azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Dan Bickley
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 5, 2005 12:00 AM
Opening Day should be immune to doom and gloom.
It should also be void of aces that turn into jokers, but that's a story for another day.
So, here's the good news.
Thirty-eight minor league players were suspended under baseball's steroids policy. None was affiliated with the Diamondbacks.
Richie Sexson hit two home runs for the Mariners on Monday, and none of the 45,539 in attendance at Bank One Ballpark had any clue. Ignorance can be bliss.
When Javier Vazquez left the building, only half the spectators felt compelled to boo. Never mind the other half were Cubs fans that greatly appreciated the outing.
"They were on everything I threw today," Vazquez said. "That was a little weird."
It was weird enough that the Diamondbacks will pore over videotape of Vazquez's performance, hoping to find he was tipping his pitches.
"Those guys had 20-something hits today," Luis Gonzalez said. "They had pitchers, catchers and even batboys, it seemed, getting hits for them."
Granted, this was about the worst way to instill public confidence in a team that lost 111 games last season. The debut couldn't have been more ominous for Vazquez, the centerpiece in the trade of Randy Johnson.
The Diamondbacks had hoped that stamping Vazquez as the No. 1 pitcher would be an investment in the future. Because Vazquez was initially reluctant to come to the desert and is not locked up beyond this season, the organization thought such a gesture would breed a little loyalty.
"It certainly wasn't the way he wanted to start," manager Bob Melvin said. "It certainly wasn't the way we all wanted to start."
Indeed, and because this was supposed to be a day for celebration, a day when hope springs eternal, we need to put this in our pipe and smoke it: No matter how many games Johnson wins in New York and Vazquez loses in Arizona, it couldn't be any worse than the disastrous trade of Curt Schilling.
Gonzalez's first RBI of the season came on a savvy, two-out bunt. Just like his flare that won the World Series, it will look wonderful in the box score.
The amended version of the seventh inning stretch unveiled Monday - "...it's root, root, root for the CUBBIES!" - will be heard for only two more days.
Anything is better than the inaugural Opening Day in 1998, when the lineup featured Edwin Diaz, Brent Brede and Karim Garcia.
Unlike some of the Diamondbacks pitchers, Troy Glaus and his rehabilitated shoulder had no trouble throwing the baseball with authority.
"At least we didn't use all of our bullpen," Melvin said.
Wait, there's more.
The Cubs failed to score in the third inning. And the ninth.
Beer that once cost $5.50 is now being sold for $4, and boy, did it come in handy.
We were all treated to a spectacular infield combination of Arizona residents.
(Too bad it was Ryne Sandberg throwing out the first pitch to Mark Grace.)
No matter what the outcome, Melvin said Monday's curtain-lifter carried the excitement of a football game.
Unfortunately, so did the score.
But, hey, it was only one game. You can't win them all and it can't get any worse.
And you can look this one up: Our boys are only one game out of first place. Get the champagne on ice.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/0405bickley0405.html
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 5, 2005 12:00 AM
Opening Day should be immune to doom and gloom.
It should also be void of aces that turn into jokers, but that's a story for another day.
So, here's the good news.
Thirty-eight minor league players were suspended under baseball's steroids policy. None was affiliated with the Diamondbacks.
Richie Sexson hit two home runs for the Mariners on Monday, and none of the 45,539 in attendance at Bank One Ballpark had any clue. Ignorance can be bliss.
When Javier Vazquez left the building, only half the spectators felt compelled to boo. Never mind the other half were Cubs fans that greatly appreciated the outing.
"They were on everything I threw today," Vazquez said. "That was a little weird."
It was weird enough that the Diamondbacks will pore over videotape of Vazquez's performance, hoping to find he was tipping his pitches.
"Those guys had 20-something hits today," Luis Gonzalez said. "They had pitchers, catchers and even batboys, it seemed, getting hits for them."
Granted, this was about the worst way to instill public confidence in a team that lost 111 games last season. The debut couldn't have been more ominous for Vazquez, the centerpiece in the trade of Randy Johnson.
The Diamondbacks had hoped that stamping Vazquez as the No. 1 pitcher would be an investment in the future. Because Vazquez was initially reluctant to come to the desert and is not locked up beyond this season, the organization thought such a gesture would breed a little loyalty.
"It certainly wasn't the way he wanted to start," manager Bob Melvin said. "It certainly wasn't the way we all wanted to start."
Indeed, and because this was supposed to be a day for celebration, a day when hope springs eternal, we need to put this in our pipe and smoke it: No matter how many games Johnson wins in New York and Vazquez loses in Arizona, it couldn't be any worse than the disastrous trade of Curt Schilling.
Gonzalez's first RBI of the season came on a savvy, two-out bunt. Just like his flare that won the World Series, it will look wonderful in the box score.
The amended version of the seventh inning stretch unveiled Monday - "...it's root, root, root for the CUBBIES!" - will be heard for only two more days.
Anything is better than the inaugural Opening Day in 1998, when the lineup featured Edwin Diaz, Brent Brede and Karim Garcia.
Unlike some of the Diamondbacks pitchers, Troy Glaus and his rehabilitated shoulder had no trouble throwing the baseball with authority.
"At least we didn't use all of our bullpen," Melvin said.
Wait, there's more.
The Cubs failed to score in the third inning. And the ninth.
Beer that once cost $5.50 is now being sold for $4, and boy, did it come in handy.
We were all treated to a spectacular infield combination of Arizona residents.
(Too bad it was Ryne Sandberg throwing out the first pitch to Mark Grace.)
No matter what the outcome, Melvin said Monday's curtain-lifter carried the excitement of a football game.
Unfortunately, so did the score.
But, hey, it was only one game. You can't win them all and it can't get any worse.
And you can look this one up: Our boys are only one game out of first place. Get the champagne on ice.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/0405bickley0405.html
