![[Valid RSS]](images/valid-rss-rogers.png "Valid RSS")
This is a valid RSS feed.
This feed is valid, but interoperability with the widest range of feed readers could be improved by implementing the following recommendations.
line 33, column 0: (10 occurrences) [help]
<site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">27831201</site> <item>
line 64, column 0: (10 occurrences) [help]
<p><a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/PECOTA-2023. ...
line 64, column 0: (10 occurrences) [help]
<p><a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/PECOTA-2023. ...
line 64, column 0: (10 occurrences) [help]
<p><a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/PECOTA-2023. ...
line 64, column 0: (10 occurrences) [help]
<p><a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/PECOTA-2023. ...
line 141, column 0: (9 occurrences) [help]
<a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/deephole.jpg" d ...
line 188, column 0: (8 occurrences) [help]
<p><a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_1006.jpg ...
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss" xmlns:geo="http://www.w3.org/2003/01/geo/wgs84_pos#" > <channel> <title>Diary of a Diehard</title> <atom:link href="https://diarydiehard.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://diarydiehard.com</link> <description>Just a guy from Section 215 Row 1 Seat 5</description> <lastBuildDate>Sun, 10 Sep 2023 06:05:00 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.4</generator> <image> <url>https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/cropped-dd-square-flat-32x32.png</url> <title>Diary of a Diehard</title> <link>https://diarydiehard.com</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height></image> <site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">27831201</site> <item> <title>Take That PECOTA!</title> <link>https://diarydiehard.com/2023/09/take-that-pecota/</link> <comments>https://diarydiehard.com/2023/09/take-that-pecota/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Summers]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 10 Sep 2023 05:53:21 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[2023 Regular Season]]></category> <category><![CDATA[baseball]]></category> <category><![CDATA[forecast]]></category> <category><![CDATA[heart]]></category> <category><![CDATA[losses]]></category> <category><![CDATA[measurement]]></category> <category><![CDATA[passion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[PECOTA]]></category> <category><![CDATA[prediction]]></category> <category><![CDATA[statistics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[wins]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://diarydiehard.com/?p=233960</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The thing about baseball is that it brings out the oddest demographic of people to follow the game. There are of course the casual fans who watch baseball when necessary and only know about the game from what they can glean from an announcer or someone they met who was wearing a baseball cap of […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2023/09/take-that-pecota/">Take That PECOTA!</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The thing about baseball is that it brings out the oddest demographic of people to follow the game. There are of course the casual fans who watch baseball when necessary and only know about the game from what they can glean from an announcer or someone they met who was wearing a baseball cap of one team or another.<br /><span id="more-233960"></span><br />There are diehard baseball fans who live and breathe based on how their favorite team is doing. These fans are generally purists who believe that the game should be maintained much like a museum or the moonshine recipe that your uncle Bubba passed down since the times of prohibition. These are fans who can rattle off exact pitch sequences that led up to an historical moment of one game. Describing the roster of a baseball team sounds eerily like reading a list of prophets from the bible. There are a lot of begetting to get to what the team looks like today.</p><p>And then there are what I call “the analyticals”. These are the fans who dig deeply into the statistical bowels of the game who analyze every ball and strike during a game and run the numbers through a mathematical stew to come up with a number that represents everything in baseball. </p><p>To the other two groups, the analyticals are ruining the game. They don’t see the beauty of the game like the diehard fans, nor do they see the social interaction and entertainment value that the casual fans do. Instead, they dissect baseball into its atomic level breaking it down to such minutia that it seldom resembles the game being played.</p><p>That is not to say that these analytics are not valuable. On the contrary, it is these facts and figures that are closely held secrets to each baseball front office. These are the equivalent of the secret eleven herbs and spices that Colonel Sanders kept in his safe for fried chicken or the formula for Coca-Cola that is guarded in some secret location in Georgia.</p><p>Beyond these super top-secret analytics that the teams keep, there are others that are more generally available. One such calculation is PECOTA by Baseball Prospectus. PECOTA, which stands for Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm, is a projection system that was created by Nate Silver in the early 2000s. It is designed to forecast future production by players and teams based on prior year statistics.</p><p>Before each season, Baseball Prospectus comes out with their PECOTA predictions of how teams and players will do for the coming season. Shortly after its annual release, PECOTA is drug through the mud by fans and statisticians who are unhappy with the results the system is suggesting for their team. </p><p>For 2023, the PECOTA system projected that the Arizona Diamondbacks would finish with a record of 74.8-87.2. This is consistent with how PECOTA felt about the 2022 Dbacks when it predicted a record of 73-89. The funny thing is, in 2022 the Diamondbacks finished with a record of 74-88 so the prediction was only off one game.</p><p><a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/PECOTA-2023.png" data-rel="lightbox-image-0" data-rl_title="" data-rl_caption="" title=""><img decoding="async" src="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/PECOTA-2023-300x166.png" alt="" width="300" height="166" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-233961" /></a>Of course as a Diamondbacks fan I expected more out of the 2023 team than a 0.8 win improvement over last year. Maybe I was jaded by my love of the team or perhaps I had bought into the hype that comes every March when hope springs eternal.</p><p>I guess that is why today was so special for me. With a 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs in ten innings, Arizona’s record moved to 75-68 with 19 games remaining. The Dbacks have now beaten the PECOTA predictions. Every win from here to the end of the season will act as a high water mark over the forecasting machines.