azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Dan Zeiger, Tribune
TUCSON - The Diamondbacks’ clubhouse at Tucson Electric Park looked like a hurricane — or at least an eager group of Merry Maids — had hit it on Wednesday.
Lockers quickly emptied and nameplates were removed as players packed up and prepared to hit Interstate 10 to head to the Valley. After 15 days of practice and 31 Cactus League games, Arizona broke camp.
"It’s good to head out of here," manager Bob Melvin said. "The last week of camp always drags. Five days ago, a lot of these guys already felt they were ready to go."
The D-Backs did have a game on Wednesday, and they looked like a team with its eyes due north, losing 14-0 to the Chicago White Sox.
Javier Vazquez, making his last appearance before starting for Arizona on opening day, allowed nine hits and nine runs in five innings. He served up three home runs, including a shot by Carl Everett that landed on Forgeous Avenue, way beyond the right-field fence.
"I’m ready for the season," Vazquez said. "This was a day that felt like the last day of the season when you’re not going to the playoffs, and you have to pitch on that last day."
Melvin expressed no concern about Vazquez.
"He got his work in. He’s fine," said Melvin, who gave most of his regular position players two at-bats before removing them from the game. "It was almost like a getaway day. It was a tough concentration day."
Arizona has four exhibition dates remaining.
It splits the squad today for games against the Chicago Cubs in Mesa and the Boston Red Sox at Bank One Ballpark. Boston is the opponent on Friday at BOB. The spring slate concludes with a Saturday game against the Texas Rangers at Albuquerque, N.M.
BULLPEN HELP?
Arizona is still exploring trade possibilities for relief pitching, but general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said the team will not get "caught in the mentality" that it has to make a deal by opening day.
"I can’t tell you the number of players we’ve looked at and have been offered that, when we’ve sat down and analyzed them, found they aren’t better than what we have," Garagiola said.
The members of the bullpen — closer Greg Aquino, Randy Choate, Mike Koplove, Brandon Lyon, Brian Bruney and Oscar Villarreal — are set. Jose Valverde (irritation in right biceps tendon) will start the year on the 15-day disabled list.
"We just have to find roles there in the next few days," Melvin said.
NO PRESSURE
Michael Gosling, one of two candidates for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation, makes his final spring outing today against Chicago. Melvin said he expects to name the winner — either Gosling or fellow lefthander Brad Halsey — on Friday.
Gosling, a 24-year-old, said the competition has not made him lose sleep.
"I try to look at the big picture, and that is pitching a long time in the big leagues," Gosling said. "While I want to do all I can to make the team out of spring training, if I don’t, it’s not the end of the world."
After a rough outing earlier this spring, Gosling made mechanical and attitude adjustments and has a 3-1 record and 3.44 ERA. Halsey’s ERA rose to 4.50 after his first subpar performance of the spring on Tuesday.
"I’m proud of both of them," Melvin said. "They’ve pitched well under a lot of pressure. They always say you don’t need five starters, you need six or seven, and either one would be great for us to have in reserve."
BEHIND THE PLATE
Koyie Hill will be the starting catcher in the regularseason opener on Monday, Melvin said. He did not say on how he plans to split playing time between Hill and Chris Snyder.
SHORT HOPS
Catcher Robby Hammock, who was designated for assignment and waived by Arizona in February, will likely sign a minor-league deal with the team.
Hammock, who underwent surgery to repair a labrum in his shoulder, will not resume baseball activities until June. . . .
The D-Backs’ spring attendance for 15 home contests at TEP was 107,301. That is down more than 8,000 from 2004 and the lowest figure since 2000, when 97,261 came through the turnstiles.
AT A GLANCE
White Sox 14, D-Backs 0 Notable pitching: Javier Vazquez allowed nine hits and nine earned runs with five walks, five strikeouts and three home runs in five innings. Randy Choate gave up five hits and four earned runs in an inning. Brandon Lyon and Brian Bruney threw a scoreless frame each.
Notable hitting: Not much. Left fielder Scott Hairston, who will start the season at Class AAA Tucson, went 2-for-2. Left fielder Luis Gonzalez went 1-for-2 with a double and hard lineout to second base.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=38828
TUCSON - The Diamondbacks’ clubhouse at Tucson Electric Park looked like a hurricane — or at least an eager group of Merry Maids — had hit it on Wednesday.
