azdad1978
Championship!!!!
No way to replace Sexson
By Scott Bordow, Tribune Columnist
Last year, the Diamondbacks finished 10th in the National League in runs scored. This year, they’re fourth. Last year, Arizona was 12th in home runs. This year, it’s fifth. How can the Diamondbacks replace first baseman Richie Sexson?
Isn’t it obvious? They can’t. With all due respect to Luis Gonzalez, Sexson was the hitter the Diamondbacks could least afford to lose, the screamer in a lineup of soft talkers. Without him, Arizona is again the punchless bunch that scored three runs or less in 78 games last year. Its record in those games: 18-59.
The Diamondbacks not only will crave Sexson’s production the next four to six weeks — entering Friday’s games, he was tied for second in the NL in homers (9) and RBIs (22) — they’ll long for his protection.
Gonzalez had become reacquainted with the fastball this month because pitchers didn’t want to walk him and have to face Sexson. But with Sexson out, Gonzalez might not see another fastball until June.
Shea Hillenbrand will make the first imprint in Sexson’s footprints, both at first base and the clean-up spot. It’s not a natural fit, but what other choice did manager Bob Brenly have?
Gonzalez? Sure, the move would have given him the chance to rest his ailing right elbow. But Gonzalez has played five games at first base his entire career, the last time in 1997 with Houston. He might allow more passed balls there than Hillenbrand.
Besides, if Gonzalez tries on a first-base glove, who plays left field? Donnie Sadler? Doug DeVore? There’s not a David Dellucci waiting in the wings, so best to let Gonzalez stay put.
Messing with rookie Chad Tracy’s head would have been counterproductive as well. The kid was hitting .429 before Friday’s game in Philadelphia. You don’t fool with that.
"Ultimately I think Chad’s done a nice job for us at third base," Brenly said. "He looks to be real comfortable over there defensively. And rather than rattle two or three different cages, we’ll just rattle one."
This is Hillenbrand’s chance to wipe clean a miserable April. He’s batting .184, with three homers and eight RBIs, and Tracy has stolen his job and the fans’ hearts. Hillenbrand, meanwhile, has become the fans’ favorite whipping boy, hearing the boos once reserved for Matt Williams.
Hillenbrand is a productive major league hitter, though — a career average of .280 coming into this season — and should put up decent numbers playing every day.
"We’d like to get him in there and get him some atbats and hopefully get him rolling," Brenly said, "because we know what he’s capable of doing swinging that bat."
The problem, of course, is that even at his best, Hillenbrand isn’t Sexson. Sexson hit 47 homers last year; Hillenbrand has 50 over the last three seasons.
The Diamondbacks were able to weather seemingly catastrophic injuries to Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling last season. Now they have to tread water without Sexson — while playing a brutal May schedule that features a 13-game, 13-day road trip.
For Arizona, April may indeed be the cruelest month.
By Scott Bordow, Tribune Columnist
Last year, the Diamondbacks finished 10th in the National League in runs scored. This year, they’re fourth. Last year, Arizona was 12th in home runs. This year, it’s fifth. How can the Diamondbacks replace first baseman Richie Sexson?
Isn’t it obvious? They can’t. With all due respect to Luis Gonzalez, Sexson was the hitter the Diamondbacks could least afford to lose, the screamer in a lineup of soft talkers. Without him, Arizona is again the punchless bunch that scored three runs or less in 78 games last year. Its record in those games: 18-59.
The Diamondbacks not only will crave Sexson’s production the next four to six weeks — entering Friday’s games, he was tied for second in the NL in homers (9) and RBIs (22) — they’ll long for his protection.
Gonzalez had become reacquainted with the fastball this month because pitchers didn’t want to walk him and have to face Sexson. But with Sexson out, Gonzalez might not see another fastball until June.
Shea Hillenbrand will make the first imprint in Sexson’s footprints, both at first base and the clean-up spot. It’s not a natural fit, but what other choice did manager Bob Brenly have?
Gonzalez? Sure, the move would have given him the chance to rest his ailing right elbow. But Gonzalez has played five games at first base his entire career, the last time in 1997 with Houston. He might allow more passed balls there than Hillenbrand.
Besides, if Gonzalez tries on a first-base glove, who plays left field? Donnie Sadler? Doug DeVore? There’s not a David Dellucci waiting in the wings, so best to let Gonzalez stay put.
Messing with rookie Chad Tracy’s head would have been counterproductive as well. The kid was hitting .429 before Friday’s game in Philadelphia. You don’t fool with that.
"Ultimately I think Chad’s done a nice job for us at third base," Brenly said. "He looks to be real comfortable over there defensively. And rather than rattle two or three different cages, we’ll just rattle one."
This is Hillenbrand’s chance to wipe clean a miserable April. He’s batting .184, with three homers and eight RBIs, and Tracy has stolen his job and the fans’ hearts. Hillenbrand, meanwhile, has become the fans’ favorite whipping boy, hearing the boos once reserved for Matt Williams.
Hillenbrand is a productive major league hitter, though — a career average of .280 coming into this season — and should put up decent numbers playing every day.
"We’d like to get him in there and get him some atbats and hopefully get him rolling," Brenly said, "because we know what he’s capable of doing swinging that bat."
The problem, of course, is that even at his best, Hillenbrand isn’t Sexson. Sexson hit 47 homers last year; Hillenbrand has 50 over the last three seasons.
The Diamondbacks were able to weather seemingly catastrophic injuries to Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling last season. Now they have to tread water without Sexson — while playing a brutal May schedule that features a 13-game, 13-day road trip.
For Arizona, April may indeed be the cruelest month.
