azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Andrew Bagnato
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 28, 2005 12:00 AM
TUCSON - Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin set his early spring training rotation Sunday, naming Javier Vazquez to start an intrasquad game Wednesday and Russ Ortiz to pitch the exhibition opener against the Chicago White Sox Thursday in Tucson Electric Park.
Brandon Webb will face the Sox on Friday and Shawn Estes goes against them on Saturday. Vazquez will start the finale of the four-game series against the South Siders on Sunday.
Estes, who hurt his right foot when his English bulldog barreled into him, threw off a mound on Sunday and reported no problems.
"We want to see how he feels tomorrow and the next day," pitching coach Mark Davis said. "The importance of how he feels the next few days are bigger than what day he actually pitches off the mound against hitters."
Said Estes, "No problem with the foot. Everything else is feeling good."
For now, Melvin won't name a fifth starter. Five pitchers are contending for that job.
"Until we get to the games, I'm not really going to handicap that thing," Melvin said.
Wednesday's five-inning intrasquad game will start between 11 a.m. and noon at Kino Sports Complex.
Closing the deal
Closer Greg Aquino appeared to have midseason stuff in a morning batting practice session, throwing an assortment of fastballs and breaking pitches. Aquino sawed Matt Kata's bat off at the handle, producing a lot of chatter behind the batting cage.
"Greg Aquino threw very well today," Melvin said. "It's the first time I saw him extended. He's got an exploding fastball, good breaking ball, a little bit of a change-up, too. You can understand why he had some success doing what he was doing last year."
Aquino had 16 saves last year for the Diamondbacks and logged more strikeouts (26) than hits allowed (24) in 35 1/3 innings.
Melvin was also impressed with pitchers Oscar Villarreal, Brandon Lyon and Jose Valverde. Valverde hit Carlos Quentin, who wasn't hurt. Valverde, a 25-year-old right-hander, is coming back after having surgery to repair a small tear in the labrum of his shoulder.
"There weren't too many guys out there who were digging in too hard" against Valverde, Melvin said. "As far as his fastball goes, after having the surgery in the off-season he looks like everything is back. Now, granted, it takes awhile.
"The velocity was certainly there, the movement was certainly there and he actually had some control of his split-finger fastball," Melvin said.
It was no shock to see Quentin get plunked. He established a minor league single-season record last year when he was hit by pitches 43 times at Lancaster and El Paso.
Sweet swing
The Diamondbacks signed Valley resident Royce Clayton to bring a veteran presence to their infield. Melvin has been impressed with the shortstop's approach to hitting.
"He's swung the bat very well," Melvin said. "I think hitting in the (No.) 2 spot has really helped him focus on whatever the task is at hand in that particular at-bat, whether he needs to move a runner, whether there might be a hit-and-run on, whether he needs to bunt, bunt for base hits. It seems like he's more focused, and that has a lot to do with him kind of acclimating to the two-hole last year."
Clayton has a lifetime .257 batting average in 14 big-league seasons. Playing his home games in hitter-friendly Coors Field last season, he batted .279 for Colorado.
Signing for good cause
The Tucson Electric Park press box was hopping after the workout Sunday as players and coaches signed some 5,000 items, including balls, caps, photos and helmets. The items will be distributed to charities within Arizona as requests are received during the next calendar year, said Karen Conway, the club's director of community affairs. The club also will use items to raise funds for charities via online auctions.
"What we ask the guys is, give us between 15 minutes and an hour now and we won't ask you during the season, when it can be a distraction," Conway said. "That's why it looks like total chaos in here."
Short hop
Reliever Mike Koplove, an avid reader, was involved with children's reading programs at libraries in Scottsdale and Apache Junction last year and said he hopes to do the same this season.
