Desert Rat
Veteran
The D-backs travel down the coast to sunny San Diego to continue their 2008dominance of the NL Western teams. Ah, yes, the place where so many Phoenix residents go to cool off in the summer and get ripped off badly by hotels. The picturesque Petco Park with its left field building, its right field beach and heavy air will host a series between two teams who each won their last three games. Something's gotta give, right?
Monday - Owings vs. Maddux
Is he a starter or is he a reliever, this week, he's at least a starter. Owings has a 6.75 ERA in action since Memorial Day. Owings' last performance was in a dreadful eighth inning against Chicago which nobody here probably wants to recollect. Owings must regroup from that torching and in pitcher-friendly Petco Park, he just may. Luckilly for him, Greg Maddux will start. The D-backs have owned Maddux, who is 2-11 lifetime against them. Maddux, one of the best pitchers of this generation, played sacrificial lamb in his last game against the D-backs, keeping his team's depleted bullpen off the field for as long as possible, but allowing nine runs in severn innings. In three of his last six starts, he allowed six or more runs, something you don't expect from a 350-game winner.
Tuesday - Davis vs. Young
Davis has historically pitched well against the Padres, going 6-3 against the Friars. In July, Davis has been mediocre, losing twice with a 5.25 ERA. He had his longest outing of the season (eight innings) against the Padres at Chase Field on July 5, which was the last game Juan Cruz pitched. If Cruz returns from the DL during this series, that could help Davis. Speaking of DL, tall glass of water Chris Young returns from it Tuesday. Young spent the last several weeks healing his face after taking full brunt of a line drive off the bat of Albert Pujols. We can look forward to one of those Chris Young vs. Chris Young matchups on Tuesday and it should be interesting to see how the pitcher does after the last traumatic inning he pitched. I wouldn't necessarily say the D-backs 'own' this pitcher like they do Maddux, but Young is 1-3 with an ugly 5.08 ERA in seven career starts against them.
Wednesday - Haren vs. Baek
The rematch! Haren's last loss was to the Padres, but he pitched very well in that game. Haren won his last two games and will go for the post-All Star Game California trifecta on Wednesday. The National League's ERA leader has averaged eight strikeouts per game in July, there's no reason he shouldn't match that this week. Baek is coming off a unimpressive win against the lowly Pirates and has yet to register a victory at Petco Park this season. He gave the D-backs fits on July 4 at Chase Field, however, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. It is expected that Haren and his D-backs will take this grudge match.
Dodger Watch - I know, who cares about them, but they are too close on the radar. While the D-backs are on a 10-game road trip, the Dodgers are enjoying 10 at the Chavez Ravine. Minus the Meat Hook, the Nationals could do nothing against the home team, so the Dodgers come out of this weekend a game out of first place, still. Up next for them are three games against the hated (go to a Giants-Dodgers game in person, whew!) Giants. Hopefully, the D-backs didn't soften the Giants up too much after the shellacking they just put on them.
Monday - Owings vs. Maddux
Is he a starter or is he a reliever, this week, he's at least a starter. Owings has a 6.75 ERA in action since Memorial Day. Owings' last performance was in a dreadful eighth inning against Chicago which nobody here probably wants to recollect. Owings must regroup from that torching and in pitcher-friendly Petco Park, he just may. Luckilly for him, Greg Maddux will start. The D-backs have owned Maddux, who is 2-11 lifetime against them. Maddux, one of the best pitchers of this generation, played sacrificial lamb in his last game against the D-backs, keeping his team's depleted bullpen off the field for as long as possible, but allowing nine runs in severn innings. In three of his last six starts, he allowed six or more runs, something you don't expect from a 350-game winner.
Tuesday - Davis vs. Young
Davis has historically pitched well against the Padres, going 6-3 against the Friars. In July, Davis has been mediocre, losing twice with a 5.25 ERA. He had his longest outing of the season (eight innings) against the Padres at Chase Field on July 5, which was the last game Juan Cruz pitched. If Cruz returns from the DL during this series, that could help Davis. Speaking of DL, tall glass of water Chris Young returns from it Tuesday. Young spent the last several weeks healing his face after taking full brunt of a line drive off the bat of Albert Pujols. We can look forward to one of those Chris Young vs. Chris Young matchups on Tuesday and it should be interesting to see how the pitcher does after the last traumatic inning he pitched. I wouldn't necessarily say the D-backs 'own' this pitcher like they do Maddux, but Young is 1-3 with an ugly 5.08 ERA in seven career starts against them.
Wednesday - Haren vs. Baek
The rematch! Haren's last loss was to the Padres, but he pitched very well in that game. Haren won his last two games and will go for the post-All Star Game California trifecta on Wednesday. The National League's ERA leader has averaged eight strikeouts per game in July, there's no reason he shouldn't match that this week. Baek is coming off a unimpressive win against the lowly Pirates and has yet to register a victory at Petco Park this season. He gave the D-backs fits on July 4 at Chase Field, however, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. It is expected that Haren and his D-backs will take this grudge match.
Dodger Watch - I know, who cares about them, but they are too close on the radar. While the D-backs are on a 10-game road trip, the Dodgers are enjoying 10 at the Chavez Ravine. Minus the Meat Hook, the Nationals could do nothing against the home team, so the Dodgers come out of this weekend a game out of first place, still. Up next for them are three games against the hated (go to a Giants-Dodgers game in person, whew!) Giants. Hopefully, the D-backs didn't soften the Giants up too much after the shellacking they just put on them.
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now 3-2 dbacks top 3rd inning
