azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Players given free reign on basepaths
Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 19, 2005 12:00 AM
TUCSON - The Diamondbacks aren't built for speed, but it is manager Bob Melvin's desire to manufacture runs without simply relying on the power in the middle of the batting order, and that's why he's been giving so many players the green light on the basepaths this spring.
"If you knew how many guys have the green light, I think you'd be surprised," Melvin said before Friday's game against Colorado at Hi Corbett Field
After initially declining to give the number, Melvin relented.
"How many position players do we have left in camp?" he asked.
Told the number was 22, not counting injured shortstop Jerry Gil, Melvin replied, "Twenty-two green lights."
You wouldn't have known that by the amount of stolen bases. Through 18 games, they have attempted 11 steals and been successful seven times. The opposition, meanwhile, has recorded 17 steals in 25 attempts.
But part of the discrepancy is due to Diamondbacks players, especially young prospects, being extra cautious. Because Melvin and his staff are scrutinizing everyone on the basepaths, no one has been overzealous.
"I want to see what guys have to offer. I want to see if they can handle it right. I want to see if the pitcher is 1.7 (seconds) to the plate that they recognize it and if they think they can steal a base," Melvin said. "We're trying to make these guys think and understand the situations and prove to us that they watch it the right way.
"Spring training is about finding things out. We've got a lot of new players, I'm new here, and we want to find out about these guys."
Roster moves
The Diamondbacks reduced their roster to 43 on Friday by optioning five pitchers - Tony Peña, Edgar Gonzalez, Adam Peterson, Jason Bulger and Billy Murphy - to minor league camp.
The roster breakdown includes: 20 pitchers, four catchers, 11 infielders and eight outfielders.
Peña was optioned after pitching in relief Friday during Arizona's 5-2 loss to Colorado. The Diamondbacks want him to keep working on some flaws in his mechanics. With his departure, the competition for the fifth starter's job has been reduced to Oscar Villarreal and left-handers Brad Halsey and Michael Gosling.
Projected lineup
It isn't set in stone, but judging how things have played out, the Diamondbacks likely will roll out the following batting order on Opening Day:
Second baseman Craig Counsell will lead off, followed by shortstop Royce Clayton. The next three spots are set with left fielder Luis Gonzalez batting third, third baseman Troy Glaus fourth and right fielder Shawn Green fifth.
Center fielder Jose Cruz Jr., a switch hitter, will likely bat sixth to break up the left-handed bats of Green and first baseman Chad Tracy in the No. 7 hole. And the winner of the starting catching job, either Koyie Hill or Chris Snyder, will hit eighth.
Short hops
Veteran left-hander Donovan Osborne has decided to remain in the club's minor league camp for the next few weeks.
• Pitcher Brandon Webb offered his jersey No. 55 to veteran left-hander Shawn Estes, who accepted for the price of a new watch and a wheel cover for Webb's Hummer. Estes is wearing No. 57 but has had 55 all of his career. Webb has not decided on a new number.
• Melvin on today's game against the Mariners, the team he managed the past two seasons: "Just another game on the schedule. If it was a regular-season game, it might be a little different. I'm not even bringing Troy Glaus, for crying out loud. If I was trying overly hard (to beat them), he would be in there for nine innings."
Last Call
Grissom rounding third, but still at full speed
Get a good look at San Francisco center fielder Marquis Grissom this spring.
He won't be around forever, though it might seem as if he already has been.
Grissom, who turns 38 next month, isn't planning on retiring any time soon. But how much longer can he go on?
Now entering his 16th major league season, Grissom has played in 299 games the past two years, including playoffs.
He attributes his longevity to an off-season workout regimen that includes daily runs.
"It's attitude, No. 1," Grissom said. "You've got to want to play. After 10 years, some guys don't want to play."
At his age, few would blame Grissom for coasting during spring training. He hasn't been.
"Today, he took some of the best rounds of batting practice I've ever seen him take, and then, instead of coming to the clubhouse, he went to the batting cage," manager Felipe Alou said after one early spring practice at Scottsdale Stadium.
