst of times." Well, I hope I'll be able to say that...

Arizona still kicking some major...

2004-08-17T16:34:00.000-07:00

So maybe I'm in denial. I hear it ain't just a river in Egypt...

Bring it on, Montreal!

2004-08-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah, I know I haven't been around much lately, but there really hasn't been too much to say. Anyhow, the 'backs take on the Expos tonight: my team is at the bottom of the NL West, and that other team is at the bottom of the NL East: a great battle between the non-winners takes place!

Here's a basic summation quote from mlb.com:

The D-Backs, who are mired in a five-game slide, have recorded wins in six of 35 games since Al Pedrique took over for Bob Brenly.

Really, what more can I say? Go 'backs!!

'Over the Edge on a Losing Train...

2004-08-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

33/47. "...in sickness and in health..." I am putting forth a valiant effort to maintain fidelity, but how long am I supposed to hold on when my 'partner' is an invalid? You know things are bad when little kids yell "the 'backs suck!" when they see you walking around wearing the team jersey... I just keep telling myself: "next season will be better..."

They're Making Freakin' Kansas City Look Good.

2004-07-28T11:13:00.000-07:00

32/70. Because they are my team, I will at least turn the TV on during their games; however, it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to watch the carnage.

"Astros blast past Diamondbacks" <--- That is the header from the 'backs' official website. Well, at least no one is in denial of the facts. Heck, at least they broke their 14 game losing skid a couple nights ago...

14 Games

2004-07-26T13:31:00.000-07:00

Yeah, that's 14 lost games in a row. 14. I'll post again when I discover the bright side of this situation.

See Ya Later, Julia

2004-07-21T12:42:00.000-07:00

Yeah, Chad here, takin' over for that no-good lier, Julia. First, she says she's 18. Then she says "no, I ain't been married before... Kids? No, I ain't got no kids." What is it with people these days? Man oh man, what an experience... hopefully she got the point when my faithful companion, Izabel (my beautiful, generally good-natured bloodhound) chased are sorry rear down the block. Oh, and she wasn't even a Diamonbacks fan-she started this blog to further deceive me! Good riddens.

Whew. Anyhow, let's take a look at the stats for the NL West:

Actually, I'd rather not do that right now. We'll just say that the 'backs have some work to do. And I know it's a bit ridiculous to blame... non-success on a single person, but since Mr. Al Pedrique has been "manager," the guys have lost 9 games in a row. 9 games. I'll concede that they put up one heck of a fight last night against the Giants, but a good fight just isn't good enough. I was about to consider the bright side, but I remembered that it looks like we're losing Randy Johnson.

I need a beer and some good conversation. Izabel, here girl!

Don't Forget to Watch Randy Johnson Tonight!

2004-07-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

Tonight's the MLB All-Star Game at Minute Maid Stadium in Houston. The Diamondbacks and the National League are proudly represented by Randy Johnson in tonight's game. I wonder who'll get beaned tonight...hmmm....:-) We're behind you tonight, Randy! Good Luck!!!

Any other Diamondbacks lovers out there?

2004-07-12T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!!

I'm an 18 yr old baseball loving chick from Flagstaff, AZ and I'm starting up a new blog here to support my fav team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. I might not have picked the best time (there's not too much to say during the All-Star break) so for now I'll just put up some basic numbers to show how our season is looking so far.

Right now, the Backs have a lot of ground to cover before the end of the season. We're sitting at .338, the lowest average in the MLB. This is when our team needs us, its fans, most! I'm not a believer in being a fair-weather fan - anyone can root for the winning team - it's too easy and shows no heart. I guess that's partly why I decided to make this blog.

If you're a dedicated Diamondbacks fan, you can leave a comment to show love and let our boys know we're still behind them!

GO DIAMONDBACKS!!!