</p><p>PECOTA adapts and changes as the season and the data move forward. Baseball Prospectus maintains a PECOTA Standings page where the latest simulation totals show where the computer thinks teams will be at the end of the regular season.</p><p>The totals for the Diamondbacks have moved upwards which is probably as close as the computer will ever come from admitting it was wrong with its first estimate. But even these updated totals have little confidence in the Arizona Diamondbacks. The team is now estimated to end with an 82.8-79.2 record, an increase of eight wins.</p><p>That win total according to PECOTA will not be enough to make the playoffs. The Divisional winners in the National League will be Atlanta (105.2-56.8), Los Angeles (98.7-63.3) and Milwaukee (89.6-72.4). The three wild card teams will be Philadelphia (89.4-72.6), Chicago Cubs (87.5-74.5), and Miami (83.0-79.0). Arizona would have the next best record on the outside looking in.</p><p>I’m hoping that the Diamondbacks prove PECOTA wrong again over the next 22 days and exceed the 83 win mark. Not just because I would love to see Arizona in the post season but also so that it tempers all this Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning talk so that people understand that while baseball is made up of an infinite amount of numbers and data it is still played by imperfect men whose heart and desire cannot yet be forecasted by a computer.</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2023/09/take-that-pecota/">Take That PECOTA!</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://diarydiehard.com/2023/09/take-that-pecota/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233960</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Meaningful Baseball</title> <link>https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/meaningful-baseball/</link> <comments>https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/meaningful-baseball/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Summers]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 25 Aug 2023 06:50:45 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[2023 Regular Season]]></category> <category><![CDATA[baseball]]></category> <category><![CDATA[excitment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[losing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[meaningful]]></category> <category><![CDATA[playoffs]]></category> <category><![CDATA[post season]]></category> <category><![CDATA[streak]]></category> <category><![CDATA[winning]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://diarydiehard.com/?p=233937</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Shortly after the All-Star break, most people had given up the Diamondbacks for dead. Just before the midsummer classic Arizona was riding high leading the NL West and while the Los Angeles Dodgers were nipping at their heels there was confidence on the field and in the stands that perhaps this was the year that […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/meaningful-baseball/">Meaningful Baseball</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Shortly after the All-Star break, most people had given up the Diamondbacks for dead. Just before the midsummer classic Arizona was riding high leading the NL West and while the Los Angeles Dodgers were nipping at their heels there was confidence on the field and in the stands that perhaps this was the year that the Dbacks would finally dethrone the Dodgers and win the division.</p><p><span id="more-233937"></span><br />But then the wheels started falling off the bus. There was being swept in Toronto coming off the break that made everyone nervous. Things were better in Atlanta where Arizona took two of three from the Braves. But then the slide began.</p><p>A trip to Cincinnati saw Arizona drop three straight. The one bright spot was a home run by Corbin Carroll, but little could anyone imagine that would be his last home run in nearly a month; a drought that seemed impossible from the kid who seemed to be about to do anything.</p><p>Arizona would come home to face the struggling St. Louis Cardinals only to lose two of three of those games. Seattle would come to town and took two of three which began their hot streak towards the post season.</p><p>Things really started looking bad when the calendar changed to August. Suddenly a team who had not seen a protracted losing streak went on one of epic proportions losing the first nine games of the month. People were jumping off the Diamondbacks bandwagon faster than rats bailing on the Titanic. Even some of the diehard fans appeared to be wavering.</p><p>There were visions of 2018 with a massive collapse followed by years of mediocrity. If we really stopped to think about it, we should not have expected the good fortune we were seeing. With the age and experience of the roster this should be a year of growth with expectations that 2024 or 2025 would be when Arizona should hit their pace and be a play-off team.</p><p>This felt a little like 1999. After being an expansion team the year prior and losing 99 games, then owner Jerry Colangelo tore the cover off the checkbook and built a team that would win 99 games (still a franchise record). After a brief regression in 2000, the team came back to win the World Series in 2001 and might have won another in 2002 had they not had key injuries those last three weeks of the season.</p><p>All the doom and gloom of an August swoon now appear to be premature. After finally winning the first game of August on the 12th, Arizona has come storming back. They have now won 10 of the last 12 games and are riding a current five game winning streak.</p><p>What is even more impressive is that they have done it while piecing together a pitching staff that gets extremely shaky after Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. Even the “opener” games during this span have played well with the bullpen putting together strong inning after strong inning.</p><p>Now here we are in the last week of August and the Diamondbacks are sitting in second place in the National League West. Granted they are now 12 games back of Los Angeles who have been on fire this second half.</p><p>Arizona is now sitting six games over .500 with 34 games remaining. If they happen to go 17-17 in the remaining games, it will put them at 84 wins which seemed impossible before this season began.</p><p>All any fan could have asked is for their team to play meaningful baseball in September. To play the last month where games mattered and there was a chance, even if it was a small chance, of playing in the post season. If the Philadelphia Phillies taught us anything last year it is that once you get to the play-offs, any team can get hot and make it to the World Series.</p><p>It has been six years since Diamondbacks fans have been able to feel this way. I only hope this continues. It’s fun going to the ballpark thinking this might be the night that the team will do something extraordinary which will bring playoff baseball back to Chase Field.