Season thread-the road to the playoffs

[IndyDevil]

A-Rod takes a curveball from Fossum and sends it into the bullpen in LF; 5-0 Evil Empire in the 2nd.

 

[Lefty]

5-3 after 3. Cintron actually got a key rbi.

 

[Lefty]

Bench Cintron. His fielding sucks. 8-3 Yankees.

 

[Ryanwb]

Cintron has really regressed....

 

[Lefty]

Jeter whacked in the hand/wrist. Maybe he is hurt?

 

[Lefty]

I think I'm watching The Bad News Bears, not the Diamondbacks.

 

[Lefty]

Another error, this time by Shea. It's 9-3 bottom of the 7th. I need a break. This is too frustrating to watch. After tomorrow I am going back east on vacation so I won't be posting for awhile. Hopefully by the time I come back there will be more positives than negatives to talk about this team.

 

[IndyDevil]

The Bad News Bears would kick our butts right now - - I know we have become a very young team, but this lack of defense is ridiculous! How we escaped the 7th only giving up one run is amazing!

 

[Evil Ash]

Should be intersting to see how the HR hitting Yankees will match up against the knuckleballer

 

[Lefty]

1-0 Diamondbacks in the 5th.

 

[IndyDevil]

A-Rod strikes again...game tied at 1-1 in the 6th.

P.S. Thanks to the HP umpire for allowing Posada to get a batter's interference call in the 5th, even though it was Posada who initiated the contact by coming across home plate; we had runners at 1st & 3rd with one out at the time, and we came away empty. Like the Evil Empire needs the umpires to help them out....

 

[Lefty]

Brito homers for his first career home run and now Bautista doubles in Finley to make it 3-1 Diamondbacks in the bottom of the 8th.

 

[Lefty]

Diamondbacks win 6-1 over the Yankees. Brito goes 3-4 with 2 rbi's and Sparks and Dessens pitched very well. Next up Tampa Bay and winning 2 of 3 is necessary.

I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow and will try to pop in at times but if not I will be back in about 8-9 days.

 

[thirty-two]

Can someone tell me where Brito came from? Minors?

I've seen him play for a while but I haven't heard where he came from?

Zona, have fun on vacation!

 

[Evil Ash]

Glad to see the Dbacks defeat the Evil Empire even if it is only 1 game.

Hard to believe that Sparks and Dessens held that lineup to only 4 hits. I bet the Red Sox were happy about this for 2 reasons

1) Any loss by the Yankees is always loved and appreciated by them

2) Showed that the Yanks still can't hit knuckleballers (and the Red Sox have Wakefield)

 

[AZZenny]

Brito was signed this year as a minor league free agent. He was in the KC Royals system since 1997, picked up out of High School in the Dominican - he's 26 now. He only had 9 games with KC in 2002, otherwise all minor leagues. He's been a .250-.285 range hitter with occasional higher and lower spells and hits lefties far better than righties. His defense numbers have always been very solid. In Tucson he was hitting a lot of doubles and triples, and having one of his best seasons ever. (Ballpark might have helped a bit.) Noticed him in Spring Training - thought at first Barajas was back, both being very nice-looking, solidly built catchers.

 

[Ryanwb]

2) Showed that the Yanks still can't hit knuckleballers (and the Red Sox have Wakefield)

Yeah Wakefield sure came through in the playoffs last year against the Yankees.....

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Brightspot.... Cormier retired the Devil Rays in order in the top of the 1st, and then the Dbacks managed to score 3 runs in their half inning....

IMPLOSION!

The Devil Rays sent up 11-batters in the top of the 2nd, and managed 7 runs in the process....

Cormier's ML Debut pitching line...

1.1-innings
6-hits
7-runs (all earned)
1-BB
0-Ks
1-HR
47.25 ERA

21-strikes
20-balls

2-GB outs
2-FB outs

7-3 DRays after 2 1/2 innings....

Hairston though is already 2-2....

 

[Evil Ash]

Yeah Wakefield sure came through in the playoffs last year against the Yankees.....

Except for the end of game 7, he dominated them throughout the series

 

[Mojo]

I think i liked Cormier better when his name was casey diagle

 

[AZZenny]

I'm trying to figure out why he used Choate in that situation - thinly-disguised wish to be fired? Wants another reliever's arm to fall off? He said he would NOT be going to Choate, Good, or Randolph today.

And why have they called up Greg Aquino (6.59 ERA in 28.2 IP, 18 walks/17 strikeouts) when Brady Raggio is 4.67 in 44 IP, 9 walks/39 SO? Maybe they think if they bring up a guy who already can't find the strike zone, he'll metamorphose in reverse, just the way pitchers who normally have good control lose it when they get here.... Or maybe it's a plan to systematically destroy the confidence of all our young pitchers.


Madness takes its toll.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

I'm trying to figure out why he used Choate in that situation - thinly-disguised wish to be fired? Wants another reliever's arm to fall off? He said he would NOT be going to Choate, Good, or Randolph today.

And why have they called up Greg Aquino (6.59 ERA in 28.2 IP, 18 walks/17 strikeouts) when Brady Raggio is 4.67 in 44 IP, 9 walks/39 SO? Maybe they think if they bring up a guy who already can't find the strike zone, he'll metamorphose in reverse, just the way pitchers who normally have good control lose it when they get here.... Or maybe it's a plan to systematically destroy the confidence of all our young pitchers.


Madness takes its toll.

Wow, that is overwhelming that they promoted Aquino...... I suggested that on another thread that they should....Makes me wonder if the Dbacks management actually reads this message board? If so, please terminate Brenly!

