With the final out of a classic pitching duel between the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Colorado Rockies, where the Diamondbacks lost 1-0, the team gathered their things for a difficult road trip beginning in San Diego with a three-game series against the Padres, after which they will travel up the coast to San Francisco for a three-game series with the Giants.
That means it is time once again for another edition of the State of the Homestand Address , where I attempt to give a brief synopsis of the just concluded homestand. As always, let’s begin with a disclaimer, the viewpoints expressed here are my own personal opinions and do not reflect the views of Major League Baseball, or any sane human being.
Any coherent thoughts either real or fictional are purely coincidental and are not meant to be taken internally. Should this happen, please induce vomiting and immediately contact your doctor. Objects appearing in the blog may be closer than they appear. Your mileage may vary.
Well, that should protect us from any legal challenges that may arise.
This homestand began with a three-game series against the red-hot Cincinnati Reds. The Diamondbacks came into this series having just completed a road trip where they played well, going 3-3 against the Brewers and the Nationals.
The Reds quickly showed they were better than the Diamondbacks' previous two opponents. The three games against Cincinnati had a familiar feel to them. The starting pitchers threw well, keeping the Snakes in the game, only to see the bullpen come in and give up run after run, sealing the defeats.
As has been the case all season, it is not one pitcher who is struggling. It seems as though every reliever entering the game had a mini-implosion that put the game out of reach. It wasn’t just the pitching, as the Diamondbacks hitters struggled to find consistency as well.
During the road trip, right fielder Justin Upton seemed to be on a roll, but after arriving home, he went into a mini-slump against the Reds. He would come out of it later in the homestand, but overall, was inconsistent.
After losing three straight to the Reds, the Diamondbacks played host to the Colorado Rockies. In the first two games, the Diamondbacks registered enough offense to win each game, notching a series win.
The final game of the Rockies' series was one of the best pitched games of the season. Rookie Daniel Hudson threw seven innings of three-hit ball, leaving the game tied 0-0. The Diamondbacks brought in Aaron Heilman, who has been one of the more consistent pitchers in the bullpen.
Heilman gave up one run, which was enough for a Rockies win. The offense which had looked good the first two games was nonexistent in the final game, wasting a great pitching performance.
During this homestand, the Diamondbacks displayed a new sign in left field for the University of Phoenix. Additionally, the ribbon board around the second deck showed more University of Phoenix advertising, including announcing the college was the Diamondbacks' official education partner.
There were also several signs advertising the upcoming season ticket renewal process that has its first deadline on August 30. Given the smaller home crowds for most of this homestand, you have to wonder how many renewals the Diamondbacks actually expect to have for next season.
From a concession perspective, there is not much new to report. The vendors seemed to be settled in, with little if anything changing from the last homestand. I am hearing more positive comments on Macayos, with several fans commenting the quality of food seems to be increasing there.
On the other hand, I continue to hear negative comments on Taste of the Majors. Not only have the menu selections gone down this season, but it is consistently among the slowest service and have the most customer complaints.
After a six-game road trip, the Diamondbacks return to Chase Field for nine games, including three against the Padres, three with the Houston Astros, and finally three with the Giants, including a day game on Labor Day.
Get your tickets now for the second-to-last homestand of the 2010 season. The Diamondbacks are beginning to play better, and could be the spoiler that decides the National League’s playoff teams.
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