</p><p>To have people talking about the Diamondbacks positively this late in the season has been a joy that I will never take for granted again. It’s exciting to watch the out-of-town scoreboard for a change seeing whether your team’s chances for a playoff spot have gotten better or worse depending on other games being played. This is what we live for.</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/meaningful-baseball/">Meaningful Baseball</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/meaningful-baseball/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">233937</post-id> </item> <item> <title>How Deep is That Hole?</title> <link>https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/how-deep-is-that-hole/</link> <comments>https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/how-deep-is-that-hole/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Summers]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 05:15:24 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[2023 Regular Season]]></category> <category><![CDATA[candlesticks]]></category> <category><![CDATA[drop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[freefall]]></category> <category><![CDATA[hole]]></category> <category><![CDATA[live rooster]]></category> <category><![CDATA[losing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[standings]]></category> <category><![CDATA[streak]]></category> <category><![CDATA[struggle]]></category> <category><![CDATA[third-place]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://diarydiehard.com/?p=5747</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>When the final out was recorded against the Diamondbacks by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona found themselves with another loss bringing their consecutive game losing streak to eight. This is the longest such streak this season. You have to go back to those horrendous seasons of 2004 and 2021 to see a streak longer than […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/how-deep-is-that-hole/">How Deep is That Hole?</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When the final out was recorded against the Diamondbacks by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona found themselves with another loss bringing their consecutive game losing streak to eight. This is the longest such streak this season. You have to go back to those horrendous seasons of 2004 and 2021 to see a streak longer than that in Diamondbacks history.</p><p><span id="more-5747"></span><br /><a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/deephole.jpg" data-rel="lightbox-image-0" data-rl_title="" data-rl_caption="" title=""><img decoding="async" src="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/deephole-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-5748" srcset="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/deephole-300x169.jpg 300w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/deephole-768x432.jpg 768w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/deephole.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>It’s funny, it was not that long ago that we were talking about how the Diamondbacks had not been shut out of a game and had not been swept in a series during the 2023 season and now here we are. </p><p>Arizona has not won a game in the month of August. Going back in the history books I wondered what was the worst month from a winning percentage for the month of August? That would be 8-18 for the month, a feat that was set by the 2004 Diamondbacks who were racing to the bottom of the standings and would finish the year 51-111.</p><p>The positive, if there is one, is that at least Arizona cannot be that bad as they have already won 57 games this season so even if we do not win another game for the remainder of the year we can rest easy knowing that we weren’t that bad.</p><p>I will be the first to admit, if by some reason the Dbacks don’t win another game in 2023 I will be hard pressed to believe this wasn’t the worst team in franchise history. The question I am starting to ask is, how deep is this hole they are digging for themselves?</p><p>Since July 1 when the Diamondbacks were in first place and a season high 16 games over .500 it has been a freefall that seems like they will never reach bottom. I think this feels so bad because of how high that mark was at the time and going into the all-star break this team had us dreaming of the post season, something that hasn’t been a possibility since 2017.</p><p>Thinking back over the past 25 seasons, this collapse has a very real reminder of 2018. Just a year removed from making the playoffs, Arizona found itself in first place at the beginning of September. Then on a fateful road trip to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers, Arizona completely choked.</p><p>The team would play the most awful baseball I can recall that month and won just 8 games that month falling well out of the playoff picture and never really recovering to this very day. It was as though the Baseball Gods have seen fit to punish Diamondbacks fans for all the early successes they had in 1999-2002.</p><p>We are getting dangerously close to breaking out the Kevin Costner monologue in Bull Durham when the pitching coach came out to the mound to see why everyone was congregated there during the game.</p><blockquote><p>“Well, Nuke’s scared because his eyelids are jammed and his old man’s here. We need a live… is it a live rooster? We need a live rooster to take the curse off Jose’s glove and nobody seems to know what to get Millie or Jimmy for their wedding present.”<br /><span style="text-align: right; float: right; padding-right: 7px;">– Crash Davis</span></p><p> </p></blockquote><p>I’m thinking maybe bring some candlesticks or find out where Millie is registered and getting a place-setting or maybe a silverware pattern and bringing it to the game on Friday when the San Diego Padres come to down. </p><p>In the meantime, perhaps someone should go check with the Chase Field grounds crew and see if we can get them to hide their shovels for a little while. The last thing we need is for this team to continue to be digging a hole.</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/how-deep-is-that-hole/">How Deep is That Hole?