Alou said he would have to make sure Grissom and aging outfield mates Barry Bonds and Moises Alou get enough rest this season. Felipe Alou said Grissom almost never asks for a day off, even when he could use one.
"He believes that he's unbreakable, invincible," Felipe Alou said. "And then he drives in 90 runs and you're led to believe that he's right."
- Andrew Bagnato
D-Backs Report
At Hi Corbett Field
Rockies 5, Diamondbacks 2
Diamondbacks record: 9-9
At the plate: Arizona left its bats at Tucson Electric Park, collecting just five hits. The Diamondbacks got their two runs on a Sergio Santos sacrifice fly and a double to left by Andy Green.
On the mound: LHP Shawn Estes threw 80 pitches and battled a bit in two of his five innings, allowing four runs and six hits with four strikeouts and three walks. He twice walked leadoff man Clint Barmes and the other free pass was to Rockies starter Darren Oliver. Manager Bob Melvin said RHP Jose Valverde is getting closer to where he needs to be.
In the field: 3B Troy Glaus continues to get more reps, having started three straight games after two consecutive starts and a day off. Glaus, returning from shoulder surgery, isn't quite where he wants to be, but it's coming. He committed his team-leading fifth error Friday. C Kelly Stinnett threw out one would-be base stealer and also picked a runner off first.
He said it: ''I was telling MD (pitching coach Mark Davis), if I could take one highlight out of today's game, it's seeing (Todd) Helton buckle. Let him (Helton) know I said that, too." - Estes on freezing Rockies slugger Helton, his former teammate, on a called third strike with a curveball in the fourth inning to get out of a bases-loaded jam.
Today: Diamondbacks vs. Mariners at Peoria Sports Complex, 1:05 p.m. The Diamondbacks will start LHP Brad Halsey vs. RHP Aaron Sele.
- Bob McManaman
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/special3/articles/0319dbacksnb0319.html
Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 19, 2005 12:00 AM
TUCSON - The Diamondbacks aren't built for speed, but it is manager Bob Melvin's desire to manufacture runs without simply relying on the power in the middle of the batting order, and that's why he's been giving so many players the green light on the basepaths this spring.
"If you knew how many guys have the green light, I think you'd be surprised," Melvin said before Friday's game against Colorado at Hi Corbett Field
After initially declining to give the number, Melvin relented.
"How many position players do we have left in camp?" he asked.
Told the number was 22, not counting injured shortstop Jerry Gil, Melvin replied, "Twenty-two green lights."
You wouldn't have known that by the amount of stolen bases. Through 18 games, they have attempted 11 steals and been successful seven times. The opposition, meanwhile, has recorded 17 steals in 25 attempts.
But part of the discrepancy is due to Diamondbacks players, especially young prospects, being extra cautious. Because Melvin and his staff are scrutinizing everyone on the basepaths, no one has been overzealous.
"I want to see what guys have to offer. I want to see if they can handle it right. I want to see if the pitcher is 1.7 (seconds) to the plate that they recognize it and if they think they can steal a base," Melvin said. "We're trying to make these guys think and understand the situations and prove to us that they watch it the right way.
"Spring training is about finding things out. We've got a lot of new players, I'm new here, and we want to find out about these guys."
Roster moves
The Diamondbacks reduced their roster to 43 on Friday by optioning five pitchers - Tony Peña, Edgar Gonzalez, Adam Peterson, Jason Bulger and Billy Murphy - to minor league camp.
The roster breakdown includes: 20 pitchers, four catchers, 11 infielders and eight outfielders.
Peña was optioned after pitching in relief Friday during Arizona's 5-2 loss to Colorado. The Diamondbacks want him to keep working on some flaws in his mechanics. With his departure, the competition for the fifth starter's job has been reduced to Oscar Villarreal and left-handers Brad Halsey and Michael Gosling.
