Random Fandom

Last night's 9-4 D-Backs loss to the Yankees was almost like the 4-2 loss the night before, only a little more amplified. D-Back pitching was a little worse (both in the starting and relief roles), as was the defense. I guess the offense wasn't worse, but didn't really improve, either. Really, though, the game could have gone differently.

I envisioned taking a stroll after the game with Doug DeVore, who grounded into an inning-ending double play in the 3rd, after the D-Backs had scored 3 runs:

ME: Doug, how many pitches had Sturtze thrown in the 3rd?
DOUG: Uh, 15?
ME: 24, Doug. And did it look like he had control?
DOUG: Maybe?
ME: No, he didn't. 4 hits, a walk, with the only out on a nice grab by A-Rod of a foul flare by Tracy.
DOUG: What about Cintron? He got a hit by swinging at the first pitch.
ME: Lucky. Cintron should've been taking there. Look, you're probably jealous of Andy Green, right? First hit in the majors, and he gets a homerun and a curtain call. Or maybe Olson? Homerun for him, too.
DOUG: Yeah, I could do that, too.
ME: Well, Green had a 2-0 pitch. Olson, well, he fouled off the first two pitches but at least worked the count back to 2-2. Tell me, Doug, do you like being in the show?
DOUG: Yeah.
ME: WELL THEN TRY TAKING A PITCH NOW AND THEN!

Look, all DeVore needed to do was get the ball into the outfield and Gonzo would've scored, making it a 5-4 game. Patience is a virtue, and one that DeVore and Hillenbrand lack in almost equal measure. Hillenbrand is the most hacktastic D-Back, at 1 walk every 19.4 at-bats, but DeVore is 2nd at 1 walk every 15.3 at-bats (sorry, couldn't find plate appearances stats instead). For what it's worth, Cintron is 3rd at 1 walk every 14.4.

Which brings us to Cintron's collapse in the 5th inning. It was nice of Cintron to make the second error so that all the fans at the stadium who couldn't watch a replay there and who missed the first error could see it again. The errors made a tight 6-3 game (which could've been even tighter) into a 8-3 blowout. My only explanation is that he was distracted by Sergio Santos' footsteps.

Kudos to Tim Olson for his first major league homerun.

I'm hopeful -- I'm always hopeful -- that the D-Backs will rebound tonight.

On an unrelated note, two MLB officials are heading to the Dominican Republic to investiage the Rosario age fiasco. ESPN has the AP story here.