"About half the questions from the kids are about baseball and the other half are completely off the wall," Koplove said. "I really enjoy it, and so do the kids."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/special3/articles/0228dbnb0228.html
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 28, 2005 12:00 AM
TUCSON - Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin set his early spring training rotation Sunday, naming Javier Vazquez to start an intrasquad game Wednesday and Russ Ortiz to pitch the exhibition opener against the Chicago White Sox Thursday in Tucson Electric Park.
Brandon Webb will face the Sox on Friday and Shawn Estes goes against them on Saturday. Vazquez will start the finale of the four-game series against the South Siders on Sunday.
Estes, who hurt his right foot when his English bulldog barreled into him, threw off a mound on Sunday and reported no problems.
"We want to see how he feels tomorrow and the next day," pitching coach Mark Davis said. "The importance of how he feels the next few days are bigger than what day he actually pitches off the mound against hitters."
Said Estes, "No problem with the foot. Everything else is feeling good."
For now, Melvin won't name a fifth starter. Five pitchers are contending for that job.
"Until we get to the games, I'm not really going to handicap that thing," Melvin said.
Wednesday's five-inning intrasquad game will start between 11 a.m. and noon at Kino Sports Complex.
Closing the deal
Closer Greg Aquino appeared to have midseason stuff in a morning batting practice session, throwing an assortment of fastballs and breaking pitches. Aquino sawed Matt Kata's bat off at the handle, producing a lot of chatter behind the batting cage.
"Greg Aquino threw very well today," Melvin said. "It's the first time I saw him extended. He's got an exploding fastball, good breaking ball, a little bit of a change-up, too. You can understand why he had some success doing what he was doing last year."
Aquino had 16 saves last year for the Diamondbacks and logged more strikeouts (26) than hits allowed (24) in 35 1/3 innings.
Melvin was also impressed with pitchers Oscar Villarreal, Brandon Lyon and Jose Valverde. Valverde hit Carlos Quentin, who wasn't hurt. Valverde, a 25-year-old right-hander, is coming back after having surgery to repair a small tear in the labrum of his shoulder.
"There weren't too many guys out there who were digging in too hard" against Valverde, Melvin said. "As far as his fastball goes, after having the surgery in the off-season he looks like everything is back. Now, granted, it takes awhile.
"The velocity was certainly there, the movement was certainly there and he actually had some control of his split-finger fastball," Melvin said.
It was no shock to see Quentin get plunked. He established a minor league single-season record last year when he was hit by pitches 43 times at Lancaster and El Paso.
Sweet swing
The Diamondbacks signed Valley resident Royce Clayton to bring a veteran presence to their infield. Melvin has been impressed with the shortstop's approach to hitting.
"He's swung the bat very well," Melvin said. "I think hitting in the (No.) 2 spot has really helped him focus on whatever the task is at hand in that particular at-bat, whether he needs to move a runner, whether there might be a hit-and-run on, whether he needs to bunt, bunt for base hits. It seems like he's more focused, and that has a lot to do with him kind of acclimating to the two-hole last year."
Clayton has a lifetime .257 batting average in 14 big-league seasons. Playing his home games in hitter-friendly Coors Field last season, he batted .279 for Colorado.
Signing for good cause
The Tucson Electric Park press box was hopping after the workout Sunday as players and coaches signed some 5,000 items, including balls, caps, photos and helmets. The items will be distributed to charities within Arizona as requests are received during the next calendar year, said Karen Conway, the club's director of community affairs. The club also will use items to raise funds for charities via online auctions.
"What we ask the guys is, give us between 15 minutes and an hour now and we won't ask you during the season, when it can be a distraction," Conway said. "That's why it looks like total chaos in here."
Short hop
Reliever Mike Koplove, an avid reader, was involved with children's reading programs at libraries in Scottsdale and Apache Junction last year and said he hopes to do the same this season.
"About half the questions from the kids are about baseball and the other half are completely off the wall," Koplove said. "I really enjoy it, and so do the kids."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/special3/articles/0228dbnb0228.html
