Snake Bytes 7/22: Cruel Times

Colorado Rockies 6, Arizona Diamondbacks 5

[D’backs.com] D-backs drop another seesaw game to Rockies - The D-backs had things going their way early, staking right-hander Zack Godley to a 3-0 lead. Arizona scored those three early runs in the fourth, thanks to RBI singles by Steven Souza Jr. and Chris Owings and Nick Ahmed’s sacrifice fly that was caught by first baseman Ian Desmond, who was unable to throw out Paul Goldschmidt at the plate. Godley did not give up a hit until the fifth, but that’s when he ran into problems. Colorado turned three extra-base hits into two runs in the fifth inning, and tied it at 4-all in the sixth, when Godley committed a throwing error and a wild pitch.

[AZ Central] It was close, but no cigar for Diamondbacks throughout loss to Rockies - Arizona’s string of depth-perception issues began in the fifth inning when starting pitcher Zack Godley, in the middle of a no-hitter, watched Colorado’s Ian Desmond smoke a long fly ball to center field. No worries, of course. Gold Glove outfielder A.J. Pollock looked like he was going to track it down and make the catch like he usually always does. Except he didn’t. Pollock got his glove on the ball, but he needed an extra inch for the out and he didn’t make it. Instead, Desmond broke up Godley’s no-no with a leadoff triple and would score during the following at-bat on Garrett Hampson’s first major-league hit, a double to left.

[Arizona Sports] Bullpen comes up short for D-backs in loss to Rockies - The D-backs made it exciting in the ninth, but they fall short after a questionable strike-three call on Ahmed with two on ended the chances of a comeback. Arizona has now lost consecutive games in the series and drops to third place in the NL West. Hirano is charged with the loss, his second of the season. They will look to avoid starting the second half of the season by getting swept Sunday.

Diamondbacks News

[D’backs.com] Goldschmidt, Ward maintain deep friendship - When he won his second Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards in 2015, Goldschmidt wanted to share them with those most important to him. He gave his parents, David and Kim, his Gold Glove Award for all of the sacrifices they made for him growing up. The Silver Slugger went to Ward, along with a handwritten letter detailing just how much he meant to Goldschmidt. “I thought it would be cool for Turner to have in his house,” Goldschmidt said. “So if he showed it to people, he could tell them, ‘Paul Goldschmidt gave me this award and we’re very close and we’ve taught each other so many lessons and our relationship is growing and we’re still staying in touch and still talking a lot.’”

[Arizona Sports] Eight-year-old throws first pitch at D-backs’ game using 3-D-printed hand - Hailey Dawson not only got to hang out with members of Arizona Diamondbacks before the game — clearly working on their handshake game and dance moves — but she got to throw out the first pitch as well. Dawson was born with a rare disease called Poland Syndrome, which resulted in her missing a right pectoral muscle and three middle fingers and having an underdeveloped thumb and pinky finger. It causes birth defects in one out of every 200,000 births.

[AZ Central] Diamondbacks’ Torey Lovullo using power of belief to help Steven Souza Jr. - As an infielder who bounced around seven different teams during his eight seasons in the major leagues, Lovullo didn’t always have a manager who truly cared about him. Before Saturday night’s game against the Rockies at Chase Field, he revealed he often had “no relationship” with some of his managers and that it often made him “feel vacant” and “isolated.” “When I felt like I had people around me that believed in me, I felt like I was going to be a better player,” he explained. “I’ve kind of rehearsed through my own experiences and I know from talking to players then and now when I’m a staff member, that’s very important to them as well. They’re human beings, they have feelings. They’re human beings that need to know that people care about them, and I’m at the top of the food chain.

[The Athletic] Don’t look now, but the Diamondbacks may have a rotation depth problem - As​ the​ Manny Machado​ sweepstakes neared a completion before​ the​ All-Star​ break, Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen​ suggested​ on​ multiple​​ occasion that he was more focused on acquiring pitching. Friday’s 11-10 loss to the Rockies was a good example of why. Starter Robbie Ray, such a dynamo for the Diamondbacks a year ago, saw his ERA climb to 5.37. Bullpen ace Archie Bradley imploded, giving up six runs while recording only two outs, an effort that goosed his ERA by more than a run.

[Brute Squad] Interview with Pat McCarthy A.K.A. DescalsoSucks A.K.A. (not nearly) TheMostHatedManOnTheSnakePit -

Around the League

[Sports Illustrated] Tamed Fury: How Kirk Gibson Learned to Quell His Volcanic Ferocity After Years of Rage - It was a Sunday, late afternoon. Detroit had won 6–3, and after interviewing the A’s, I wanted a close-up look at everybody’s pick to win the Series. I pushed open the door to the visitors’ clubhouse. A young woman, interning with The Detroit News and soon to return to college, hurtled by, in tears. I looked up, and here came Gibson on the chase: bare-chested with a hand on his crotch, gleefully shouting the woman’s name and the words, “You want to f--- me.” In the years since, covering athletes at all levels, I’ve never seen an act more vile.

[Los Angeles Dodgers] MLB makes Mike Trout a scapegoat for its marketing failings - Manfred was wrong in questioning Trout because baseball’s greatest player is one of its greatest ambassadors in his unassuming way. But there are guys who would love to show more of themselves. And the baseball culture needs to lighten up and let them do it. What’s wrong with a bat flip? What’s the harm in a strikeout fist pump? Why not dance around the bases on a home run trot and then tweet about it afterward?

[KGW8] Portland Diamond Project hopes to announce MLB ballpark site in 4-6 weeks - Regardless of where the stadium is, Barrett said PDP wants the stadium to be iconic and reflect the uniqueness of the Rose City. “We want to do this and have it be of Portland, for Portland, by Portland,” he said. As for when Portland may get a team, Barrett said the timetable is still unknown. He said MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has told PDP he wants to get the unsteady ballpark situations in Oakland and Tampa Bay resolved before expanding from 30 teams to 32 teams. “If we can help baseball settle one of those situations, terrific,” Barrett said. “We just want them to get settled because if those two get settled, if we’re involved or not, it means the expansion happens quicker.”