Inside the Box: Missed opportunities cost Diamondbacks versus Cubs
After every Arizona Diamondbacks game we’ll examine the box score and provide you with instant analysis. So it’s time to go Inside the Box for April 5, 2011: Cubs 6, Diamondbacks 5
The Arizona Diamondbacks may have gotten another L in the loss column but the box score reveals some interesting things the team did and didn’t accomplish against the Chicago Cubs Tuesday.
The Good:
OK, so it’s tough to find a lot of positives when a team loses their third straight game but it helps when you compare it against some of the other defeats. That’s why we turn to the RISP section of Tuesday’s box score.
In game one of their series against the Cubs, the D-backs finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. In game two they improved to 2-for-8.
That 25-percent conversion rate, while not great, did mean they were more efficient than Butler in the NCAA Basketball National Championship game.
Sometimes you just have to appreciate the little things.
The Bad:
Yeah, there’s no free passes Inside the Box. While it was the good, the D-backs finishing 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position is also the bad.
Tuesday’s performance moved the team to 6-for-42 on the early season. That’s not exactly a total to write home about. If they hope to win more than one out of every four games they’ll have to find a way to get runners home. Unless they want to take Kirk Gibson’s hustle mantra to the extreme and steal home themselves.
The Funky:
Shortstop Willie Bloomquist makes the funky category for the second straight day. Not only did he get two hits and two RBI but he also swiped a bag.
That stolen base was his fourth of the year which leads the majors (you read that right he LEADS the league). It’s even more impressive when you realize that Bloomquist has only had 8 stolen bases over the previous two seasons.
