Mark Reynolds
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Diamondbacks Notes: May 24, 2009
Justin Upton doesn't get a lot of credit for his glove because (a) his bat commands so much attention; and (b) he makes mistakes of inexperience that create the false impression he's a poor defender. But the same talent that makes him a monster at the plate is being harnessed in the field.
See here, as Upton dives for a liner in the gap, similar to a ball he'd muffed earlier in the evening.
On the first attempt, the lights of the football stadium in which the Oakland Athletics play baseball blinded him to the ball. With a second run at it, Upton was able to pluck from the air a dying drive that would have been a double or a triple against a less rangey fielder.
That sequence from Arizona's 8-7 comeback victory on Saturday night represents in microcosm Upton's rapid development. His youth and 0-for-14 after two weeks had some ticketing him for AAA. One month later, Upton is recognized as the obvious choice to bat third in the order.
The trick for the Diamondbacks is not asking...
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Diamondbacks Notes: April 22, 2009
* GAME 2 GOES TO THE ROCKIES - The Diamondbacks (5-9) are almost ready to put together a total team effort. On Tuesday night, Arizona got another worthy performance from a starting pitcher: Yusmeiro Petit (5 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, BB, 4 K). The offensive surge continued, powered by Chris B. Young, Eric Byrnes and Mark Reynolds homers. Felipe Lopez had three of the Snakes eleven hits against the Rockies (5-8).
Now if only the bullpen can do its part, the Snakes will be in business. Asked to protect a three-run lead, the relief corps instead surrendered six runs in the last four frames. The final result was a 9-6 Colorado win. On account of the loss, Arizona remains without back-to-back and series wins on the year. The Diamondbacks will try to take the rubber match this afternoon at Chase Field.
* BULLPEN BLUES - Arizona relief pitchers have been spared some scrutiny for the team's woes. This owes in part to the slow start on offense. There have been few late leads to protect, so...
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Top 5: Reasons To Be Happy About The Diamondbacks
Diamondbacks Nation has been feeling a bit frustrated about the start to the season for the Snakes.
Perhaps our expectations were too high. Our sense is that this team is capable of much more than they have consistently shown so far. But we have not lost faith.
Rather, we think the team is capable to achieve great things in 2009. We only want to see the Diamondbacks play to the true level of their abilities.
There are plenty of reasons to be happy about the Arizona Diamondbacks. Here are our Top 5 --
1. The Rotation Is Strong. The win-loss record does not show it, but the Snakes' starting pitchers have been incredible in 2009. Through thirteen games, Arizona’s rotation has made five quality starts (defined as at least six innings pitched with three runs or fewer allowed). But even when they've not met the QS-standard, the starters have kept the team in games.
Only twice in the first thirteen have the Diamondbacks starters really taken it on the chin. Those games featured...
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Game Report: Snakes v. Rockies, April 20, 2009
Winning a pitcher's duel, like the Diamondbacks did on Saturday, is great. To rally from behind on three-run bombs is a blast. Losing just sucks. There's drama in each, but we've had enough drama for awhile.
For a change, we wished for the Snakes to take control of a game and hold it through the final out. Back home on Monday night, they did just that.
***
Jon Garland did his part and got his deserved second win. Six and two-thirds innings pitched, with six hits, a pair of walks, just one earned run and five strikeouts. If Arizona gets innings like that from the back of the rotation, much else will fall into place.
Garland got help, too. Diamondbacks bats were silenced in San Francisco. Two home run calls announced their return tonight.
Mark Reynolds and Miguel Montero connected loudly on balls that cleared the outfield fence. Reynolds' lashed his into the left field stands for an early 1-0 lead. We dig the long-ball, if you’re offering.
More than that, though, we’re down...
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Melvin’s Pink Slip is Showing
Press, press, press. For two weeks now, the Diamondbacks have pressed. And for a long time before that, if we want to be honest.
Spring Training was Pressure Fest ’09. We shouldn't care about wins and losses in the Cactus League, but we couldn't help notice the way the Snakes were losing. Arizona had Mark Reynolds booting balls, Justin Upton striking out, Brandon Webb and Max Scherzer and the bullpen all not right.
That followed an off-season in which nothing went to script, from Randy Johnson’s departure to San Francisco, to Orlando Hudson’s defection to Los Angeles, to the degradation of the infield defense, to the egg-on-our-faces discovery of money for Jon Garland when Johnson and Hudson were allowed to walk to division rivals.
We understand that an arbitration offer to Adam Dunn could have been a disaster. Were he to accept, he might have commanded a salary in the eight-figure range. The team already has four starting OF and only one 1B job for Chad Tracy, Tony Clark and...
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