Diamondbacks ‘moving forward’ after disappointing finish to first road trip
Apr 21, 2017, 6:00 PM
(AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
PHOENIX – The road trip covered three cities over 11 days, during which time the Arizona Diamondbacks played 10 games.
They won four.
The 4-6 record can be looked at in one of two ways: 1) encouraging given the 1-4 start or 2) disappointing knowing they closed with back-to-back losses, thus dropping the series in San Diego.
“Look, the last two days were frustrating, there’s no doubt about it,” manager Torey Lovullo said Friday. “I’ll be curious to see how we perform today. I’m anxious to see what these guys are about, and they’ve been tough. They’re a very resilient team and mental toughness has got to take over at some point. But not to get outside of ourselves, we got to go out and perform tonight.”
Especially offensively.
The D-backs bats went silent for most of the week-and-a-half away from Chase Field. The team hit .211 and only plated one run in the last 18 innings against the Padres.
“That’s in the past,” first baseman Paul Goldschmidt said.
“We’re moving forward,” centerfielder A.J. Pollock added.
Perhaps being back at Chase Field will help.
In the next 10 days, the D-backs welcome the Dodgers, Padres and Rockies. It will be their first time facing Colorado, who enters play on Friday with 10 wins, tied with the D-backs for the most in all of baseball.
A big reason for the D-backs early success has been the pitching, particularly the starters’ recent ability to go deep into games.
“Everybody is going out there and trying to out due the next guy,” left-hander Robbie Ray said. “Shelby (Miller) puts up seven-and-a-third (innings and) Zack (Greinke) comes out the next night and puts up eight strong innings; like that’s just what we’re trying to do.”
In 17 games this season, D-backs’ starters have posted a 3.18 ERA, second-best in the league; but perhaps more importantly, that’s almost two full runs (1.98) lower than their mark at the same point in 2016 (5.16).
“I know that the teams that I’ve been a part of that have had success throughout the entire season, the starting pitching sets the tone, has been able to work deeper into games and handed off to the bullpen,” Lovullo said. “There’s a lot of value in that because it allows the bullpen to not get overworked and I think in August and September, when you need to be playing your best baseball, you got to have a team that’s refreshed and strong and that’s what we’re looking for our starters to do is help out that whole equation.”
BASE HITS
— Pitching aside, Ray broke into a big smile when the subject turned to hitting. He was quick to point out that he was 3-for-6, the best mark among the five starters.
Taijuan Walker is 1-for-6, while Greinke, Miller and Patrick Corbin are each hitless.
“I’ve been kind of giving the starting staff a little bit of crap for that. Need them to pick up the pace a little bit,” Ray joked, before targeting Miller. “Shelby takes a really good BP, but I tell him all the time you don’t take your BP-swing into the game. You got practice how you play.”
— Asked if he had settled in as a big-league manager now that he’s completed his first extended homestand and road trip of the season, Lovullo paused momentarily before answering, “I’m learning everyday.”
Lovullo added he regularly has conversations with Tony LaRussa, the D-backs chief baseball analyst.
Those talks with the Hall of Fame manager are invaluable, according to Lovullo.
“I’m able to tap into one of the most amazing baseball minds that I’ve ever had a chance to talk and history will back me on that,” he said.
— Nearly every TV inside the D-backs clubhouse was tuned to MLB Network and the news of the day: Giants starter Madison Bumgarner landing on the disabled list with rib and shoulder injuries after a dirt bike accident on the team’s off day.
Lovullo offered his well wishes to Bumgarner and the Giants.
“That’s what makes some of these players so great is their ability to go out and get away from the game and do things like that,” he said. “I always encourage our guys to get away from the game on their off days but be smart about what they’re going to be doing.”