Baseball seems so simple if you’re not looking closely, but I’d beg to differ. Every baseball play starts with the pitcher, and pitchers are always seeking to improve their odds of defeating the batter in the box. Their weapons to do so are contained in an arsenal of pitches that they have at their disposal. But here’s the thing: for …
Continue Reading →Say this for GM Kevin Towers: he knows how to pull the trigger on a trade. The last few days have seen plenty of D-backs news that has little to do with the team’s play on the field.
On Saturday, Towers spun LOOGY Joe Thatcher and speedster Tony Campana for a modest but extremely reasonable return. Jeff Wiser broke down …
Continue Reading →Today, news broke that the Diamondbacks have traded Brandon McCarthy and cash considerations to the Yankees for Vidal Nuno. It was absolutely a good move to trade McCarthy, and to do so as soon as possible — but a terrible move to do so for Nuno, who is the least useful type of player that the D-backs could possibly …
Continue Reading →Attempting to draw up and execute an all-encompassing plan for the trade deadline is a bit like forming a battle plan while the battle is already raging. But we’re taking a run at it, because we’re good like that.
It’s a foregone conclusion that the D-backs will be sellers at the deadline this year. We know the front office has …
Continue Reading →Brandon McCarthy is allowing more than one in five of his fly balls to turn into home runs. Think about that for a second. That means when you are watching McCarthy pitch, whether at home from your TV or live in the stands, any time the ball flies off the opposing hitter’s bat, and the camera angle adjusts towards the …
Continue Reading →Building a major league roster is a lot like building a sandcastle while the tide is coming in. Focus on some positions to the detriment of others, and you’ll never complete it adequately. Take too little care in order to complete it sooner, and you’ll never win the contest. One must be methodical and effective — and also realistic about …
Continue Reading →During spring training we often hear about new workout regimens, new pitches, or some other sort of improvement from players. Brandon McCarthy was no exception as he talked about a new training regimen. McCarthy’s increased velocity this season has convinced everyone that his new training program is intense. He threw his four-seam fastball 1.21 MPH faster this April versus April …
Continue Reading →The Diamondbacks were terrible in the home run department last year. They tied for 25th in baseball in home runs hit in 2013 and were 23rd in home runs allowed. You don’t need any reminder of this if watched much D-backs baseball in last year, it was literally painful to watch. Giving up a lot of homers isn’t nearly as …
Continue Reading →Last week, we explored the performance of the Diamondbacks’ position players this season compared to their preseason projections. Never one to leave you hanging, it’s time that we apply the same methodology to the pitching staff. The necessary caveats were in the previous post, but I’ll remind the reader that these projections are updated to reflect the performances …
Continue Reading →The D-backs floated back up to 28th in ESPN’s Power Rankings this week, but as noted there, the team is still in free fall. The team scratched out a win against the Dodgers on Friday in what was a great game to watch, but still lost that series after getting swept by the Mets. Something about the sweep by New …
Continue Reading →It’s early in the season, but we can only tell ourselves this for so long. Eventually, even knowing that there are 150 more games to play becomes discomforting. Obviously, the team as a whole hasn’t been playing well and if you’ve seen and if you’ve seen any D-backs baseball lately, you’re likely all too familiar with this. With that said, …
Continue Reading →Injuries happen in baseball. That’s a given. Pitchers get hurt more frequently than hitters, which is something that we should also be very familiar with. Injuries test a team’s depth and the next man up has to be able to perform at an adequate level for a team with playoff aspirations. The Diamondbacks are one of those teams and they …
Continue Reading →In case you missed it, Ryan and I have begun contributing over at Beyond the Box Score as of three weeks ago. During our short stint there to date, we’ve published some really good stuff and I encourage you to head over there and check out our work and the writing of our saber-savvy colleagues. I’m bringing this up because …
Continue Reading →*If you’re unfamiliar with these projections, please read the Primer on Steamer Projections
The Arizona rotation did not grade out particularly well in 2013. Although Patrick Corbin had an unexpected breakout, several rotation members disappointed. Ian Kennedy pitched himself right out of a Diamondbacks uniform, Brandon McCarthy never got it together and Trevor Cahill was wildly inconsistent. Wade Miley …
Continue Reading →The Diamondbacks went 5-1 in their last six games, abusing the Orioles before gutting out a series win in Pittsburg. The Orioles series could not have had more drama, with walkoff hits in all three games by three different players. In comparison to “the walkoff series,” the wins against the Pirates were almost garden variety; and yet the Diamondbacks posted …
Continue Reading →Like many teams, Arizona is monitoring the market for potential upgrades via trade. Given the recent performance of the rotation and the imminent return of Trevor Cahill and Brandon McCarthy, the Dbacks really do not have a need for a starting pitcher. There are very few starters available who might represent an upgrade anyway. Likewise, the Dbacks do not …
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