2012 Arizona Diamondbacks Season Thread - July edition

[TJ]

Sweep, ok it's the stros, but ill take wins!

We did what we were supposed to do. Sweep.

The Asstros are 10-41 on the road this season and their pitching is horrific. This sweep was like getting the free spot on a bingo card.


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[devilalum]

We did what we were supposed to do. Sweep.

The Asstros are 10-41 on the road this season and their pitching is horrific. This sweep was like getting the free spot on a bingo card.


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They got swept at home by the Padres a week ago. I'm not taking anything for granted.

 

[FArting]

3 game series vs the Rockies starts tonight

We need to get above Mount 500 if we are going to make the playoffs

 

[AZ Native]

They got swept at home by the Padres a week ago. I'm not taking anything for granted.

And the Cubs

 

[Dback Jon]

Matt Williams. You suck

 

[Dback Jon]

Kennedy

 

[devilalum]

Young's heatin up. He'll probably never be consistent but he can carry the team every now and then.

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[FArting]

Giants lose to the Padres

With a win we will be 5 games back of SF

Go Dbacks

 

[FArting]

Dbacks take on the Mets 4 game series

 

[FArting]

2 disappointing losses in a row to the Rockies and Mets

 

[BC867]

2 disappointing losses in a row to the Rockies and Mets

'Still those Spring Training cockeyed lineups from day to day. 'Still trying to find a combination that works.

Hey, it's Spring Training. Won-lost record doesn't matter.

BTW, if Gibson can do it every game, I can think it every game.

Here are the starting lineups from these last two losing games.

WED.
SS DREW
3B BLOOMQUIST
LF KUBEL
1B GOLDSCHMIDT
RF UPTON
C MONTERO
CF YOUNG
2B MCDONALD

THU.
CF PARRA
2B HILL
LF KUBEL
1B GOLDSCHMIDT
RF UPTON
C MONTERO
SS DREW
3B WHEELER

At least he has settled on a heart of the batting order of KUBEL/GOLDY/UPTON/MONTERO for a while (look how long it took).

Four of our eight starters are sporadic in the batting order.

That is a lot of indecision 99 games into the season.

 

[DWKB]

'Still those Spring Training cockeyed lineups from day to day. 'Still trying to find a combination that works.

Hey, it's Spring Training. Won-lost record doesn't matter.

BTW, if Gibson can do it every game, I can think it every game.

Here are the starting lineups from these last two losing games.

WED. (against LHP Francis)
SS DREW
3B BLOOMQUIST 715 OPS vs LHP, 662 OPS vs RHP career
LF KUBEL
1B GOLDSCHMIDT
RF UPTON
C MONTERO
CF YOUNG 873 OPS vs LHP, 717 OPS vs RHP career
2B MCDONALD 653 OPB vs LHP, 587 OPS vs RHP career

THU. (against RHP Harvey)
CF PARRA 765 OPS vs RHP, 633 OPS vs LHP, career
2B HILL
LF KUBEL
1B GOLDSCHMIDT
RF UPTON
C MONTERO
SS DREW
3B WHEELER 11 PAs vs RHP, 2 PAs vs LHP, career

At least he has settled on a heart of the batting order of KUBEL/GOLDY/UPTON/MONTERO for a while (look how long it took).

Four of our eight starters are sporadic in the batting order.

That is a lot of indecision 99 games into the season.

After so many years of watching baseball, it blows my mind a little bit that you didn't recognize a simple platoon split.

 

[BC867]

After so many years of watching baseball, it blows my mind a little bit that you didn't recognize a simple platoon split.

I lived in New Jersey when the great Gil Hodges managed the '69 Miracle Mets to sweeping the first ever LCS, then sweeping the Orioles in Games 2-5 of the World Series, using a 4-position L-R platoon at 1B, 2B, 3B and RF. He had two set lineups for the year, depending upon whether a righty or lefty was starting against them. The players could count on it.

C Grote
1B Kranepool/Clendenon
2B Boswell/Weis
SS Harrelson
3B Garrett/Charles
LF Jones
CF Agee
RF Shamsky/Swoboda

If Kirk Gibson had settled upon two set batting orders early in the season, I would have recognized the simple platoon split you mention and applauded.

