Marlins vs. D-backs series thread

[Desert Rat]

A sweep of the paterfamilias and a two-game lead on the blue meanies and what do I do, take a vacation. Right now, I'm 12 stories above Times Square, taking a belated trip to my hometown of my first 18 years to see Shea Stadium for one last time (on Sunday). A really lite version of the pitching matchups in a series both teams need to get some W's in for their playoff hopes...

Friday - Sanchez vs Johnson

Sanchez threw a no-hitter against the D-backs once in his brief career. I don't imagine that will happen again, in fact, I think it's time for Randy to ger back on the winning track ang get #295.

Saturday - Volstad vs. Petit

Battle of the young rising star pitchers with 3.02 ERAs. What are the odds of that?

Sunday - Nolasco vs. Davis

Nolasco had 11 strikeouts last week in a rare Marlins complete game. Davis comes off a solid outing llast Tuesday against San Diego.

I'd love to dissect this preview, but the Mrs. is giving me that 'get off the laptop, we're on vacation' look, so I better put the wraps on this one. I did want to at least start the thread. Discuss.

 

[DiamondBacks5117]

this should be a tough series especially with petit and davis the last two games.

 

[Skkorpion]

this should be a tough series especially with petit and davis the last two games.

Definitely. I've been riding Nolasco in my TSN fantasy league but I dumped him because I don't want any reason to pull for him this week.

 

[Mulli]

I would just like to lodge my protest at the creepiness that is:

You must be registered for see images

.

Carry on.

 

[FArting]

I will be going to Sundays game. I have a extra ticket. The seats are in Section 205.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

I'll be there tonight - black marlins t-shirt and jupiter hammerheads hat

my boys have been really finding ways to lose games and their season has pretty much been on the line - i fully expect them to lose tonight and then loosen up and win the next 2

 

[Dback Jon]

Dbacks have never gotten a hit off of Sanchez.

 

[BC867]

Dbacks have never gotten a hit off of Sanchez.

They have now. Good to see Randy get run support and get it early.

 

[DiamondBacks5117]

I am glad that we took care of johnson he pitched to well to lose.

 

[DiamondBacks5117]

I am not trying to be biased but i thought that strike 3 call 2 dunn was way outside and a terrible call.

 

[82CardsGrad]

I am not trying to be biased but i thought that strike 3 call 2 dunn was way outside and a terrible call.

Very biased... professional hitters don't take that pitch with the bases loaded... Actually, professional hitters don't take that pitch period... Dunn knew he was completely overmatched by Rhodes and was hoping for the call... not good...

 

[just do it]

wheres Cruz? Why do guys with 4+ era's pitching the 8th & 9th innings? Melvins an idiot.

 

[DiamondBacks5117]

Very biased... professional hitters don't take that pitch with the bases loaded... Actually, professional hitters don't take that pitch period... Dunn knew he was completely overmatched by Rhodes and was hoping for the call... not good...

the situation of the game shouldn't change an umps call. The ump should also be aware that dunn has a great eye and take that into consideration if thats the case your stating.

 

[82CardsGrad]

the situation of the game shouldn't change an umps call. The ump should also be aware that dunn has a great eye and take that into consideration if thats the case your stating.

Umps call 'em as they see 'em.... They NEVER consider the eyes of a batter...
Dunn committed a cardinal sin... You don't take that pitch, period....

 

[TJ]

Raush lettin them tee off against him, then finally one goes over the fence.

 

[UncleChris]

And another quality start by RJ pissed away.....

I know we are going to lose some games, but this should have been a Randy win. We now have a couple o' real iffy games with Davis and Petit pitching.....

At least the Dodgers lost....

 

[Brian]

wheres Cruz? Why do guys with 4+ era's pitching the 8th & 9th innings? Melvins an idiot.

I swear Melvin must HATE Cruz. He even threw Lyon out there last night in a non save situation. Rauch is getting way over used. I don't have the stats in front of me but hasn't Rauch given up a run his last three outings?

I have to believe Melvin is thinking Petit won't last long, and needs Cruz to pitch long relief tomorrow. Outside of that I don't know what the hell Melvin is thinking.

The D-Backs are in a friggin pennant race for Christ's sake. Nice AB's Reynolds. Way to go.

Great job at third Chip Hale. Again. Montero is slow as hell, Drew is coming up and Lefty's hit almost 200 points higher than righties against that scrub. Good job.

Melvin reminds me of a friggin Parrot. Just repeat as told.

