Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 1616
Location: clawing my eyes out, praying for sleep. booyah.
Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 1:56 pm Post subject:
Sure, things look bleak, but overall I'm still pretty happy with how this postseason shaped up. We slaughtered the Cubs (and I got to go to game 2 of that series with my dear old dad, which was cool), and then we ran into a very hot team. It happens. I didn't think AZ would make it to the playoffs this year anyway (was hoping for a .500 team). But we made it a year ahead of schedule, and next year we're just going to be better. This team did a hell of a job this year, and if this is as far as they make it, I think they should be proud of what they accomplished and very optimistic about the near future.
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Hank, you're dead to me.
On Micah Owings, at this point you have to start wondering if he can play 3rd base?
Granted, Owings has some serious holes in his pitching repertoire, but you want to convert a 6'5" SP - on a team thin at SP, no less - who just put up a 109 ERA+ to third base beginning with his age-25 season?
Sure, things look bleak, but overall I'm still pretty happy with how this postseason shaped up. We slaughtered the Cubs (and I got to go to game 2 of that series with my dear old dad, which was cool), and then we ran into a very hot team. It happens. I didn't think AZ would make it to the playoffs this year anyway (was hoping for a .500 team). But we made it a year ahead of schedule, and next year we're just going to be better. This team did a hell of a job this year, and if this is as far as they make it, I think they should be proud of what they accomplished and very optimistic about the near future.
Funny, I've been thinking about how much the NLCS D-backs resemble the NLDS Cubs at the plate. The NLCS, thus far, feels more like the D-backs beating themselves than it does the Rockies doing much more than sitting there, not screwing up too much, and watching the slo-mo car wreck happen in front of their eyes.
Colorado isn't playing great baseball; they're just not playing stupid baseball.
Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 800
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 2:26 pm Post subject:
McCray wrote:
Sure, things look bleak, but overall I'm still pretty happy with how this postseason shaped up. We slaughtered the Cubs (and I got to go to game 2 of that series with my dear old dad, which was cool), and then we ran into a very hot team. It happens. I didn't think AZ would make it to the playoffs this year anyway (was hoping for a .500 team). But we made it a year ahead of schedule, and next year we're just going to be better. This team did a hell of a job this year, and if this is as far as they make it, I think they should be proud of what they accomplished and very optimistic about the near future.
I completely agree. We were hoping for .500--we got a division pennant, and we got a lot of youngsters a lot of playing time. Upton and Drew--the "future stars"--have both made some bonehead plays this year, and they've struggled at the plate--nothing unexpected. Reynolds has been very streaky at the plate, which is to be expected given the jump from AA. These guys are only going to get better because of this experience.
But despite all that, if another team from the west has to go to the World Series, I'm glad it's Colorado.
Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 1616
Location: clawing my eyes out, praying for sleep. booyah.
Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 2:35 pm Post subject:
Robert S. wrote:
Funny, I've been thinking about how much the NLCS D-backs resemble the NLDS Cubs at the plate. The NLCS, thus far, feels more like the D-backs beating themselves than it does the Rockies doing much more than sitting there, not screwing up too much, and watching the slo-mo car wreck happen in front of their eyes.
Colorado isn't playing great baseball; they're just not playing stupid baseball.
I agree with the first sentiment -- how the NLCS Dbacks resemble the NLDS Cubs at the plate -- but I don't feel the Dbacks are beating themselves. Sure, they're making some dumbass mistakes, but those are to be expected. Those are our growing pains as a young team. Unfortunate that they have to happen on such a big stage as October baseball, but oh well.
However, I don't want to diminish what the Rockies are doing. Quite simply, from the first pitch of the first game, the Rockies have looked like the better team. They've thrown the ball better, hit the ball better, and caught the ball better. I don't think the Dbacks are beating themselves; I think the Rockies are beating the Dbacks, and the Dbacks just aren't putting up quite as good of a fight as we'd all hoped. But there's still time to turn it around.
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Hank, you're dead to me.
McCray I agree with pretty much all that you've said. This team is giving us more than we expected, so we shouldn't complain but it's human nature to complain when things aren't going your way.
I may piss and moan about our offense on the gameday blogs, and it's hard to watch a team go cold at the exact wrong time, but there aren't many players I'd be wanting to swap out.
If you look at our position players, who do you "want" to get rid of? I mean who is a weak spot where you can't blame youth? (and since were stuck with Byrnes there's no need to debate that one)
I'd like to get 1 more solid SP and a bit more quality in the BP and I'm a happy camper looking at next year. It'd be great to get an ARod type, but it's sort of cool watching the FO put together a strong team on a budget.
Like what's been mentioned about Owings previously, his numbers are pretty solid for a #4 or #5 on most teams (even minus the stick) and this is his first year.
At this point guys, this is all gravy. No one ever expected anything near what they have been able to do. I am thrilled they continue to be in the postseason- it's just more experience for the future.
BTW- next year if they reach postseason, none of the announcers can drone on endlessly about nobody having any experience. This will just make them stronger.
We should all just sit back and enjoy the ride they are providing us
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"There is NO crying in baseball"
Tom Hanks- "A League of Their Own"
Gorfo57 wrote:
On Micah Owings, at this point you have to start wondering if he can play 3rd base?
Granted, Owings has some serious holes in his pitching repertoire, but you want to convert a 6'5" SP - on a team thin at SP, no less - who just put up a 109 ERA+ to third base beginning with his age-25 season?
No Robert. Just for game 3 of this series.
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Gorfo57
Go D-Backs!
Anybody, Anytime!!
Beat the Rockies!!!
