Diamondbacks Notes: April 28, 2009
* A CONFESSION. - I was on the mountain preserve on Monday night when the battery died on my radio with the score 1-1. I had heard Chris Snyder hit the ball that sent Ted Lilly into an apoplectic fit. Justin Upton had beat out the grounder to Aramis Ramirez at third base. Then the signal cut and I heard nothing for 45 minutes, the time it took for me to get down the mountain and to my car.
My XM Radio receiver displays the score and inning of the game. I half looked at it as I started the engine, registering the 5-1 score. While I drove a friend home, we talked over the low-set volume of the play-by-play call. Only just before I dropped him off did I understand what I was hearing.
Reflexively, I had assumed that the Diamondbacks were trailing the Cubs late in the game. Dan Haren had finally been touched up by an opponent after 26 innings of nearly immaculate pitching. On second glance, I saw the score in fact read: Arizona 5, Chicago 1, Bottom 7.
This realization produced both embarrassment and a thrill of surprise. I zipped around the corner to the bar in time to see the final innings. As I parked, I listened to -- gasp! -- batters moving runners over. And what's this, has someone just stolen a base? Oh, my.
***
Danny Haren's delivery is remarkable for its deliberate lack of violence. The way he draws set demonstrates the composure that allows him to control both his body and the pitch as he throws. My only concern is in the follow-through, as he falls off the mound and sometimes appears to jackknife his back. It's a quibble; overall Haren looks strong and durable. I am not an injury expert, but I feel comfortable about the Snakes extending his contract. He could perform well for many years.
***
Milton Bradley owns a .043 batting average on the season, according to an eighth inning screen-shot. Many of the Diamondbacks are hitting more poorly than anyone would like. From what I know, the ones who are not right physically are on the disabled list.
As calm a presence as Haren is, Bradley is a equally volatile. Were I a general manager, I would pay Bradley at rates far below what his talent alone would merit or not at all. The sentiment is not personal, except that I do not trust Bradley to stay healthy or keep his head screwed on. Pro-rate his services to account for expected games lost to injury and suspension and maybe he's worth the distraction he inevitably creates.
[On screen: Haren paints the black inside to retire lefty-hitting Bradley on strikes.]
So long as the Cubs (or Yankees or Mets or Dodgers or Giants) are out there to pay him for the 307 AB per season he's averaged in the majors since 2000, the Diamondbacks should have no such headaches. All or a part of six of Bradley's years were spent on American League rosters. Without the refuge of the designated hitter-role, he now has to play in the field or pinch hit. Does Chicago have any reason to expect he'll be worth close to the $26M they owe him through 2012?
Hm ... maybe we can interest the Cubs in Eric Byrnes.
***
If there has been another plausible No. 21 for the Cubs since Sammy Sosa, I don't remember him. For all his issues, Milton fits the number. I mean that as a compliment. ... Chris B. Young (2/5, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 SB) fanned on a Jeff Samardzija pitch at his eyes. I turned back to the TV just in time to see the hack and the radar gun reading, which was either 85 mph or 95 mph. (I could not make it out.) If that was a change-up, wow. If that was the fastball, wow. ... Samardzija is not as tall, but his frame reminds me of Randy Johnson. If he could really master two pitches and keep a third in reserve, Samardzija could be nasty in a similar way. ... To see Alfonso Soriano cross the plate on his lead-off home run gave me a 2001 World Series flashback. ... Snyder and Haren both had the look tonight. Snyder, flush from his homer, appeared visibly settled at the plate against Samardzija. The battery-mates beamed confidence as they celebrated on the mound once Haren's three called strikes finished Kosuke Fukudome and Arizona's 5-2 win. ... I'm seeking clarification as to whether Snyder wore it all night or just in the post-game interview, but I thought the Diamondbacks catcher showed a sense of humor to rock that "Nutty Buddy" t-shirt considering the unspeakable affliction he suffered in 2008. ... Jarrod Parker has been promoted to AA Mobile after only four starts for A+ Visalia. Parker's career numbers in the California League: 1-0, 19 IP, 12 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 21 K, 0.95 ERA, 0.84 WHIP. Even Upton got 32 games to work up a lather before making the same jump. So far, Parker has done nothing but impress.
3 responses to this Post, with 3 unique participants
Amazing Game
Was at the game last night and it was amazing. There were probably more Cubs fans than D-backs fans (very disappointing) and they were quick to get in my face with that lead off homer by Soriano. A four run lead shut them all up and the rest of the game most of them wouldn't even look at me, talk about poor fans. Lilly's breakdown was fun to yell about and all the stolen bases by our boys was amazing as well. I was surrounded by the Cubs fans up on the upper level and I have to say that it was one of the better games I have been to as far as the experience went.
If Only
If only the game tonight played out like that!! Oh the pain!! 10 to 1 top of the sixth sadly to say Cubs
Two in a row!
I feel spoiled!