Diamondbacks Notes: April 11, 2009
* WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES - There were dark clouds gathering around Chase Field yesterday. The Diamondbacks were in the NL West cellar, their bats and bullpen were scuffling, their ace was scratched from a Saturday night start due to shoulder soreness, leaving the club to face Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers without its biggest weapon. It remains a bit overcast in Phoenix this Saturday, but on account of some recent developments, the Snakes are feeling sunny. Read on, Diamondbacks Nation.
* GAME 1 GOES TO THE GOOD GUYS - The warm glow started with Friday night's 9-4 win in Game 1 of the Dodgers' series. In a match-up we identified as key, Jon Garland (7 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K) easily out-pitched the Los Angeles starter, James McDonald (2.1 IP, 2 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K). Garland enjoyed a comfortable margin for most of the game, thanks to a five-run third inning that included big hits from Chris B. Young (3/3, 3 R, 2B, HR, RBI, BB) and Conor Jackson (2/5, 3 RBI, SB). The Dodgers cut the lead with three runs combined in the seventh and eighth innings, but the Snakes thwarted the vistors rally with a three-run eighth of their own and some quality relief by Scott Schoeneweis and Chad Qualls.
* WEBB GETTING WELL - He's still not out of the woods, but Brandon Webb's MRI results are back and no structural damage was found in his ailing shoulder. The plan remains for him to continue his strengthening program, with the aim of rejoining the rotation for his next scheduled start. Diamondbacks Nation hopes to see Webb pitching effectively again by the end of next week.
* KURODA, NOT SO MUCH - Subbing for Webb tonight is Yusmeiro Petit in whas an anticipated contest with Hiroki Kuroda. With no disrespect to Petit, that pairing looked to be Advantage: Dodgers, as Kuroda is arguably their best pitcher (depending upon what you think of Chad Billingsley). Instead, Los Angeles has placed Kuroda on the 15-day DL with an oblique injury and will start Eric Stults in Game 2. Although it's not nearly the marquee match-up that Webb-Kuroda would have been, Arizona should have a better chance to win with each club running a spot-starter out to the mound than had swingman Petit been forced to compete against Kuroda.
* ALL-STAR 2011 - In a press conference this afternoon, the Diamondbacks and Bud Selig confirmed the news that broke yesterday: Arizona will host Major League Baseball's 2011 All-Star Game. The honor is a bit belated, given that Chase Field (née Bank One Ballpark) opened way back in 1998. However, we recognize that significant developments in recent years (i.e., light rail, new hotels, an expanded convention center, the succes of the 2009 NBA All-Star Game) have made Phoenix more attractive as a host city.
It was glossed over in the presser with assurances that the the Valley is a nice place to visit in the summer, but we're still waiting to hear how MLB and the Diamondbacks plan to keep Peter Gammons from melting during pre-game festivities. For now, no worries -- the principals have two more years to launch the city-spanning heat-shield into orbit.
* REGRETS - If there's one disappointment from last night's affair, its that Justin Upton sat on the bench for the second time in four games. We get that this is a big series and that Bob Melvin wants to do everything in his power to ensure the Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers. But is Eric Byrnes (1/10 on the season after going 1/3 yesterday) really an upgrade on Upton in right field? Maybe on defense, maybe. Diamondbacks Nation doesn't buy that Byrnes' veteran leadership should trump regular work for Upton.
Upton needs to get consistent at-bats in order to develop. He will only work through his strikeout issues if he gets the opportunity to see pitches. Even with some rough edges, Upton is already more effective on offense than Byrnes. No way JUp will get into the groove if he's jerked in and out of the lineup on Melvin's whim. If you're not going to start him, skip, then send Upton down to AAA Reno so he can get in his cuts and get on a roll.
4 responses to this Post, with 3 unique participants
That is a bit harsh
Are we using a two or three game sample to justify Byrne's value? If Upton knocks in a few runs in his next start then Melvin have this problem... if it is one.
Anonymous
04/11/09
3:27pm
Harsh?
Maybe, but I don't think so.
Look at it this way. In 2007, a 31-year old Eric Byrnes had a career year and finished with a .813 OPS. In 2008, a 20-year old Justin Upton had his first full season as a regular and finished with a .816 OPS. Byrnes' ceiling is the same as Upton's floor.
Yes, Upton strikes out too much. He's never going to get past that unless he gets repetitions against big league pitching. And let's not kid ourselves that Byrnes' pop-ups are any worse than Upton's strikeouts. Byrnes is a pop-up machine. Among major leaguers with at least 200 plate appearances, Byrnes ranked No. 2 with a 26.7% infield fly-ball rate in 2007 and No. 3 with a 22.7% rate 2008. (Source: FanGraphs.com.)
Byrnes will not get any better than he is now. Upton can be a superstar. If I'm asked to choose between those two guys, I want as many at-bats as possible going to the kid.
I say this not because I dislike Byrnes or wish him ill. But I recognize that if Byrnes is getting regular at-bats at the expense of Upton's development and using them no more effectively than Upton does, then each of those at-bats is a wasted opportunity for the franchise.
Unless ...
Unless you were referring to Dustin's characterization of Byrnes as pathetic. That's a bit harsh. No, Byrnes does not have a "hand cannon" like Upton. But he's a quality defender overall and less likely to make mistakes in the field.
Upton's the opposite -- more tools than refinement. Maybe Upton's arm would allow him to throw out the runner on the play that Dustin described. Maybe Upton gets too aggressive and overthrows his teammate, allowing runners to advance without preventing the run. That's a real trade-off. I just don't think any potential advantage Byrnes provides in the field is greater than the lost opportunity for development that comes along with sitting Upton.
Despite some misplays, Upton's raw ability makes up for his inexperience as an OF. It's equally true on defense as at the plate: Upton will get better if Arizona allows him to play.
Upton Gets Byrned
All due respect to Melvin (and he has more than earned it), but Upton is not going to have a breakout year while he rides the bench. Pair that with the fact that Byrnes is hardly contributing much of anything to date and you have to be wondering what is running through Melvin's head. The defense argument is null for me too, especially after Byrne's pathetic attempt to throw out a runner at the plate from shallow right. Upton's hand cannon would have likely gunned him out, if the base was challenged at all.
Bottom line here is that Byrne's has a roll to play, sure, but that roll is not that of a platoon in RF with Upton.