At this point guys, this is all gravy. No one ever expected anything near what they have been able to do. I am thrilled they continue to be in the postseason- it's just more experience for the future.
BTW- next year if they reach postseason, none of the announcers can drone on endlessly about nobody having any experience. This will just make them stronger.
We should all just sit back and enjoy the ride they are providing us
Gravy relative to pre-season expectations? I can buy that. Gravy now, though? No. You never know what's going to happen to a team. Just ask these guys or these guys.
"I think we're a good team. I also don't think the Rockies have outplayed us, because they haven't. Not even close," said Eric Byrnes. "They've had a little luck go their way. Definitely the ball has bounced in their direction. They've been the beneficiary of some calls."
There is some evidence to support those claims. The Rockies have had several close plays, including an umpire's call, go their way.
In Game 1, there was Justin Upton's interference call and Matt Holliday's slow roller, a ball that was foul before making a right turn and hitting the third-base bag. In Game 2, Yorvit Torrealba dropped a single on the right-field foul line, and Ryan Spilborghs' slow roller turned into a hit that started Colorado's rally in the 11th inning.
The Diamondbacks have had shortcomings, including a handful of fundamental mistakes and a glaring inability to hit with runners in scoring position (2 for 14).
And the Rockies have made all the big plays, including Willy Taveras' stunning catch of a Tony Clark fly ball in Game 2.
Nick Piecoro
"You know what's fantastic is that we still have at least a couple more games to play," Clark said. "The sun came up this morning. Our plane arrived safely. My wife and my kids love me. I've got nothing not to be optimistic about."
Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com
_________________ ELIMINATE THE ROCKS!
Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 800
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 12:09 am Post subject:
TAP wrote:
"You know what's fantastic is that we still have at least a couple more games to play," Clark said. "The sun came up this morning. Our plane arrived safely. My wife and my kids love me. I've got nothing not to be optimistic about."
Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com
What a great quote--wouldn't expect anything less from TC.
"You know what's fantastic is that we still have at least a couple more games to play," Clark said. "The sun came up this morning. Our plane arrived safely. My wife and my kids love me. I've got nothing not to be optimistic about."
Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com
What a great quote--wouldn't expect anything less from TC.
I agree, when I read that on MLB.com I thought that was one of the better quotes I've ever read, however I still wish CoJack got more playing time at first.
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Larry Vanover Cheats
Which team has hit the ball hardest in the first two games of the NLCS? It's not even close – the Diamondbacks have 21 well-hit balls in their 73 at-bats, for a .288 well-hit average. The Rockies have hit only six balls on the button in the two games. Their team well-hit average is .085 (6-for-71).
...
Four of the five extra-base hits belong to Arizona. Neither club has homered yet in the series, but that can change with series moving to Coors Field.
Eric Byrnes is right. Anyone who watched the two games will tell you that the Rockies have basically sucked offensively. Doug Davis has as many extra base hits as the entire Rockies lineup over the last two games, for fk's sake. The Rockies have been more efficient when they've had their runners on base. Their "big" innings were: the inning in which they scored 3 runs off Webb, on a bunch of bloops and grunts, including 2 out single by Hawpe on a hanging curve; the inning where Helton scored off Davis after Reynolds let the ball go between his legs, and then Torrealbla's flair caught the chalk; and the inning where Spilborgh reached on a foul ball that curved fair and hit the 3b bag... after which Valverde lost the strike zone. The Rockies have indeed been about as lucky as a team can be to score runs the last two games, considering how pathetic they've been at the plate. And yes, the Dbacks have been quite unlucky. It's just the cold reality. You can rip Byrnes for saying it, and he probably should've been keeping quiet, since his struggles in his at bats have nothing to do with luck and everything to do with his suckitude, but basically, Byrnes is right.
If there's one reason for optimism: luck evens out in the end. All the Dbacks can do is continue grinding. Hopefully they can win tonight...
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Shoewizard is my Daddy
Another thing, looking at the scouting report above, these three players have struggled against Fogg:
Quote:
Diamondbacks hitters who could struggle
Mark Reynolds Is hitless in 8 at-bats against Fogg this season. Reynolds is 0-for-4 against both Fogg's fastball and non-fastballs.
Chris Snyder He's 0-for-6 lifetime with three strikeouts against Fogg and has missed every off-speed pitch that he's swung at in his career against him (5-of-5).
Conor Jackson Is 3-for-13 lifetime against Fogg and has yet to hit his fastball hard in their career matchups (none well-hit in nine swings).
Snyder and Jackson won't be in the lineup tonight, and hopefully Clark and Montero can punish the fogger. It would've been great to have Tracy tonight
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Shoewizard is my Daddy
I agree. I think there have been a number of times this season where Tracy could have really helped this team.
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Arizona Diamondbacks - 2007 NL West Champions
Reynolds has to back off the throttle with his swing and make an effort to control the strike zone to produce some quality ABs. Has had a healthy case of homerunitis and has been swinging at virtually everything out of the pitcher's hand.
If D-Backs catchers call for one more 2 strike pitch to Brad Hawpe low and away today, I might just turn the TV off. He patiently sits looking for pitches in that location and it becomes little more than batting practice for him when they continue to do so in 2 strike counts to him. They need to bust him inside, underneath the hands with a pitch in the strike zone once they get to a 2 strike count on this guy. Make him beat you on a pitch somewhere else for once.
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Gorfo57
Go D-Backs!
Anybody, Anytime!!
Beat the Rockies!!!
... it's not the team from Colorado I'm worried about. It's the team from Arizona. And it's about time they find their bats and their swagger, or this series just ended.
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