</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/how-deep-is-that-hole/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5747</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Tower of Terror</title> <link>https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/tower-of-terror/</link> <comments>https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/tower-of-terror/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Summers]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 09 Aug 2023 06:13:39 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[2023 Regular Season]]></category> <category><![CDATA[baseball]]></category> <category><![CDATA[crowds]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Disney]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fall]]></category> <category><![CDATA[loss]]></category> <category><![CDATA[marathon]]></category> <category><![CDATA[plummet]]></category> <category><![CDATA[season]]></category> <category><![CDATA[standings]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tower of Terror]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Twilight Zone]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://diarydiehard.com/?p=5716</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Baseball season has been described many ways over the years. The most used analogy is that you have to approach the 162-game schedule as a marathon. This of course means that over a six-month season you cannot let yourself get too excited about the moment you are in. The thing about the length of a […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/tower-of-terror/">Tower of Terror</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Baseball season has been described many ways over the years. The most used analogy is that you have to approach the 162-game schedule as a marathon. This of course means that over a six-month season you cannot let yourself get too excited about the moment you are in. </p><p>The thing about the length of a season is that by its length it overcomes the short-term winning streaks and losing streaks to show you what your team really is. In some cases that is a surprise and a step forward as compared to the previous season or in many cases the sheer length of time shows the glaring holes in a roster which justifies the losing record.</p><p><span id="more-5716"></span></p><p><a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_1006.jpg" data-rel="lightbox-image-0" data-rl_title="" data-rl_caption="" title=""><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_1006-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-5717" srcset="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_1006-300x225.jpg 300w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_1006-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_1006-768x576.jpg 768w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_1006-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_1006-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>I’ve normally adhered to this adage of the season being a marathon. If you ask my wife, by the eighth of August when we have attended 57 home games the season feels like a never-ending death march.</p><p>This Diamondbacks season though it feels less like a marathon and more like Disney’s Tower of Terror.</p><p>When you first arrive at Disney’s Hollywood Studios you can see Tower of Terror looming over the park majestically dwarfing all other structures around it. (Fun fact: Tower of Terror in Florida is 199 feet tall. The reason for that particular height is that it is if it were taller, it would require an aircraft beacon which Disney felt would detract from the guest’s belief in the backstory of the attraction.). It stands as a challenge waiting to be conquered.</p><p>As you approach the ride, the building seems to grow which adds to the excitement but also to the nervousness wondering if you have what it takes to go through with it. Leading up to this moment you’ve told everyone how brave you are and that Tower of Terror doesn’t frighten you one bit. There are other rides that are scarier than this one.</p><p>You begin you walk on the property that leads to the entrance. It is meticulously themed to make you believe that you are walking into a dilapidated hotel from 1939 but you cannot help but admire the level of detail that Imagineers have put into this. You excitement continues to grow the closer you get.</p><p>When the ride actually starts, you look around and maybe in the back of your mind you think, “if this goes bad, these are the people who I’ll die with.” But you think, there are worse ways to go, at least you will be going out with similar diehard fans.</p><p>The cast members check all the safety devices to make sure that you are securely fastened thereby minimizing the thoughts that anything back could possibly happen.</p><p>Initially the ride will slowly lift you up while telling you the compelling saga of how this used to be a grand hotel that hosted many historical figures and where everyone wanted to be. You are provided descriptions and visual cues of those long-gone memories and think that perhaps with a little work this old hotel could once again be a destination that everyone talks about.</p><p>You are caught up in the story telling and lulled into a state of grandeur. Without really noticing, you have climbed to the top. Just to show you how much you have climbed, the doors are opened, and you can see out over the entire Disney property.</p><p>But before you can even take in all the beauty of what you can see or appreciate what the view looks like, the floor suddenly falls out from underneath you and all that hard work it took to get you to the very top floor is suddenly taken away. It is a freefall to the basement.</p><p>It feels as though you are going to fall forever. In a brief moment you are impressed at how high you had to go and how lofty the top really was but all that feeling of accomplishment of being at the top is replaced but the fact that falling from this height would seriously kill you.</p><p>You are also thanking your lucky stars that the cast member making minimum wage checked your seat belt to make sure you didn’t fly out of the car during the decent. But then you question your life choices of why you trusted your life to a kid that is making the same as that friend you had in High School that dropped out to become the reason your local McDonalds McFlurry machine is always broken.</p><p>As suddenly as you started falling you stop. You think to yourself that you survived but the struggle is not over. Your elevator car rises again and then suddenly drops. This sequence seems to go on forever and you are left feeling that you have become a human yo-yo with a frayed string.</p><p>In the end you find yourself back in the basement and the belt releases come on. You quickly try to gather your belongings and any kind of dignity you have left after screaming and crying like a baby and exit the car all while attempting to show a brave face.</p><p>Walking back to street level of the park you vow to yourself that you are never going to subject yourself to that again. You can hear the people currently on the ride screaming like you were just moments ago and wonder how you missed that when you were walking into the building.</p><p>For Diamondbacks fans, we are right now in that never-ending freefall. The team has now lost six games in a row. Some have been by huge bottomless drops like the 12-1 beating in Minnesota and others are smaller drops like missing out on beating the Dodgers by a single run. Nevertheless, you now find yourself exiting the ride just where you started, at 57-57 the same winning percentage as when you started.</p><p>Yeah, the baseball season, at least this one, is a Tower of Terror marathon. I’m just not sure how much longer my nerves can take this.