Projected lineup
It isn't set in stone, but judging how things have played out, the Diamondbacks likely will roll out the following batting order on Opening Day:
Second baseman Craig Counsell will lead off, followed by shortstop Royce Clayton. The next three spots are set with left fielder Luis Gonzalez batting third, third baseman Troy Glaus fourth and right fielder Shawn Green fifth.
Center fielder Jose Cruz Jr., a switch hitter, will likely bat sixth to break up the left-handed bats of Green and first baseman Chad Tracy in the No. 7 hole. And the winner of the starting catching job, either Koyie Hill or Chris Snyder, will hit eighth.
Short hops
Veteran left-hander Donovan Osborne has decided to remain in the club's minor league camp for the next few weeks.
• Pitcher Brandon Webb offered his jersey No. 55 to veteran left-hander Shawn Estes, who accepted for the price of a new watch and a wheel cover for Webb's Hummer. Estes is wearing No. 57 but has had 55 all of his career. Webb has not decided on a new number.
• Melvin on today's game against the Mariners, the team he managed the past two seasons: "Just another game on the schedule. If it was a regular-season game, it might be a little different. I'm not even bringing Troy Glaus, for crying out loud. If I was trying overly hard (to beat them), he would be in there for nine innings."
Last Call
Grissom rounding third, but still at full speed
Get a good look at San Francisco center fielder Marquis Grissom this spring.
He won't be around forever, though it might seem as if he already has been.
Grissom, who turns 38 next month, isn't planning on retiring any time soon. But how much longer can he go on?
Now entering his 16th major league season, Grissom has played in 299 games the past two years, including playoffs.
He attributes his longevity to an off-season workout regimen that includes daily runs.
"It's attitude, No. 1," Grissom said. "You've got to want to play. After 10 years, some guys don't want to play."
At his age, few would blame Grissom for coasting during spring training. He hasn't been.
"Today, he took some of the best rounds of batting practice I've ever seen him take, and then, instead of coming to the clubhouse, he went to the batting cage," manager Felipe Alou said after one early spring practice at Scottsdale Stadium.
Alou said he would have to make sure Grissom and aging outfield mates Barry Bonds and Moises Alou get enough rest this season. Felipe Alou said Grissom almost never asks for a day off, even when he could use one.
"He believes that he's unbreakable, invincible," Felipe Alou said. "And then he drives in 90 runs and you're led to believe that he's right."
- Andrew Bagnato
D-Backs Report
At Hi Corbett Field
Rockies 5, Diamondbacks 2
Diamondbacks record: 9-9
At the plate: Arizona left its bats at Tucson Electric Park, collecting just five hits. The Diamondbacks got their two runs on a Sergio Santos sacrifice fly and a double to left by Andy Green.
On the mound: LHP Shawn Estes threw 80 pitches and battled a bit in two of his five innings, allowing four runs and six hits with four strikeouts and three walks. He twice walked leadoff man Clint Barmes and the other free pass was to Rockies starter Darren Oliver. Manager Bob Melvin said RHP Jose Valverde is getting closer to where he needs to be.
In the field: 3B Troy Glaus continues to get more reps, having started three straight games after two consecutive starts and a day off. Glaus, returning from shoulder surgery, isn't quite where he wants to be, but it's coming. He committed his team-leading fifth error Friday. C Kelly Stinnett threw out one would-be base stealer and also picked a runner off first.
He said it: ''I was telling MD (pitching coach Mark Davis), if I could take one highlight out of today's game, it's seeing (Todd) Helton buckle. Let him (Helton) know I said that, too." - Estes on freezing Rockies slugger Helton, his former teammate, on a called third strike with a curveball in the fourth inning to get out of a bases-loaded jam.
Today: Diamondbacks vs. Mariners at Peoria Sports Complex, 1:05 p.m. The Diamondbacks will start LHP Brad Halsey vs. RHP Aaron Sele.
- Bob McManaman
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/special3/articles/0319dbacksnb0319.html
