June 23, 2008
Random Events
Sometimes one mistake makes a big difference:
Arizona manager Bob Melvin's decision to start Conor Jackson - the normal first baseman - in left field played a role in the latest tough frame for Webb.
Jackson went 3 for 4 and scored a run, but made a crucial mistake in the fifth when he lost a pop fly from Delmon Young in the Metrodome's white ceiling that fell in for a double and ignited Minnesota's rally.
"I can't fault him. He played the position pretty well, he just lost one ball in the roof," said Melvin, who made the move looking to maximize his offense. "We just couldn't nail it down after that and it just got out of hand, just like the previous games."
Buscher followed with a two-run single and Alexi Casilla added another two-run single as the Twins took a 5-3 lead.
If Jackson catches the ball, maybe the Twins score just two or three runs in the inning and the Diamondbacks get a chance to pull it out. The move of Jackson to left probably increases the DBacks chance of winning most days. Sunday, however, the random ball in the roof made it look like the wrong strategy.
Arizona still leads the west by 3 1/2 games. The way they are playing, however, they may win the division with a sub .500 record.
Posted by David Pinto at
09:04 AM
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Maybe the team to watch in that division is the Rockies. After all, they are only the defending NL champs.
Yes, they've underperformed my preseason expectations. But they're slowing coming around and now stand only seven back of the rapidly faltering D-Backs. In June Colorado has the best staff ERA in the NL at 3.31 and has gone 12-8, while the D-Backs have stumbled to 8-12. The Rockies do need to start scoring more runs, though.