D-backs vs. Dodgers series thread

[82CardsGrad]

The lack of any real/legit offensive threat from our entire outfield has, and will continue to haunt this team...
The pitching is so damm good... What a dang shame....

Manny in LA is going to cause HUGE issues for the D-backs, as now they have to actually hit and score to beat the Dodgers... Ouch...

 

[Nasser22]

Came into the road trip a game up, left a game up. Sucks that all of that effort and little to show for it.

Bright side, we cut down the "magic number" quite a bit.

 

[BC867]

I believe that was a joke since they started the end-of-inning music when there was only 2 outs.

Oops, my error. I was doing work on the computer and had the game on at the same time.

"Thanks for coming, folks." sounded like the game was over for Gracie.

 

[sundevil04]

The lack of any real/legit offensive threat from our entire outfield has, and will continue to haunt this team...

You might want to take a glance at the #'s for Jackson, Young and Romero on this road trip and for that matter in the 2nd half of the season.

Jackson, Young, Romero are hitting .313 combined in the 2nd half and .280 on the road trip.

 

[UncleChris]

You might want to take a glance at the #'s for Jackson, Young and Romero on this road trip and for that matter in the 2nd half of the season.

Jackson, Young, Romero are hitting .313 combined in the 2nd half and .280 on the road trip.

Young is hitting .194 with an OBP of .219 for the last 7 days. He's hitting a whopping .213 with an OBP of .272 for the last month. He should be playing AA ball right now.

 

[sundevil04]

Young was 15/47 (.319 BA) with 8 runs and 8 RBI's since the break before the dodgers series. That is when he was hitting in the 2 spot. He struggles when he drops in the lineup. Last season his numbers were MUCH better in the leadoff spot than anywhere else in the lineup. Let's also not forget that he's on pace for 20 HR's, 80 RBI's and play a great CF. BA is the most over-rated stat in sports. I think if we put him in the 2 spot and leave him there we'll see that BA # rise drastically.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Young was 15/47 (.319 BA) with 8 runs and 8 RBI's since the break before the dodgers series. That is when he was hitting in the 2 spot. He struggles when he drops in the lineup. Last season his numbers were MUCH better in the leadoff spot than anywhere else in the lineup. Let's also not forget that he's on pace for 20 HR's, 80 RBI's and play a great CF. BA is the most over-rated stat in sports. I think if we put him in the 2 spot and leave him there we'll see that BA # rise drastically.

You're joking right?? Are you seriously making an effort to support Young's offense? Or worse, claim that his issues are hitting in the #2 slot?? Good lord...

 

[Nasser22]

You're joking right?? Are you seriously making an effort to support Young's offense? Or worse, claim that his issues are hitting in the #2 slot?? Good lord...

You were the #1 guy against Quentin last year right? Patience, Young has shown spurts of being a very good player and he was hitting very well after the all-star break. Sophomore slums happen often, but now that the D-Backs are being more aggressive on the base paths and for the most part he has hit well after the break, I expect to see him show more soon.

 

[82CardsGrad]

You were the #1 guy against Quentin last year right? Patience, Young has shown spurts of being a very good player and he was hitting very well after the all-star break. Sophomore slums happen often, but now that the D-Backs are being more aggressive on the base paths and for the most part he has hit well after the break, I expect to see him show more soon.

Good memory Nasser... And hey, I am not saying the D-backs should give up on Young. I just wouldn't be one to tout his offense as IMO, he has sucked this year...
And can we please stop with the "he's hit well after the break" stuff? He went O-for against the Dodgers, which means prior to this series, we've had what, 10 days or so worth of games post all-star break?? Hardly enough games to suggest anything...
Hey, I would love to see Young fulfill his promise! But the facts are that he has been a far greater liability than an asset at the plate - including last season...

 

[Nasser22]

I just remember since you got me to believe you near the end of the season. You made some good points last year. Just checking, don't lose faith on the young guys. He has shown some great ability. Some can blame Melvin's managing...we'll see within the next couple years.

 

[sundevil04]

How would you feel if Young had the same power #'s he's had between this year and last but batted .250?

 

[scXfreakX]

Young has never shown to be a consistent hitter. Thats why his average is so low and was as well last year. I think thats what frustrates us. He's not living up to expectations.

 

[UncleChris]

BA is the most over-rated stat in sports.

Really? Ok then.... would you make the same claim about OBP?

Would you make the same claim about BA with RISP? (Young is like .228)

 

[HooverDam]

BA is the most over-rated stat in sports.

No way, saves and wins are much more useless yet still considered important stats.

 

[Desert Rat]

Came into the road trip a game up, left a game up. Sucks that all of that effort and little to show for it.

