Arizona Diamondbacks

In need of a general manager, the Arizona Diamondbacks went out and got someone who knows the National League West very well.

The Diamondbacks introduced former San Diego Padres’ GM Kevin Towers as their new GM and third full-time GM in their history on Wednesday. Towers replaces Jerry Dipoto, who was the interim GM.

This move represents another talent swap between the Diamondbacks and Padres.

Is Kelly Johnson a player who has turned a corner, becoming a must use fantasy option, or is a one-hit wonder, so to speak?  Before we can fully answer that question, let’s take a look at the numbers he’s put up this season (through Tuesday):

627 At Bats
.274 Batting Average (150 Hits)
23 Home Runs
65 RBI
86 Runs
11 Stolen Bases
.361 On Base Percentage
.484 Slugging Percentage
.323 Batting Average on Balls in Play

The Arizona Diamondbacks have set a new record in a category to be embarrassed about, meanwhile introducing a new general manager.

The 2001 Milwaukee Brewers had set a record to forget about. They set the season strikeout record the year the Arizona Diamondbacks won the World Series.

Now, the Arizona Diamondbacks have broken the 1,399 strikeouts carried for several years with a standing season total of 1,403.

Despair and tragedy are usually just one or two relievers away when talking about the Arizona Diamondbacks. This fact was validated over the past road trip in which the Diamondbacks went 2-8, getting swept by the Colorado Rockies and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Watching your team go winless versus an opponent is never easy. It’s bad enough when that opponent is a divisional foe such as the Rockies, but you can at least justify it by rationalizing that the Rockies are the hottest team in baseball.

In what is likely the final September call-up, the Arizona Diamondbacks purchased the contract of Konrad Schmidt from the Double-A Mobile BayBears. Schmidt, who was with the Diamondbacks in spring training, left a very favorable impression with the coaching staff.

Everyone was impressed with Schmidt’s poise behind the plate and how he handled the pitching staff. Add to this the fact that he posted good offensive numbers while with the BayBears and Schmidt earned a late season call.

Since September 1st, the Diamondbacks have had two waves of call-ups, or bringing members of their minor league clubs to the major league level. The first wave was the largest, bringing on four players (Tony Abreu, Brandon Allen, Carlos Rosa, and Leo Rosales). The second wave saw Arizona add two players (Zach Kroenke and Mike Hampton).

Chances are that if you were around, you remember the 1986 baseball season.

A season capped by an exciting World Series that was best known for being the launching pad for several successful major league careers, including those of Barry Bonds, Greg Maddux, Mark McGwire, Fred McGriff, Barry Larkin, David Cone, Bo Jackson, Jamie Moyer, Steve Finley, Will Clark, and Rafael Palmeiro.

For the second year in a row, the Arizona Diamondbacks have endured a miserable season. The Diamondbacks sit in last place in the NL West, 24 games behind the first place San Diego Padres.

Due to their poor season, it’s very rare they get any love here at The Ghost of Moonlight Graham. Well today, I am going to give them some love.

The Arizona Diamondbacks begin a three-game series against the San Diego Padres at Chase Field tonight. These two teams met a week ago at Petco Park with the Padres winning the first two games of the series before dropping the finale.

The Diamondbacks' win in that third game marked their first win this season in San Diego. Since that time the Diamondbacks went on to take two out of three from the San Francisco Giants while the Padres were swept at home by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Brandon Webb and the Diamondbacks finally have something to look forward to.

Webb is expected to make a September return and pitch for the bullpen.

Brandon Webb hasn't pitched since April of 2009. Since then, he has been making a push to return from shoulder surgery performed in October of last year.

On Saturday, the 2006 NL Cy Young award winner was ecstatic after throwing a simulated game that "went so well."