</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/tower-of-terror/">Tower of Terror</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://diarydiehard.com/2023/08/tower-of-terror/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5716</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Planet of the Baseballs</title> <link>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/12/planet-of-the-baseballs/</link> <comments>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/12/planet-of-the-baseballs/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Summers]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 06 Dec 2021 16:07:20 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[2022 Off Season]]></category> <category><![CDATA[apes]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Arizona]]></category> <category><![CDATA[destruction]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Diamondbacks]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lockout]]></category> <category><![CDATA[McGwire]]></category> <category><![CDATA[planet]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sosa]]></category> <category><![CDATA[strike]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tampa Bay]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://diarydiehard.com/?p=5429</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>I’ve taken a little bit of time to stop and reflect on the state of baseball and the lockout we find ourselves in the midst of. For Arizona Diamondbacks fans, this is a first. The first time since the franchise was awarded that there has been a work stoppage. Let that sink in a little. […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2021/12/planet-of-the-baseballs/">Planet of the Baseballs</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I’ve taken a little bit of time to stop and reflect on the state of baseball and the lockout we find ourselves in the midst of. For Arizona Diamondbacks fans, this is a first. The first time since the franchise was awarded that there has been a work stoppage. Let that sink in a little. The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Rays (then the Devil Rays) were awarded franchises on March 9, 1995. This occurred after the last work stoppage that washed away the post season and World Series for the first time. By the time the Diamondbacks and Rays started play in 1998, the strike of 1994 was a fading memory made so by the heroics of Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire who were battling to break the single-season home run record.<br /><span id="more-5429"></span><br /><a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/planetoftheapes.jpg" data-rel="lightbox-image-0" data-rl_title="" data-rl_caption="" title=""><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/planetoftheapes-300x157.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="157" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-5430" srcset="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/planetoftheapes-300x157.jpg 300w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/planetoftheapes-1024x537.jpg 1024w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/planetoftheapes-768x403.jpg 768w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/planetoftheapes-1536x806.jpg 1536w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/planetoftheapes.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>1998 was a year of euphoria. Not only had baseball come to two new markets with all of the pomp and circumstance but by midsummer the world was fascinated by the home run hitting of Sosa and McGwire. Television shows were interrupted to bring you individual at-bats and every day baseball fans and non-fans alike would scour the newspaper, television, and sports radio to find out what happened the night before. It was a renaissance of the game. Fans who had vowed to boycott the game due to work stoppages were now back at the ballpark and all seemed to be forgiven.</p><p>The players association and the owners seemed to have learned their lesson that through there tenuous relationship it was possible to destroy the game. Instead of the constant bickering about labor issues, the two sides seemed to work together to at least show a united public front. This resulted in relatively smooth labor agreements over the next 27 years. This is why it is such a disappointment to see that the two sides could not come to some kind of agreement before December 1.</p><p>As the deadline for an agreement passed, the owners immediately locked out the players. While Commissioner Manfred claimed this was simply a procedural mechanism to make sure the players would come back to the bargaining table, that description did not resonate with the press and fans who saw this more like when you are in a relationship that seems to be nearing an end and you want to make sure that you break up with your partner before they break up with you.</p><p>Starting with the lockout, the traditional hot stove off-season where you eagerly watched to see what moves your favorite team would make in an effort to build a winning team for the upcoming season was replaced with constant reminders that without an agreement baseball would disappear. First it would affect the off-season stopping all player movement. Next would be the postponement of spring training then finally the elimination of regular season games.</p><p>In what I can only describe as irony on a universal scale, I decided to take a break from trying to understand why the players and owners couldn’t just reach an agreement and instead watch a movie. I flipped through the channels and stopped when I came across the 1968 classic Planet of the Apes. For those of you who have never seen this movie (and I can’t imagine why you haven’t), let me give you a brief synopsis with a bit of a spoiler. Hey, if you haven’t seen the movie in 53 years, you deserve to have the ending ruined for you and I’m not going to feel bad.</p><p>The premise of the movie is that a series of astronauts from 1972 crash on an unknown planet that is inhabited by an evolved group of apes that rule the planet in the year 3978. Man is recognized as an animal that cannot even be domesticated. The apes walk, talk, and reason in a relatively advanced form of government. Man is caught, caged, and used for experiments by their ape masters. The addition of intelligent men in the form of these astronauts causes some of the ape scientists to question whether ape evolved from man. The ape government establishment views the astronauts as threats to their society and attempt to destroy them. They are successful in this except for Taylor played by Charlton Heston.</p><p>The ending of the movie has become a classic. Little did I realize that what the ending was really talking about is baseball. After Charlton Heston escapes from his ape captors, he and a female human escape by horseback and ride along the ocean coastline. Suddenly the horst stops and Heston stares at something out of frame. He drops to his knees and utters the immortal line, “You maniacs! You blew it up! Damn you! God damn you all to hell!” The camera pans out to show a half buried Statue of Liberty leaving the viewer to understand that the astronauts landed back on earth and the human society had imploded and destroyed everything.