When the team chasing you has ten straight home games and you have ten straight road games, the last thing you expect is to come back home with the same lead you had when you left town. I can't complain about seven wins on a ten-game road trip, although it still wasn't good enough.

 

[UncleChris]

When the team chasing you has ten straight home games and you have ten straight road games, the last thing you expect is to come back home with the same lead you had when you left town. I can't complain about seven wins on a ten-game road trip, although it still wasn't good enough.

 

[scXfreakX]

7 out of 10 surprised me. We could have really screwed things up badly, but we are still atop the division, although not by much.

 

[82CardsGrad]

How would you feel if Young had the same power #'s he's had between this year and last but batted .250?

If he played RF or 3B, or Catcher - I wouldn't mind those numbers at all... But a speedy centerfielder has to be close to a .300 average and a .400 OBP...

 

[Nasser22]

I don't understand that...why does it matter where the offense comes from? He doesn't have to hit a certain way depending on what position he plays on defense...It doesn't matter where the offense comes from as long as it's coming and you have quality fielding at each position and Young provides that at his.

 

[82CardsGrad]

I don't understand that...why does it matter where the offense comes from? He doesn't have to hit a certain way depending on what position he plays on defense...It doesn't matter where the offense comes from as long as it's coming and you have quality fielding at each position and Young provides that at his.

Baseball, more than any other sport, is a game of numbers, of history, of legacy... What has been true in baseball for 100 years still hold true today...
A few maxims that, while can be disproven here and there, are:

- Good pitching always beats good hitting
- Walks and Errors kill you more than hits and HR's...
- Successful team are always strong up the middle (SS, 2B and CF)
- Power hitting always comes from 1B, 3B, RF and/or LF
- Speed always comes from CF, 2B and SS

There are plenty more, but you get the drift... I'm not saying the D-backs can't win with their current configuration. Heck, they truly have one of the best pitching staffs in MLB and rule #1 is Good pitching beats good hitting...
However, Young is a liability in the way he is producing at the plate... Although, he certainly snapped out of it tonight...

 

[Nasser22]

I understand the first few, but still don't really agree with the last two..As long as you have a good mix of power hitters and speed, as well as good hitters for average, it shouldn't matter what positions they come from, although some positions, such as those in the middle do need more speed to play their positions so it just turns out that way.

But to say just because he's a centerfielder, .250 isn't good enough for the power numbers but would be if he was in right is just silly. He plays well at his position.

Either way, to win anything we need someone else, whether it be Young, Reynolds, Upton, Snyder, either of those guys to start hitting for a higher average. Hopefully Upton can come back strong.

 

[82CardsGrad]

I understand the first few, but still don't really agree with the last two..As long as you have a good mix of power hitters and speed, as well as good hitters for average, it shouldn't matter what positions they come from, although some positions, such as those in the middle do need more speed to play their positions so it just turns out that way.

But to say just because he's a centerfielder, .250 isn't good enough for the power numbers but would be if he was in right is just silly. He plays well at his position.

Either way, to win anything we need someone else, whether it be Young, Reynolds, Upton, Snyder, either of those guys to start hitting for a higher average. Hopefully Upton can come back strong.

Well, I'll say this and be done with this topic... It will be very, very difficult for the D-backs to win a championship with their centerfielder hitting under .250, regardless of how many HR's he hits... You are asking WAY too muhc of other players/positions to pick up the slack that a starting centerfielder usually provides... You can't expect your thirdbaseman, catcher and firstbase positions to cover for you centerfielder with respect to average and OBP... Baseball just doesn't work that way...
It's just the way it is in baseball...

Guess we'll soon see...

 

[sundevil04]

If he played RF or 3B, or Catcher - I wouldn't mind those numbers at all... But a speedy centerfielder has to be close to a .300 average and a .400 OBP...

This is quite possibly the dumbest thing I have ever heard regarding baseball strategy. WHY would it matter what position in the field a player plays regarding the hitting??????? Should all players with jersey #'s in the 50's be fastball pitchers and all players with single digit jersey #'s have more than 30 SB's?????

What if a SS can hit 40 HR's should he limit himself to 20 since he's a SS???

 

[82CardsGrad]

This is quite possibly the dumbest thing I have ever heard regarding baseball strategy. WHY would it matter what position in the field a player plays regarding the hitting??????? Should all players with jersey #'s in the 50's be fastball pitchers and all players with single digit jersey #'s have more than 30 SB's?????

What if a SS can hit 40 HR's should he limit himself to 20 since he's a SS???

See my post above your brilliant remarks...

 

[sundevil04]

LOL, you've obviously never played baseball at a high level. This is an insane argument. I guess we should tell CoJack to cool it with the high BA and start swinnging for the fences since he's a LF.

P.S. How did our CF hit last year when we went to the NLCS with the youngest team in baseball????