Snake Bytes: 09/06 - Cy Young Robbie Ray

Diamondbacks News

[AZ SnakePit] Diamondbacks 4, Mariners 10: Swept out to sea

Our own Imstillhungry95 did yesterday’s neat and slick guest recap. Ish was emotionless, just like our own D-Backs who fail to bring joy to the hearts of the few diehard fans that keep on watching games. The only thing we have left is that banner we all look up at 200 times each game.

[AZ Central] Extra innings, another loss as Diamondbacks swept by Mariners

Nick Piecoro obviously loved my article since he writes “there was a time this season when right-hander Taylor Clarke might have been the Diamondbacks’ most reliable reliever”. But I think I will have a hard time qualifying those 10 earned runs in 13 games as an outlier. “He’s just trying to place the baseball instead of throwing it”, says Torey Lovullo. That is a kind way of explaining that Clarke is delivering meatballs nowadays in “Casa della Chase”. If Torey were an Italian gangster, I’d be concerned if he gives a remark like “figure out the best solutions moving forward” with Clarke. But in D-Backs baseball it probably means nothing more than that he can serve meatballs in Reno’s buffet.

[DBacks.com] Comeback foiled as D-backs fall in extras

That’s one nice way to put it, Steve. I think the Mariners put the Snakes in the blender and just kept on blending although we were already mashed to pulp to the power of 10.

But you should know that we had a chance to win the game though. Andy Young was on third with one out in the 10th. Said Torey Lovullo: “it wouldn’t require, necessarily, a hit to score that runner”. Walker struck out, obviously, and Josh Rojas popped up. It wasn’t required, so the D-Backs didn’t do it. But the runner still didn’t score. Crazy, man.

[Arizona Sports] D-backs bullpen falls apart in 11th as Mariners finish 3-game sweep

The bullpen began to falter with Toro in the ring. I am sure this was meant to be.

[AZ Central] Diamondbacks call up outfielder Henry Ramos two days after brawl in Triple-A

Henry Ramos was called up before yesterday’s game against the Mariners while Stuart “thick leggs” Fairchild was sent down yet again. The 29-year old former BoSo prospect is hitting .371/.439/.582 in Triple A this season, so the call-up shouldn’t be a big surprise.

He got his first major league hit ever yesterday, but it seems more people were talking about his behaviour in Reno the other day, where he gave “pimping a homerun” a whole different dimension. Said Torey: “He was hit the day before the incident [...] by a 99 mph fastball on his right shoulder. He made up his mind [...] that if he was able to hit a home run he was going to enjoy it.” Weird way of enjoying.

Around The MLB

[MLB Trade Rumors] Blue Jays Hopeful Of Retaining Marcus Semien, Robbie Ray

I don’t know what is worse: Robbie Ray being a Cy Young candidate or him being in line for a $100MM+ contract. I have looked at Robbie’s stats these past few months with agony and wondered what the heck happened. Is this 2017 Robbie Ray and a fluke? Or is this the real Robbie Ray? Nick Piecoro actually wrote an article about it the other day on AZ Central, which is behind a paywall, but I can share a couple of snippets since we, Europeans, can peak at it without any restriction at all:

Said Mike Hazen as quoted by Nick Piecoro: “it’s frustrating from a team standpoint that it happened there and not here.”

Hazen said he isn’t sure what the Blue Jays have done to harness Ray’s strike-throwing ability, but he called it something he hopes the Diamondbacks can learn from and improve upon in the future.

“We do that with every player that leaves the organization,” Hazen said. “We follow, we watch. Those are some of the self-assessments we’re required to do. We can’t just chalk it up and say, ‘Oh well, it didn’t work here.’

“And I don’t buy into the ‘change-of-scenery’ stuff. Could it happen? Sure. Is it mentally freeing to go someplace and start over? I’m sure. But it’s not just that. There’s other reasons. There’s usually other things that we’re doing from a structure or coaching standpoint.

“Those are the lessons we need to learn and apply. You can’t have that happen often and be a good team, not with somebody with that type of skill.”

[...]

Looking back, Herges, whose first year with the team was in 2020, wishes he had spent more time with Ray trying to understand the reasons behind Ray’s mechanical changes.

[MLB Trade Rumors] Dodgers Place AJ Pollock On 10-Day Injured List

In these dark times we all need something to cheer about. Pollock has a Grade 2 strain, and will miss “two, three weeks at a bare minimum”.

[CBS Sports] Giants retake NL West lead over Dodgers with season series-clinching victory

Yes, keep on pounding. More to cheer about. Giants bullpen > Dodgers bullpen.

[ESPN] Concession workers at San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park vote to strike

Concession workers at the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park on Saturday voted overwhelmingly to strike, citing concerns over COVID-19 safety and health coverage. At least 20 concessions workers have contracted COVID-19 since the stadium reopened this season.

[CBS Sports] MLB’s undesirable record book: Looking at baseball’s worst marks as Orioles avoid historic losing streak

Yes, the D-Backs are in there as well. Who? How? You won’t be surprised.

[Yahoo Sports / USA Today] Here’s what happens to these GMs, managers in the offseason

Bob Nightengale takes a look in his crystal ball and is kind to the Diamondbacks: “The team stinks. They repeatedly make fundamental mistakes, and they lead the league in head-scratching decisions. It doesn’t matter who manages the team, they aren’t going anywhere in the near future.”

Across The Pacific

[Taiwan] Monkeys Unveiled New Mascot: Koboko

Koboko is a professional writer that travels through the galaxy via a giant eReader. He is extremely shy and introverted by nature. However, should Koboko meet someone who also enjoys reading, it would jump out of its spaceship to meet them. Koboko is not very good at talking, so the green alien would only communicate via text emoji on the eBook reader display across its face.

Oooookayyyy...

Across The Wall

[Mexico] Yucatan, Tijuana to meet in 2021 Serie del Rey

Fernando Rodney is still doing it at 44 years of age and the Fernando Rodney experience will take new heights in the LMB Championship where he will try to close out decisive games of his Toros de Tijuana against the Yucatan Leones.

Across The Atlantic

[Sweden] Leksand Lumberjacks win Swedish Baseball Championship

The Leksand Lumberjacks defeated the Rättvik Butchers, 4-2, in the final of the Swedish Elitseries, to win the top baseball league in the country. They succeed last year’s champions the Sölvesborg Firehawks.