Know Your Foe #19: Ice cold D-Backs hope return to Chase Field warms them up

by Bryan Kilpatrick on Jun 4, 2010 11:55 AM MDT in Know Your Foe

Although this photo may lead you to believe otherwise, Stephen Drew is NOT the natural (when facing anyone but the Rockies, that is).

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (20-34, 12.5 GB, 5TH NL WEST)

2010 Record vs. Rockies: 2-4

After taking two of three from the Rockies at Coors Field in April (despite being outscored by eight runs), the D-Backs were swept in their most recent trip to Denver. In retrospect, that three-game set looks to have sent Arizona into a serious downward spiral in which they have lost ten straight games(more on that below). As a team, the Diamondbacks amassed just a .221/.295/.333 slash line against the Rockies, despite having a capable offense (at the time, at least) working in a hitter's park. It's even worse when considering the fact that the above stats include the game in which the D-Backs scored twelve runs. Conversely, their pitchers were torched for a .300/.370/.552 line by Colorado's hitters. Offensively, Stephen Drew tormented the Rockies as usual, posting a .350/.409/.500 line in six games. Everybody else in the D-Backs' lineup was underwhelming as a whole (which is also normal for them against Colorado, for the most part). On the pitching end of things, there really isn't anything positive to say as far as how Arizona's pitchers have fared against the Rockies; they've all been pretty well beaten up - most notably, Edwin Jackson (one start, 2.1 IP, 11 H, 10 ER) and Dan Haren (two starts, 14.1 IP, 15 H, 10 ER).

Recent Results: swept 0-3 at San Francisco; swept 0-3 at Los Angeles (NL)

The D-Backs have scored ten runs over their past six games - nine of which were scored during two games. Counting their series in Colorado, they brought a grand total of 17 runners across the plate in nine games - do the arithmetic. To be fair, they have clearly fallen on a little bit of hard luck, as they lost three extra-innings affairs - one at San Francisco, and two consecutive 1-0 decisions at LA. However, their offense (which is supposed to be their strength) has also clearly failed them.

Friday-Sunday: 3-game series @ Chase Field

Expected Pitching Matchups

Friday, 4 June 2010 @ 7:40pm MT

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2010 - Aaron Cook	2-3	10	10	1	0	0	0	58.0	66	36	32	3	27	26	4.97	1.60

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2010 - Ian Kennedy	3-3	11	11	0	0	0	0	69.1	58	27	26	11	23	57	3.38	1.17

Saturday, 5 June 2010 @ 6:10pm MT

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2010 - Jhoulys Chacin	3-3	7	6	0	0	0	0	37.1	29	15	15	2	15	36	3.62	1.18

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2010 - Dontrelle Willis	1-2	10	8	0	0	0	0	43.1	48	24	24	3	29	33	4.98	1.78

Sunday, 6 June 2010 @ 2:10pm MT

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2010 - Ubaldo Jimenez	10-1	11	11	2	2	0	0	80.1	46	7	7	1	26	70	0.78	.90

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2010 - Rodrigo Lopez	2-3	11	11	0	0	0	0	71.0	79	41	34	11	21	39	4.31	1.41

More after the jump...

Expected Lineup

Player	Pos	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	ISO	BABIP	wOBA
Kelly Johnson	2B	0.261	0.358	0.537	0.895	0.277	0.287	0.388
Stephen Drew	SS	0.284	0.352	0.453	0.805	0.168	0.331	0.356
Justin Upton	RF	0.249	0.323	0.429	0.752	0.180	0.341	0.333
Mark Reynolds	3B	0.224	0.330	0.475	0.806	0.251	0.287	0.352
Adam LaRoche	1B	0.267	0.365	0.483	0.848	0.215	0.336	0.371
Chris Young	CF	0.267	0.329	0.446	0.775	0.179	0.306	0.342
Conor Jackson	LF	0.220	0.311	0.297	0.608	0.076	0.255	0.280
Chris Snyder	C	0.217	0.353	0.442	0.794	0.225	0.244	0.343

Bench

Player	Pos	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	ISO	BABIP	wOBA
John Hester	C	0.171	0.244	0.244	0.488	0.073	0.226	0.222
Augie Ojeda	IF	0.130	0.160	0.130	0.290	0.000	0.130	0.136
Ryan Roberts	UT	0.111	0.111	0.111	0.222	0.000	0.125	0.100
Rusty Ryal	UT	0.314	0.352	0.431	0.783	0.118	0.389	0.348
Gerardo Parra	OF	0.234	0.265	0.319	0.584	0.085	0.297	0.256

Closer

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2010 - Chad Qualls	0-2	22	0	0	0	9	4	17.2	31	19	15	3	6	19	7.64	2.09

Injuries

Arizona Diamondbacks Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Mark Reynolds	quadriceps	06/04/2010

15-Day

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Miguel Montero	knee	04/11/2010
Tony Abreu	wrist	05/24/2010
Kris Benson	shoulder	04/29/2010

60 Day DL / Out for the season

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Brandon Webb	shoulder	03/26/2010
Leo Rosales	foot	04/29/2010

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Comments

Sweep the snakes.

All favorable pitching matchups.

The best things in life are Tulo dingers, Ubaldo strikeouts, and uh, yeah.

by squalene203 on Jun 4, 2010 12:04 PM MDT reply actions

I don't know if I consider tonight's favorable.