But we all know that his lineups are irregular from game to game and have been all season long. Kirk Gibson is no Gil Hodges. His team is underachieving, struggling to stay at .500 while the Miracle Mets overachieved.

Yes, the Mets had Seaver and Koosman leading the pitching rotation and Tug McGraw as closer, but in addition, each player on the roster knew his role and delivered on a consistent basis. That is the difference.

 

[DWKB]

I lived in New Jersey when the great Gil Hodges managed the '69 Miracle Mets to sweeping the first ever LCS, then sweeping the Orioles in Games 2-5 of the World Series, using a 4-position L-R platoon at 1B, 2B, 3B and RF. He had two set lineups for the year, depending upon whether a righty or lefty was starting against them. The players could count on it.

C Grote
1B Kranepool/Clendenon
2B Boswell/Weis
SS Harrelson
3B Garrett/Charles
LF Jones
CF Agee
RF Shamsky/Swoboda

If Kirk Gibson had settled upon two set batting orders early in the season, I would have recognized the simple platoon split you mention and applauded.

But we all know that his lineups are irregular from game to game and have been all season long. Kirk Gibson is no Gil Hodges. His team is underachieving, struggling to stay at .500 while the Miracle Mets overachieved.

Yes, the Mets had Seaver and Koosman leading the pitching rotation and Tug McGraw as closer, but in addition, each player on the roster knew his role and delivered on a consistent basis. That is the difference.

The last two games, the example you gave to the board, was a simple platoon split. CY and GP are platooning at CF and WB and RW are platooning at 3B now that Drew is back. I don't know what your comparison to the 69 Mets has to do with if Gibson was using a platoon or not honestly.

 

[BC867]

The last two games, the example you gave to the board, was a simple platoon split. CY and GP are platooning at CF and WB and RW are platooning at 3B now that Drew is back. I don't know what your comparison to the 69 Mets has to do with if Gibson was using a platoon or not honestly.

My gripe with Gibson's managing his position players is that he has used the same batting order twice this season and certainly not in a strict platoon.

Although I used the last two games (both home losses) as an example, his micromanaging change for the sake of change has been going on all season long.

Gil Hodges used two different batting orders (except for injury) in 162 games when they won it all. Gibson has used 98 different batting orders in 99 games this season. That can hardly be categorized as a simple platoon split. Calling it that camouflages the problem of our being a below .500 team when we were predicted to win the Division.

Yesterday, Gibson was asked about keeping Upton in the #5 spot in the order and said he probably would. But in the next sentence, he said he might consider changing it. I would really like to see a Manager with the courage of his convictions. If I were a D'backs player, I would want to see it even more.

I am curious, DWKB. Do you approve of the mystery lineups all season long and how the team is underachieving because of it?

 

[DWKB]

I am curious, DWKB. Do you approve of the mystery lineups all season long and how the team is underachieving because of it?

This is a leading question making your assumption that the lineup changes have been the cause of "underachieving" and then asking if I approve of that or not. It's rather silly.

The DBacks have had the second most lineups (not including pitchers) in MLB behind the Rays. The DBacks most common lineup has happened 4 times this year and that falls close to MLB average believe it or not.

The vast majority of teams have between 75-85 different lineups so far this year with the Rangers being the very low outlier. However, all the other teams that have the most wins or the most losses in their divisions fall pretty close to average.

The very phrase "different lineup" is vague in and of itself. Are we talking counting a lineup as different because one player was subbed for? Are we talking a different lineup because two players switched batting order? At what variation does this become an issue? Only BC867 has this knowledge it seems.

I still say the fact that you didn't recognize an obvious platoon change between a LHP and a RHP in consecutive days speaks volumes. If you wanted to show an example of the random lineup generator that Gibson is, you didn't choose yours very well IMO. Better to choose one that can't be easily explained. I think you've watched a lot of baseball, I think you remember a lot of baseball, but I don't think you know a lot of baseball.

 

[BC867]

This is a leading question making your assumption that the lineup changes have been the cause of "underachieving" and then asking if I approve of that or not. It's rather silly.

The DBacks have had the second most lineups (not including pitchers) in MLB behind the Rays. The DBacks most common lineup has happened 4 times this year and that falls close to MLB average believe it or not.