</p><p>I sat there staring at the television unable to process my emotions. The greed and arrogance of the owners and the players were represented by the human society that fought amongst itself until Armageddon was unleashed destroying everything that had been built and left the landscape barren. The apes represent other sports picking up the pieces in hopes of building something better without repeating the failures of man. We as sports fans are Taylor, kneeling in front of the once great Statue of Liberty left to deal with the aftermath knowing this could all have been avoided.</p><p>Baseball seriously needs to get its house in order. If I am left watching old movies and equating that to the state of America’s pastime this is not going to end well for anyone. And I cannot afford the amount of therapy it is going to take to get me over this frustration and grief.</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2021/12/planet-of-the-baseballs/">Planet of the Baseballs</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/12/planet-of-the-baseballs/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5429</post-id> </item> <item> <title>A Dark Day</title> <link>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/12/a-dark-day/</link> <comments>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/12/a-dark-day/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Summers]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 02 Dec 2021 06:16:24 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[2022 Off Season]]></category> <category><![CDATA[economics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[frustration]]></category> <category><![CDATA[land rush]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lockout]]></category> <category><![CDATA[revenue]]></category> <category><![CDATA[salary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[strike]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work stoppage]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://diarydiehard.com/?p=5417</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>A dark storm cloud has hung over Major League Baseball for a couple of years now. The writing on the wall was very clear to anyone paying attention. While fans eagerly looked forward to the beginning of each new season and flocked to ballparks around the country and in Canada, You could tell all of […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2021/12/a-dark-day/">A Dark Day</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A dark storm cloud has hung over Major League Baseball for a couple of years now. The writing on the wall was very clear to anyone paying attention. While fans eagerly looked forward to the beginning of each new season and flocked to ballparks around the country and in Canada, You could tell all of these positives were overshadowed by the looming end of the current collective bargaining agreement between the owners and the players association.<br /><span id="more-5417"></span><br /><a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Baseball-Lockout.jpeg" data-rel="lightbox-image-0" data-rl_title="" data-rl_caption="" title=""><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Baseball-Lockout-300x168.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="168" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-5422" srcset="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Baseball-Lockout-300x168.jpeg 300w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Baseball-Lockout-1024x574.jpeg 1024w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Baseball-Lockout-768x430.jpeg 768w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Baseball-Lockout-1536x860.jpeg 1536w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Baseball-Lockout.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>Indicators all pointed to the fact that both sides of the CBA were not necessarily happy with how the game was going. Of the two, the players seemed to be the most disgruntled. While baseball was seeing a huge increase in revenues and opportunities the players seemed less excited. </p><p>Much of the frustration on the part of the players seemed to focus on the economics of the game. While most of the players (even those who were making league minimum) are being paid much better than the majority of fans who pay to watch them, they were seeing a reduction in the average salary while owners were seeing astronomical growth in the value of each franchise.</p><p>I want to be careful in painting this picture of the game. On the surface it feels like a bunch of millionaires are fighting with a bunch of billionaires on how big a slice of pie they get. It feels a little out of touch with reality and tends to immediately eliminate any sympathy the fans have for either party. It feels like the equivalent of the Oklahoma land rush of 1889 where both players and owners are rushing the field to see who can get the largest handful of money. Meanwhile, many fans are struggling to get their own financial house in order after a prolonged pandemic has changed the economic landscape more than any other singular event in our lifetimes.</p><p><a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/hith-oklahoma-land-run-2.jpg" data-rel="lightbox-image-1" data-rl_title="" data-rl_caption="" title=""><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/hith-oklahoma-land-run-2-300x171.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="171" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-5418" srcset="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/hith-oklahoma-land-run-2-300x171.jpg 300w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/hith-oklahoma-land-run-2-1024x585.jpg 1024w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/hith-oklahoma-land-run-2-768x438.jpg 768w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/hith-oklahoma-land-run-2-1536x877.jpg 1536w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/hith-oklahoma-land-run-2.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>If we ignore the number of zeros at the end of these dollar amounts and put it into context of our own livelihoods you can definitely see both sides of the equation. Owners are like any businessman. They have built their business on a product (in this case a baseball team). They have employees to pay (both on-field and off-field). They also have expenses and risks that they have to prepared for. What happens if your employees cannot work or revenues are not what you projected? The teams are shouldering these risks and have to factor that into their business model. Since they are accepting the risks they should be rewarded for that.