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,...

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Tags: All-Star Game, Bob Melvin, Brandon Webb, Bud Selig, Chad Billingsley, Chad Qualls, Chris B. Young, Conor Jackson, Eric Byrnes, Eric Stults, Hiroki Kuroda, James McDonald, Jon Garland, Justin Upton, Los Angeles Dodgers, Manny Ramirez, Peter Gammons, Reno Aces, Scott Schoeneweis, Yusmeiro Petit

Series Preview: Diamondbacks v. Dodgers

 

 

 

 

 

*PREVIEW: ARI v. LAD - The first few weeks of the year are supposed to be a feeling-out period. Maybe that would be the case if the Diamondbacks (1-2) were facing inter-divisional opponents or had made wholesale changes to their lineup. But heading into a weekend series with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers (2-2), the 2009 season feels more like a continuation of 2008 than a fresh start.

The Snakes' biggest changes among regulars are the substitution of Felipe Lopez for Orlando Hudson (who missed much of the second half due to injury) and the departure of short-timer Adam Dunn. Otherwise, Arizona looks much the same in the field. Since modifications to the batting order are par for the course under Bob Melvin, it doesn't feel especially odd to see Lopez leading off or Justin Upton batting eighth. It's been awhile since we witnessed Chad Tracy at 3B or Eric Byrnes in the outfield, but those sights are not unfamiliar.

It's a similar story in Los Angeles. After the...

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Tags: Adam Dunn, Bob Melvin, Boston Red Sox, Brad Penny, Brandon Webb, Cactus League, Chad Tracy, Colorado Rockies, Derek Lowe, Dr. James Andrews, Eric Byrnes, Felipe Lopez, Hong-Chih Kuo, James McDonald, Jon Garland, Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers, Manny Ramirez, Rafael Furcal, Randy Johnson, Randy Wolf, Stephen Drew, Takashi Saito, Yusmeiro Petit