Diamondbacks Nation

Snakes Shake Lopez To Brewers

The Diamondbacks today unloaded Felipe Lopez, a player who came to symbolize the gap between talent and performance on the 2009 club. Lopez was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for a pair of low-ceiling prospects -- outfielder Cole Gillespie and right-handed reliever Roque Mercedes. The move is as much a dump of salary as of bad karma.

Lopez made undeniable offensive contributions in

Diamondbacks Notes: May 24, 2009

Justin Upton doesn't get a lot of credit for his glove because (a) his bat commands so much attention; and (b) he makes mistakes of inexperience that create the false impression he's a poor defender. But the same talent that makes him a monster at the plate is being harnessed in the field.

See here, as Upton dives for a liner in the gap,

Series Preview: Diamondbacks @ Athletics

Aside from the abomination that is the Designated Hitter rule, we kinda dig interleague play. It's fun to see teams match up against opponents they rarely play. And you get to watch all those exotic players you've only read about in the boxscores.

Well, except when you have the Arizona Diamondbacks (17-24) against the Oakland Athletics (15-23). Given the number of former Snakes on the A's roster, we may as well refer to the Oakland

Diamondbacks Notes: May 22, 2009

Say, did you get a load of that moustache Clay Zavada was sporting in Miami last night? I literally laughed out loud when I saw it. Wasn't sure if I was watching a creative anachronism replay of 1890s base-ball or V for Vendetta. Whatev, kid ... pitch like that (1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K, W) and you can call yourself Rollie Fingers.

Let's be honest: the Diamondbacks (13-22) are indisputably among the worst teams in baseball. Not the least talented on the field. Not the most rudderless in the front office. But with the exception of a handful of players, the team has performed atrociously. Their record does not lie. They're just bad.

We, the die-hard fans of Diamondbacks Nation, have predicted on several occasions that change for the better was coming. Each

Diamondbacks Notes: May 10, 2009

* RESISTIBLE FORCE V. MOVABLE OBJECT - Some series you see on the schedule and you think: "Aha! This is the soft spot. The Diamondbacks are sure to make up some ground here."

Didn't the three-game home set against Washington look that way? A Nationals club with a team ERA over five and an incapacity to induce strike-outs seemed the perfect tonic for Arizona's ailing offense. Instead, the Snakes managed to overcome

Series Preview: Diamondbacks v. Nationals

* PREVIEW: ARI v. WAS - Bob Melvin's tenure as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks (12-17) has finally ended. After yesterday's extra-innings loss in San Diego, word came that Melvin would be relieved of his duties. Late last night, it was confirmed that hitting coach Rick Schu and pitching coach Bob Price would follow Melvin out the door.

Melvin's replacement is AJ Hinch, formerly the Diamondbacks'

Melvin Out as Diamondbacks Manager

The Arizona Diamondbacks (12-17) have decided to fire Manager Bob Melvin, according to a report aired on KTAR 620. A replacement will be announced prior to Friday night's series opener versus the Washington Nationals.

We at Diamondbacks Nation grimly approve the move. With their record now five games under .500, the Snakes are performing well below the level of their talent. Nearly three weeks ago, we made the argument

Series Preview: Diamondbacks @ Dodgers

If there's one thing the Diamondbacks (11-14) have proven they can do, it's win two games in a series. Arizona has taken a pair of games in three of its last four series. The Snakes beat the Rockies and Cubs outright and split a four-game stand at Milwaukee over the weekend.

If there's one thing the Diamondbacks really would like to do, it'd be to close the gap on the first place Dodgers (18-8). Los Angeles has won five of its previous

Series Preview: Diamondbacks @ Brewers

The Arizona Diamondbacks (9-12) took two of three games to silence the Cubs fans who invaded Chase Field for their final home stand of April. The Snakes finish the month by embarking upon an eight-game journey that will take them through the first week of May. Stop No. 1 on the itinerary is Milwaukee, where the Brewers (11-10) will host the Diamondbacks for a four-game set. The Brew Crew are winners of their last three series, the most recent a sweep of the visiting

Top 5: Snakes with Mojo

Who's feeling the mojo for the Diamondbacks these days? We got our Top 5 right here.

