Diamondbacks Notes: April 14, 2009

* DO SNAKES HAVE BUTTS? - If they do, they're getting sore from yet another spanking by a visiting opponent. On Monday night it was the Cardinals who opened a three-game series by beating the Diamondbacks 2-1 at Chase Field. Starter Doug Davis pitched well and deep into the contest to finish with a line of 8 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 5 K. He took his second loss of the season despite surrendering only a pair of runs on solo homers, including a blast by monster slugger Albert Pujols.

As you can tell from the final score, pitching was not the problem for the Diamondbacks yesterday. Rather, it was the offense that failed to do its part. Arizona's bats scratched out a single run on Chad Tracy's RBI double in the fourth. Conor Jackson, who doesn't get a lot of attention for his base-running, raced around from 1B for the run. (It was the second such tally by Jackson on the season; he scored from 1B on a Chris Snyder double on Opening Day.) Monday's weak out-put continues a troubling pattern...

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Tags: Albert Pujols, Brian Barden, Carlos Quentin, Chad Tracy, Chris B. Young, Chris Snyder, Colorado Rockies, Conor Jackson, Dan Uggla, Dennys Reyes, Doug Davis, Emilio Bonifacio, Felipe Lopez, Kyle McClellan, Max Scherzer, Micah Owings, Miguel Montero, Paul Maholm, Pittsburgh Pirates, Ryan Franklin, Ryan Ludwick, Skip Schumaker, St. Louis Cardinals, Todd Wellemeyer, Tony Clark, Tucson Sidewinders, Visalia Rawhide

Series Preview: Diamondbacks v. Cardinals

* PREVIEW: ARI v. STL - The Diamondbacks (2-4) have had a disappointing start to the season, dropping back-to-back series with division rivals Colorado and Los Angeles. Arizona will have to improve its home-cooking to prevent falling further off the pace with the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals (5-2) coming to town for a three-game series.

Notwithstanding their fine record (compiled against the lowly Pirates and Astros), the Cardinals do have some questions of their own, primarily on the pitching staff.  Against the Snakes, St. Louis is slated to throw a so-so trio of starters: converted reliever Todd Wellemeyer, Tommy John-returnee Chris Carpenter, and the unimpressive Joel Pineiro. Only Carpenter has ever been the type to strike fear into the hearts of opposing batters; it will take more than a win over the lowly Pirates to persuade us he's back. Wellemeyer and Pineiro are the sort of classic cast-offs with which pitching coach Dave Duncan likes to work.

Duncan asks his...

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Tags: Albert Pujols, Anthony Reyes, Chris Perez, Colby Rasmus, Colorado Rockies, Dave Duncan, Doug Davis, Jason Motte, Joel Pineiro, Jon Garland, Los Angeles Dodgers, Max Scherzer, Pittsburgh Pirates, Ryan Ludwick, St. Louis Cardinals, Todd Wellemeyer