8th inning? Throw Rauch out there. Cruz hasn't pitched in a decade? So what.

Moron.

 

[TJ]

Ahhh the buzzsaw that is the Florida Marlins. They just have our number this season. Cross my fingers and hope Petit and Davis dont screw it up

 

[MigratingOsprey]

fun game - lots of back and forth drama - very entertaining - i was sitting next to cody ross' family, so that was kind of fun as well

 

[Dback Jon]

Umps call 'em as they see 'em.... They NEVER consider the eyes of a batter...

That's total BS,and you know it...

 

[Lefty]

Bad loss, should be up 3 games. Don't know why they can't beat the Marlins but let's hope they can hook the Marlins tonight.

I think Melvin needs to give Rauch a few days off. He looks to be a little tired.

 

[BC867]

Umps call 'em as they see 'em.... They NEVER consider the eyes of a batter...
Dunn committed a cardinal sin... You don't take that pitch, period....

'Disagree. Whether it was Ted Williams or Adam Dunn, there are some hitters so disciplined at the plate that, if they take a pitch, you know it was not a called strike.

Umps call 'em as they see them? Since when? The seniority, reputation and recent performance of batters and pitchers determines how umps call the close ones.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong. I'm saying it's the status quo. You don't pull a surprise on the home team's cleanup hitter on a marginal call.

Not at Chase Field. Not anywhere else.

 

[82CardsGrad]

'Disagree. Whether it was Ted Williams or Adam Dunn, there are some hitters so disciplined at the plate that, if they take a pitch, you know it was not a called strike.

Umps call 'em as they see them? Since when? The seniority, reputation and recent performance of batters and pitchers determines how umps call the close ones.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong. I'm saying it's the status quo. You don't pull a surprise on the home team's cleanup hitter on a marginal call.

Not at Chase Field. Not anywhere else.

Good lord you guys are entirely incapable of showing any objectivity... You referance Ted Williams... And I would agree that back in the day, umps were much more influenced by other factors - such as the reptutation of the batter...
Since that time, that dynamic has steadily disappeared. The level of intensity around the game, the degree of scrutiny (illustrated by the now impending use of replay) all make it impossible for umps to "give a call" based upon a players' reputation...

Bottom line, that pitch was very close. I could see you guys going crazy if it were truly a gross call, a pitch way outside the zone... But as far as I'm concerned, the pitched looked close enough that it could have very easily caught the outside corner. Dunn made a huge mistake and committed a cardinal sin. Professional hitters do not take that pitch. At minimum, they would have attempted to foul it off... But certainly not take it and stand there surprised to see it called a strike...

 

[BC867]

It's the plate discipline that made Adam Dunn the cleanup hitter he is. And why the D'backs have already prospered from it in a very short time.

He takes alot of pitches. 'Swings at the ones he likes, which are in the strike zone. He will have his share of strikeouts. But they are far outweighed by the gains.

Helping drive up the oppostion pitch count and letting his teammates see what the guy has, or doesn't have, that day, and not be afraid to hit with two strikes. (Something you expect from a leadoff hitter like Craig Counsell, and have not seen since.)

On base half of the time. A homerun threat all the time, taking pressure off his teammates.

All of that make all of his strikeouts much more productive than Chris Young, for example, swinging at pitches outside the strike zone or Mark Reynolds trying to hit every ball into the seats.

Or Eric Byrnes (remember him?) uppercutting every ball with his one-handed swings from his ankles to his shoulders, then looking up in the sky to follow the ball.

And, sorry to disagree with you, 82CardsGrad, but I still feel that umpires respect that and show it in their calls on borderline pitches.

Yes, I cited the most famous of them all, Teddy Baseball. It is alive and well with Adam Dunn.

As has been said recently, Manny Ramirez's numbers with LA are more dynamic, and he certainly has helped the Dodgers lineup.

But Adam Dunn has been helping the young D'backs even more. Because of the plate discipline he exhibits days after day and the respect it usually gets from the umps.

 

[Skkorpion]

The umpire didn't cost us that game.

We just lost a good, tough game against a team that seems to own us and also has a habit of making late game rallies against everybody.

Their manager's brilliant move of walking Cojack to fill the bases and bring up Dunn and Tracy back-to-back to the plate was huge. Their pitcher historically kills Dunn and did so again last night.

And Tracy is mired in a slump, showing horrible body language most of the time.

Sometimes, the other team beats you because they played better.

Hope we win tonight. It's football first for me, so I'll have to check Sportscenter late to see if we won tonight.