Lockers quickly emptied and nameplates were removed as players packed up and prepared to hit Interstate 10 to head to the Valley. After 15 days of practice and 31 Cactus League games, Arizona broke camp.
"It’s good to head out of here," manager Bob Melvin said. "The last week of camp always drags. Five days ago, a lot of these guys already felt they were ready to go."
The D-Backs did have a game on Wednesday, and they looked like a team with its eyes due north, losing 14-0 to the Chicago White Sox.
Javier Vazquez, making his last appearance before starting for Arizona on opening day, allowed nine hits and nine runs in five innings. He served up three home runs, including a shot by Carl Everett that landed on Forgeous Avenue, way beyond the right-field fence.
"I’m ready for the season," Vazquez said. "This was a day that felt like the last day of the season when you’re not going to the playoffs, and you have to pitch on that last day."
Melvin expressed no concern about Vazquez.
"He got his work in. He’s fine," said Melvin, who gave most of his regular position players two at-bats before removing them from the game. "It was almost like a getaway day. It was a tough concentration day."
Arizona has four exhibition dates remaining.
It splits the squad today for games against the Chicago Cubs in Mesa and the Boston Red Sox at Bank One Ballpark. Boston is the opponent on Friday at BOB. The spring slate concludes with a Saturday game against the Texas Rangers at Albuquerque, N.M.
BULLPEN HELP?
Arizona is still exploring trade possibilities for relief pitching, but general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said the team will not get "caught in the mentality" that it has to make a deal by opening day.
"I can’t tell you the number of players we’ve looked at and have been offered that, when we’ve sat down and analyzed them, found they aren’t better than what we have," Garagiola said.
The members of the bullpen — closer Greg Aquino, Randy Choate, Mike Koplove, Brandon Lyon, Brian Bruney and Oscar Villarreal — are set. Jose Valverde (irritation in right biceps tendon) will start the year on the 15-day disabled list.
"We just have to find roles there in the next few days," Melvin said.
NO PRESSURE
Michael Gosling, one of two candidates for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation, makes his final spring outing today against Chicago. Melvin said he expects to name the winner — either Gosling or fellow lefthander Brad Halsey — on Friday.
Gosling, a 24-year-old, said the competition has not made him lose sleep.
"I try to look at the big picture, and that is pitching a long time in the big leagues," Gosling said. "While I want to do all I can to make the team out of spring training, if I don’t, it’s not the end of the world."
After a rough outing earlier this spring, Gosling made mechanical and attitude adjustments and has a 3-1 record and 3.44 ERA. Halsey’s ERA rose to 4.50 after his first subpar performance of the spring on Tuesday.
"I’m proud of both of them," Melvin said. "They’ve pitched well under a lot of pressure. They always say you don’t need five starters, you need six or seven, and either one would be great for us to have in reserve."
BEHIND THE PLATE
Koyie Hill will be the starting catcher in the regularseason opener on Monday, Melvin said. He did not say on how he plans to split playing time between Hill and Chris Snyder.
SHORT HOPS
Catcher Robby Hammock, who was designated for assignment and waived by Arizona in February, will likely sign a minor-league deal with the team.
Hammock, who underwent surgery to repair a labrum in his shoulder, will not resume baseball activities until June. . . .
The D-Backs’ spring attendance for 15 home contests at TEP was 107,301. That is down more than 8,000 from 2004 and the lowest figure since 2000, when 97,261 came through the turnstiles.
AT A GLANCE
White Sox 14, D-Backs 0 Notable pitching: Javier Vazquez allowed nine hits and nine earned runs with five walks, five strikeouts and three home runs in five innings. Randy Choate gave up five hits and four earned runs in an inning. Brandon Lyon and Brian Bruney threw a scoreless frame each.
Notable hitting: Not much. Left fielder Scott Hairston, who will start the season at Class AAA Tucson, went 2-for-2. Left fielder Luis Gonzalez went 1-for-2 with a double and hard lineout to second base.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=38828