</p><p>On the other side of the equation there are the players who in reality are the product in an entertainment industry. They started out being drafted by a specific team and in the beginning of their careers they toiled in the minor leagues making less wages than many fast-food employees (we will exclude those in the first couple of rounds who are awarded signing bonuses that is more of an exception rather than a rule). When they finally make it to the major leagues, their salaries are again dictated by the owners for the first few years until they can accumulate enough service time to be granted their free agency. </p><p>While these players hone their skills while being paid relatively meager salaries (again ignoring the number of zeros for the sake of making a point), they see the owners reaping large benefits from the players efforts without sharing in that abundance. In our worlds it is the equivalent of seeing the CEO of the company making 10x or 20x the salary of the workers who are responsible for the success of the company.</p><p>In my view, this is the primary stumbling block the owners and the players have when negotiating a new CBA. They can talk about all the other things like competitive balance, rules changes, expanded play-offs and all the other things that fans think are the most important thing but none of those other things will really be seriously discussed until the economics can be agreed upon.</p><p>Historically, the owners have fared much better than the players in getting their collective way at the negotiating table. I would argue that the players have for the most part rolled over in many of the CBAs wanting to play more than they were willing to fight for more equal revenue sharing. But during the past 20 years it seems like the owners came out ahead in driving the economics. It was bound to come to a head at some point and 2021 seemed to be that flashpoint.</p><p>The players and the owners have been negotiating for the past several months out of the public spotlight but any progress if there has been any has been hidden from the fans. That is about to change starting at 12:01 AM on December 2nd. The owners decided to stop negotiating around 4:30 PM on December 1st and voted to lock the players out.</p><p>In a <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/lettertobaseballfans.pdf">letter to the fans from Commissioner Rob Manfred</a>, he explained that this lockout is simply a mechanism to bring the players association to the bargaining table. The players association countered with the lockout being unnecessary since the players are already at the negotiation table offering what they think are valid starting points.</p><p>Given the timing of it, it is hard to see that either side is really interested in completing a new agreement quickly. The fans likewise see little in the way of urgency since Spring Training doesn’t start for another 2 months and the regular season is nearly 4 months away. It feels as though this is going to drag out for an extended period of time.</p><p>Listening to both sides, it seems the players are quite content with holding out until they get some concessions around the economics of baseball. Owners also seem resolved to hold out making this a financial game of chicken where each party is waiting for the other to blink.</p><p>Personally I am expecting this to drag out and would not be surprised to see Spring Training impacted and reduced once both parties finally get to a point where something must get done. If only the fans were incentivized. If the owners and players really want to be provided with a sense of urgency maybe there should be some kind of stipulation where for every week there is a strike or a lockout the players will have to donate a portion of their salaries to a fund that provides baseball tickets and equipment to children and the underserved community. The owners will have to reduce ticket and concessions prices for every week this goes on until the point an agreement is made. Fans shouldn’t be penalized for this lack of cooperation.</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2021/12/a-dark-day/">A Dark Day</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/12/a-dark-day/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5417</post-id> </item> <item> <title>An Historic Night</title> <link>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/08/an-historic-night-2/</link> <comments>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/08/an-historic-night-2/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Summers]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 15 Aug 2021 19:26:58 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[2021 Regular Season]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Diamondbacks]]></category> <category><![CDATA[excitement]]></category> <category><![CDATA[historic]]></category> <category><![CDATA[history]]></category> <category><![CDATA[hitless]]></category> <category><![CDATA[magic]]></category> <category><![CDATA[no-hitter]]></category> <category><![CDATA[special]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tyler Gilbert]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://diarydiehard.com/?p=5384</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The thing about the game of baseball is that you never know what is going to happen. When you scan your ticket and walk through the turnstiles there is a sense of wonder. Will tonight be the night that you see something incredible, unique, or even historic? These are the same feelings that baseball fans […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2021/08/an-historic-night-2/">An Historic Night</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The thing about the game of baseball is that you never know what is going to happen. When you scan your ticket and walk through the turnstiles there is a sense of wonder. Will tonight be the night that you see something incredible, unique, or even historic? These are the same feelings that baseball fans have shared down through the years.<br /><span id="more-5384"></span><br /><a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3748.jpg" data-rel="lightbox-image-0" data-rl_title="" data-rl_caption="" title=""><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3748-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-5389" srcset="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3748-300x169.jpg 300w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3748-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3748-768x432.jpg 768w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3748-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3748-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>I remember talking to my grandfather, an avid baseball fan, who would tell me of games he had listened to or experienced in some way that had an indelible impact on his life. Many of these memories became my own as I listened to him recount “the shot heard round the world” or Jackie Robinson stealing home during a World Series. These are the memories that remain with us throughout our lives.</p><p>This season for the Arizona Diamondbacks has been especially trying. I say that from experience having sat through every home game in the 2004 season when the Dbacks lost 111 games. In many ways 2021 has felt like deja vu. For most of the season the records of the 2021 team exactly matched that of the 2004 team. It wasn’t just that the team was losing games but that it felt like they were not even competitive. Both seasons were filled with injuries to key personnel and players who extremely underperformed expectations.