The vast majority of teams have between 75-85 different lineups so far this year with the Rangers being the very low outlier. However, all the other teams that have the most wins or the most losses in their divisions fall pretty close to average.

The very phrase "different lineup" is vague in and of itself. Are we talking counting a lineup as different because one player was subbed for? Are we talking a different lineup because two players switched batting order? At what variation does this become an issue? Only BC867 has this knowledge it seems.

I still say the fact that you didn't recognize an obvious platoon change between a LHP and a RHP in consecutive days speaks volumes. If you wanted to show an example of the random lineup generator that Gibson is, you didn't choose yours very well IMO. Better to choose one that can't be easily explained. I think you've watched a lot of baseball, I think you remember a lot of baseball, but I don't think you know a lot of baseball.

Then we disagree. That's what this board is for. Divergent thoughts. 'Nothing personal on my part.

 

[overseascardfan]

http://mlb.si.com/2012/07/27/red-sox-rays-diamondbacks-trade-deadline/?sct=hp_t2_a7&eref=sihp

Good article on SI that summarizes where ARZ stands this season. I agree that ARZ does need another really good SP if they want to make it to the post season, what they have now isn't going to get them there. Also, as everyone knows a 3B with some pop is what we need in addition to being able to consistantly score more than 0-2 runs a game.

Interesting take on who ARZ should get rid of should they become sellers, I was unaware that Young is a FA after next year and his $8.5M expiring salary should be a sight for management's sore eyes.

 

[82CardsGrad]

http://mlb.si.com/2012/07/27/red-sox-rays-diamondbacks-trade-deadline/?sct=hp_t2_a7&eref=sihp

Good article on SI that summarizes where ARZ stands this season. I agree that ARZ does need another really good SP if they want to make it to the post season, what they have now isn't going to get them there. Also, as everyone knows a 3B with some pop is what we need in addition to being able to consistantly score more than 0-2 runs a game.

Interesting take on who ARZ should get rid of should they become sellers, I was unaware that Young is a FA after next year and his $8.5M expiring salary should be a sight for management's sore eyes.

Uh..... yea.

 

[Gaddabout]

http://mlb.si.com/2012/07/27/red-sox-rays-diamondbacks-trade-deadline/?sct=hp_t2_a7&eref=sihp

Good article on SI that summarizes where ARZ stands this season. I agree that ARZ does need another really good SP if they want to make it to the post season, what they have now isn't going to get them there. Also, as everyone knows a 3B with some pop is what we need in addition to being able to consistantly score more than 0-2 runs a game.

Interesting take on who ARZ should get rid of should they become sellers, I was unaware that Young is a FA after next year and his $8.5M expiring salary should be a sight for management's sore eyes.

None of that is really surprising. Just a recap of stuff Piecoro has put out there over the past two months. Right now they're trying to decide if they want to hold out for something valuable in return for Drew or if they should just show him the door. Saunders has been available for a month but they're trying to drive up the market on him. Interest has been high. Chris Young will be harder to pry. They don't want to give him away.

 

[overseascardfan]

None of that is really surprising. Just a recap of stuff Piecoro has put out there over the past two months. Right now they're trying to decide if they want to hold out for something valuable in return for Drew or if they should just show him the door. Saunders has been available for a month but they're trying to drive up the market on him. Interest has been high. Chris Young will be harder to pry. They don't want to give him away.

Did not see Piecoro's article, all speculation from last couple of months will end Tuesday. Looks like ARZ has taken Upton off the market no matter what happens.

 

[TJ]

CY has been hitting much better lately, much to 82's chagrin.




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[82CardsGrad]

CY has been hitting much better lately, much to 82's chagrin.




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Clearly he's the best .220 hitter in the majors!!

 

[AZ Native]

Clearly he's the best .220 hitter in the majors!!

OUCH!!!

 

[82CardsGrad]

Dodgers beat the Giants last night. Snakes get back to .500 and are now 5 1/2 games behind the Giants. Kennedy takes the mound today and he's been back to ace quality his past 2 outings...
D-backs need to climb above .500 and stay there the rest of the way... they haven't been able to do that during the first 100 games of this season.