Actually....everything mentioned here is interesting.....


http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/ari/news/ari_news.jsp?ymd=20040620&content_id=775883&vkey=news_ari&fext=.jsp

PHOENIX -- Another day, another roster move for the Diamondbacks. The club optioned pitcher Lance Cormier to Triple-A Tucson and called up reliever Greg Aquino from Tucson.

Cormier had his contract purchased Friday and started Saturday's game. But the right-hander struggled with his command and was pulled after allowing seven runs on six hits in 1 1/3 innings. With the club not needing a fifth starter until June 29, Cormier was sent back to Tucson where he could start on his regular turn.

"Obviously I didn't do my job to stay here," Cormier said. "I got the first [start] over with. That's always a good thing. I fell behind hitters and had to go over the middle of the plate and Major League hitters are going to hit it."

Though Aquino's overall numbers at Tucson aren't pretty -- he is 1-3 with a 6.59 ERA in 20 games -- he's given up just two earned runs in his last 9 2/3 innings.

"We felt like we needed another arm in the bullpen," Arizona manager Bob Brenly said.

This will be the first taste of the Major Leagues for the 26-year-old, who began his career in the D-Backs organization as an infielder before being converted to the mound in 1999.

"I'm so excited," he said. "[The promotion] surprised me."

When the D-Backs do need a fifth starter again, they could turn to veteran Shane Reynolds, who is currently on a rehabilitation assignment. Andrew Good is another candidate to fill the role.

Welcome back: As long as he passes his physical Sunday afternoon, Mike Fetters will once again join the D-Backs organization.

The right-handed reliever was signed to a minor league contract and will join Tucson this week. The Diamondbacks were one of several teams that watched Fetters throw last week.

"He showed real well in his tryout," Brenly said. "He hit 88-89 mph with his fastball and appeared to be in real good shape. He seems to be pretty excited to come back. Needless to say, we could use somebody with a little experience that can throw strikes, and the icing on the cake is his enthusiasm."

It will likely take a little bit of time for Fetters, who had Tommy John surgery last year, to be ready to contribute at the big league level.

Bruney throwing Monday: Reliever Brian Bruney will throw batting practice Monday and then a decision will be made regarding his status.

When he does return to action, the right-hander will pitch from the windup with the bases empty for the first time since high school. Bruney got the idea after watching the Marlins' Josh Beckett.

"I'm certainly not comparing myself in any way to Beckett, but it's something I picked up by watching him," Bruney said. "Just out of the windup I feel like he fools a lot more guys with his pitches than he does out of the stretch. I was looking for a rhythm and hopefully it will straighten out my mechanics and my breaking pitches will get better. We'll see."

Speaking of injured relievers: Oscar Villarreal will join the team on the upcoming road trip.

The right-hander will play catch at a distance of 100 feet Monday and progress from there.

Right-hander Brandon Lyon, who underwent nerve transposition surgery during the spring, has had no problems since beginning his throwing program last week.

Lyon said Sunday the plan is for him to continue to throw two consecutive days and take a day off up until July 11, when he will be re-evaluated.

"After all I've been through the past few months to go out there and feel good the first time out was nice," he said. "It went better than I thought it would."

Reliever Matt Mantei is scheduled to have surgery on his right shoulder performed by team physician Michael Lee on Thursday, though it could happen sooner if there's a break in Lee's schedule.

How long the reliever will be out for depends on how much damage there is to the rotator cuff. If there's not much damage and the labrum is in good shape, he could return in six to eight weeks. If there's significant damage to the rotator cuff or problems with the labrum, he's likely done for the year.

Cintron OK: Shortstop Alex Cintron has a case of patella tendinitis in his left knee, but it did not keep him out of the lineup Sunday.

Steve Gilbert is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

So, Fetters? He'll be promoted up probably once Choate or Koplove go on the DL.....


I guess the reasoning of bringing-up Aquino is because he's very much a part of the long-term, opposed to Raggio.....

I guess it's really complex to justify most of the Dbacks transactions now since it seems they're not headed in any definite direction at this time....

 

[AZZenny]

It appears to me they are headed in all directions at once.

But Raggio knows how to pitch at this level and can give multiple innings. Aquino will be more easily rattled - Oh, I got it! We can have him throw 6 days in a row and blow out his arm! Duh! Silly me!

Mike Fetters, Quentin McCracken - if they're going to run out and sign former Diamondbacks, why don't they go get Schilling and Miggy? We could trade Brandon Lyons, Randolph, and Shane Nance for Curt (two DLs and a lefty).

God, one of these days soon we'll have a rotation of RJ, Webb, Reynolds, Fossum, and Sparks, with Randolph, Fetters, Choate, Good, Koplove, and Villafuerte in the pen; Mayne, Hillenbrand, Alomar, Cintron, Tracy, Gonzo, Fins, Bautista; Brito, Q, Colby, Zinter, Baerga... I didn't think it was possible to be worse than we already are.

 

[IndyDevil]

15 games below .500 - - swept by the Devil Rays - - injury after injury after injury - - I guess what it comes down to is that we should finally end this thread, since our road likely leads to the Trading Block! I really believe we should get whatever value we can for certain players (Finley, Bautista, Alomar/Mantei when healthy), and just let the BabyBacks do their thing!

What a crappy day - swept by Tampa Bay, Phil double-bogeying the 71st hole in the US Open and losing by 2....ugh!!

 

[ArizonaD'Backs]

I can't believe you guys are moaning about being swept by Tampa Bay. They're on a league high 11 game winning streak, are only two games under .500, and just swept us. They're a MUCH better team than us, whether you want to admit it or not.