D-backs on pace to set franchise-worst home record
Jun 9, 2016, 6:00 PM
Arizona Diamondbacks' Robbie Ray (38) walks back to the mound with a new baseball after giving up a home run to San Diego Padres' Matt Kemp, left, during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 27, 2016, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Arizona Diamondbacks are on pace to finish with the worst home record in franchise history.
The D-backs have started the season with a 10-22 mark at Chase Field. If the team maintains its current stride, it would break their franchise record of 29-52, as they are on track to finish with around 25 wins. Comparatively, the 2014 D-backs, who finished with the worst record in the MLB, went 33-48 at home.
Arizona D-backs President and CEO Derrick Hall spoke with Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Thursday morning about his team’s struggles in their friendly confines.
“We do know that it is going to turn. You don’t finish with a losing record, typically, at home. We know at some point we are going to get hot here at home as well and we are playing better of late,” Hall said. “We’ve only won one series at home and that was against the Yankees. We split one with the Cardinals, but every other series we’ve lost and that is completely unacceptable for any team. And I mean, any team at home.”
The D-backs are coming off of a three-game home series against the American League East’s last-place Tampa Bay Rays. Arizona had the lead in each of the three games, but was only able to win one of the contests.
Hall was upset with his team’s performance in the series and thought it should have had a much different outcome, specifically in the finale.
“I think this is a series we should have won. Yesterday was a disappointment, especially that ninth inning. You want to keep it a one-run game and of course you add the home run and the extra run in the ninth that we gave up, so now we are down three,” Hall explained. “But, when you start with back-to-back base hits, then a walk and you have bases loaded with nobody out and Goldy up there, the strikeout and the double-play really hurts.”
Over the past 10 seasons, only five MLB teams have won less than 40 percent of their home games.
The D-backs are currently winning just 31.2 percent of their home games, which would put them ahead of only the 2013 Astros, who won only 29.6 percent of their games at Minute Maid Park.
On the bright side, the D-backs don’t have the worst home record in the MLB this season, as the Atlanta Braves are 6-23 (20.7 percent) in their final season at Turner Field.
Hall attempted to take a stab at why opposing teams enjoy playing in downtown Phoenix.
“The visiting team gets really excited about coming into Chase Field, just like we get excited when we go into Coors Field,” Hall said. “The Rockies have the same situation. Teams go in there and play really well. Teams look forward to coming in here and they do love the batter’s eye.”
The D-backs are just 62 games into the season, but there is a lot of ground to catch up as they trail the first-place San Francisco Giants by 10.5 games.
Hall is optimistic that his team can turn it around, possibly even by mid-July.
“We have roughly 30 games before the All-Star break and I’m hoping we can get as close to or at .500 before that. Then it’s a whole new season.”
The D-backs have 15 home games and 13 road games before the All-Star Break, including six games against the Giants.