1. DAN HAREN - Can you be a National League Cy Young favorite on a sub-.500 club? Yes, if you're as good as Haren (5 GS, 2 W, 35 IP, 21 H, 5 BB, 36 K, 1.54 ERA, 0.74 WHIP). With any kind of support, he'd be 5-0. His teammates owe him more runs, wins.

2. JARROD PARKER - Arizona's best prospect

Get Tix for Pix from Diamondbacks Nation!

Diamondbacks Nation is on the hunt for photos. We need your help to document the Snakes and their fans at Chase Field. In return, we offer the commodity most precious to baseball junkies: game tickets.

Here's how it works --

SNAP PHOTOGRAPHS AT THE GAME. We want shots of the teams on the field, the fans in the stands, whatever images you think are of interest and tell the story of the gameday

Diamondbacks Notes: April 28, 2009

* A CONFESSION. - I was on the mountain preserve on Monday night when the battery died on my radio with the score 1-1. I had heard Chris Snyder hit the ball that sent Ted Lilly into an apoplectic fit. Justin Upton had beat out the grounder to Aramis Ramirez at third base. Then the signal cut and I heard nothing for 45 minutes, the time it took for me to get down the mountain and to my car.

Series Preview: Diamondbacks v. Cubs

* PREVIEW: ARI v. CHC - It has been painful to follow the Arizona Diamondbacks (7-11), a club beset so far by injuries and offensive ineptitude. The Chicago Cubs (9-8) are nursing some hurts of their own. As they limp into a three-game set at Chase Field, one club will soon feel the soothing balm of victory, the other will wince as salt is poured in their wounds.

* WHAT NEXT?

Series Preview: Diamondbacks v. Giants

* PREVIEW: ARI @ SF - A rather unusual April schedule for the Arizona Diamondbacks (6-9) continues this weekend when they play hosts to the San Francisco Giants (6-8). The opening month is heavy with division rivals and home dates, so the Snakes' record to date is cause for concern. However, there is still time to get back over .500 if Arizona can maintain the winning formula that helped secure a series victory over Colorado to start the week. The Giants come

Game Report: Snakes v. Rockies, April 22, 2009

The Diamondbacks found the formula on Wednesday afternoon: a strong performance from their starter, a crooked number of runs on the scoreboard, and a bullpen that pitched like it mattered. These three things are all you need to know about Arizona's 2-0 win over Colorado.

***

1. HAREN WAS STELLAR ... AGAIN.

Diamondbacks Notes: April 22, 2009

* GAME 2 GOES TO THE ROCKIES - The Diamondbacks (5-9) are almost ready to put together a total team effort. On Tuesday night, Arizona got another worthy performance from a starting pitcher: Yusmeiro Petit (5 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, BB, 4 K). The offensive surge continued, powered by Chris B. Young, Eric Byrnes and Mark Reynolds homers. Felipe Lopez had three of the Snakes eleven hits against the Rockies (5-8).

Diamondbacks Nation has been feeling a bit frustrated about the start to the season for the Snakes.

Perhaps our expectations were too high. Our sense is that this team is capable of much more than they have consistently shown so far. But we have not lost faith.

Rather, we think the team is capable to achieve great things in 2009. We only want to see the Diamondbacks play to the true level

Game Report: Snakes v. Rockies, April 20, 2009

Winning a pitcher's duel, like the Diamondbacks did on Saturday, is great. To rally from behind on three-run bombs is a blast. Losing just sucks. There's drama in each, but we've had enough drama for awhile.

For a change, we wished for the Snakes to take control of a game and hold it through the final out. Back home on Monday night, they did just that.

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Series Preview: Diamondbacks v. Rockies

* PREVIEW: ARI v. COL - We remember when last the Arizona Diamondbacks (4-8) met the Colorado Rockies (4-7). The season was young and full of possibility. Brandon Webb was anchoring the pitching staff. The Diamondbacks were ready to embark on a three-series home-stand, part of an April schedule featuring eighteen games at home and only four on the road.

Surely the Diamondbacks would build an insurmountable lead