Project Libra

by Greg Stanwood on Jun 4, 2010 12:31 PM MDT up reply actions

Yeah, Kennedy's stats are better across the board, with 11 more innings.

When does fat Cookie come back?

They'll play what I tell them to play...for I am the mayor of Albuquerque!

by frightened inmate #2 on Jun 4, 2010 12:38 PM MDT up reply actions

Why do I feel like this is a trap.

Series

My name is synonym for win.

by Thnikkaman on Jun 4, 2010 12:20 PM MDT reply actions

I feel the same way...

they lost ten straight and are coming home. They are overdue for wins, and I meant that in plural form, freaking Dodgers should had lost a couple.

Ubaldo "Iron Arm" Jimenez

by Colsportsfan on Jun 4, 2010 12:28 PM MDT up reply actions

Because!

by The jDub on Jun 4, 2010 1:56 PM MDT up reply actions

I set them up

And you knock ’em down.

My name is synonym for win.

by Thnikkaman on Jun 4, 2010 2:05 PM MDT up reply actions

Yeah,

You kinda threw that one up in my wheelhouse.

by The jDub on Jun 4, 2010 2:23 PM MDT up reply actions

Admiral Ackbar knows when it's a trap.

The writer formerly known as Jabberwocky
READ and LEARN about the business of baseball at Purple Row Academy
Eschew Obfuscation!

by Jeff Aberle on Jun 4, 2010 2:11 PM MDT up reply actions

Your taste buds cannot repel firepower of that magnitude!

Project Libra

by Greg Stanwood on Jun 4, 2010 2:16 PM MDT up reply actions

Although I guess the quote is actually tongues, not taste buds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQljzQ_FpUE

Project Libra

by Greg Stanwood on Jun 4, 2010 2:18 PM MDT up reply actions

lol

And I used “firepower”, which is from the original quote. Butchered.

Project Libra

by Greg Stanwood on Jun 4, 2010 2:19 PM MDT up reply actions

One thing you won't see in Arizona this weekend, with the dome

Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave

by Mondogarage on Jun 4, 2010 2:46 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs

The D'backs are due, but they are simply not playing well

Certainly not offensively. But after Jackson and Haren’s recent strong outings against the Dodgers, I’ll be happy to face Kennedy and D-Train. I don’t care who Ubaldo’s facing, it won’t matter.

Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave

by Mondogarage on Jun 4, 2010 12:40 PM MDT reply actions

I wasn't able to see or around to read,

How did Chacin look in the Dodgers series? Stats look…..ok.

They'll play what I tell them to play...for I am the mayor of Albuquerque!

by frightened inmate #2 on Jun 4, 2010 12:44 PM MDT reply actions

Next 7 Games against the two worst teams in the league

Time to make up some ground. Anything less than 5-2 would likely be disappointing.

by Jeff Francis Day on Jun 4, 2010 12:46 PM MDT reply actions

Here's a list of all of the pitching matchups

Cook vs. Kennedy
Chacin vs. Willis
Jimenez vs. Lopez

Hammel vs. Rodriguez
Francis vs. Moehler
Cook vs. Paulino
Chacin vs. Oswalt

Project Libra

by Greg Stanwood on Jun 4, 2010 12:50 PM MDT up reply actions

imo...

Cook vs. Kennedy— Slight Advantage Snakes
Chacin vs. Willis—Even?
Jimenez vs. Lopez—Strong Advantage Rockies

Hammel vs. Rodriguez—Slight Advantage Rockies
Francis vs. Moehler—Slight Advantage Rockies
Cook vs. Paulino—Even
Chacin vs. Oswalt—Advantage Stros

by Jeff Francis Day on Jun 4, 2010 12:54 PM MDT up reply actions

At the very least, we're not significantly outclassed in any matchup.

Project Libra

by Greg Stanwood on Jun 4, 2010 1:01 PM MDT up reply actions

for sure

One of those stretches you regret not taking advantage of when you hit another Kershaw-Lincecum-Zito-Cain type run.

by Jeff Francis Day on Jun 4, 2010 1:04 PM MDT up reply actions

Might as well throw in 6-2

Ubaldo will pitch game 8 : )

"Don't give up, don't ever give up" - Jim Valvano

by nodakroxfan on Jun 4, 2010 1:09 PM MDT up reply actions

It wouldn’t bother me a bit if Mark Reynolds had to sit this one out.

I hate the Red Wings.

by wtnelson on Jun 4, 2010 1:38 PM MDT reply actions

I don't see any reason why the Rox shouldn't be confident going in to this series

"Groovy" Ash from Evil Dead 2

"No one came from miles around / and said man your music is really hot" No One Came...Deep Purple

Quitter's People United Member # 78

by jpage78 on Jun 4, 2010 2:16 PM MDT reply actions

We have a bad habit of playing down to our competition.

Or at least the opposing teams weaker pitchers. Sound like another team we love.

Troy Tulowitzki - Best SS in the MLB - 2010 MVP
Brad Hawpe - Yep, proving y'all wrong
Todd Helton - Time for his ring to come true
Matt Daley - He's pretty good
Quitter's People United Member #4

by SDcat09 on Jun 4, 2010 3:15 PM MDT up reply actions