</p><p>By the time the all-star break came it was time to look to next year. But in doing so, we look past the remaining seven weeks of this season. With winning no longer a primary driving factor, the games now turn towards trying to identify which of the players on the current roster you can build around to start climbing back into contention in future seasons.</p><p>Fans need to modify their expectations and change how they watch games. It becomes less about wins and losses and more about understanding the game at its essence. Do you want to build the next roster around strong pitching or do you focus on an offense that will outscore the opponent regardless of how poorly the pitching staff plays? Success of course comes from a delicate balance between these two extremes.</p><p><a href="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3755.jpg" data-rel="lightbox-image-1" data-rl_title="" data-rl_caption="" title=""><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3755-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-5390" srcset="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3755-300x169.jpg 300w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3755-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3755-768x432.jpg 768w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3755-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3755-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>As the gates to last night’s game opened, I was again standing in line waiting to enter Chase Field. I’ve gotten to know most of those working the gates, a benefit to going to so many games and seeing the same people. We always talk about the previous game and ponder what might happen in the up coming game. But tonight I can safely say that neither the guest relations staff nor myself ever considered what we were about to witness.</p><p>The Diamondbacks, holders of the worst record in Major League Baseball, were facing the San Diego Padres who were currently the second wild card team if the postseason began today. On the mound for the Padres was Joe Musgrove who has blossomed into a dominating pitcher.</p><p>The Diamondbacks would counter with Tyler Gilbert who had been promoted from Triple-A Reno 11 days ago. Gilbert was forced into the starting rotation as a result of continued injuries to the pitching staff. This was in fact Gilbert’s first Major League start. He had been in three games for the Diamondbacks in relief. Those appearances could best be described as adequate. I don’t think anyone thought he was the dominating answer to the pitching woes Arizona has been facing.</p><p>If I am being honest, I doubt many Diamondbacks fans even knew anything about Tyler Gilbert before yesterday’s game. This assessment was validated based on the number of questions I received from those in the stands or on social media who had no idea how he even came to the Diamondbacks system. I replied that Gilbert was a Rule 5 draft pick from the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2020. He came to the Dodgers in a trade in February 2020 from the Philadelphia Phillies who had drafted him in the 6th round of the 2015 draft.</p><p>For those unaware of the Rule 5 draft, it is held each December where teams who do not have a full 40-man roster to select players from other organizations. It was designed to allow players some level of movement in the minor leagues. Players who were 18 or younger when they were initially drafted have to be protected on a team’s 40-man roster within 5 seasons otherwise they are available in the Rule 5 draft. If a player is drafted in the Rule 5 draft, the team losing the player receives $100,000. The drafted player has to remain on the 26-man roster of the receiving team. If they are not they must be placed on outright waivers to be removed from the roster then offered back to the original team for $50,000. If the original team does not wish to reacquire the player they can then go to the minors of the team that drafted them. That is a long winded explanation to say that it’s a gamble to draft someone in the Rule 5 draft and while some do go on to be successful, most end up being fringe players that kick around for a few seasons. There are exceptions to that of course but those tend to be rare.</p><p>Given that history of the Rule 5 draft and the fact that Tyler Gilbert was selected then put on waivers and the Dodgers did not want to reacquire him and he spent most of this season in the minor leagues, the expectations for last night’s appearance as a starter were very low. On paper this looked like a bullpen game where Gilbert would pitch a couple of innings then hand the ball off to another reliever. Last night proved why you actually play the game and don’t go by what it says on paper.</p><p>The game started with a lead-off walk to Tommy Pham, a few of the fans who have been to a lot of games began to groan and comment “here we go again” under their breath. All-star Adam Frazier then hit into a double play. That was followed by Manny Machado striking out. Gilbert threw 15 pitches, not a bad total for an inning of work. Arizona’s offense came alive against Musgrove. The Diamondbacks sent nine men to the plate and scored 5 runs to give the rookie a lead.</p><p>The second inning, Gilbert was again rather efficient getting the Padres 3 up and 3 down in just 8 pitches. If this were a bullpen game, he had done what was being asked but given the low pitch count and the struggles of the Diamondbacks bullpen it was worth leaving the kid in to continue.</p><p>The third inning was similar to the second with the Padres going down in order. Wil Myers struck out followed by a ground out to third and Musgrove striking out. Pitch count for the third inning was 14, again fairly low. I’ll admit, at this point in the game nothing seemed dominating to suggest that something was afoot that we should be paying attention to.</p><p>In the fourth inning, Tommy Pham again walked to lead off the inning and Adam Frazier again hit into a double play this one to first baseman Pavin Smith unattended. Manny Machado flew out to left field to end the inning. Gilbert’s pitch count for these three outs was 8 pitches.</p><p>The tide began to change in the fifth inning. Jake Cronenworth flew out to center fielder Ketel Marte and Austin Nola flew out to right fielder Josh Rojas. Both of those outs were a bit more difficult than an average lazy fly ball to the outfield. Eric Hosmer hit a line drive back up the middle that Tyler Gilbert snagged to record the third out. Total pitch count was again 8 pitches. At this point you start to realize that the Padres have not gotten a hit and Gilbert has only thrown 53 pitches. Musgrove has been forced out of the game giving up 6 runs and 10 hits while throwing 97 pitches (44 more than Gilbert had thrown).</p><p>The sixth inning started with Wil Myers flying out to Marte and Trent Grisham hitting a ball between second and first that Pavin Smith snagged throwing to Gilbert covering for the second out. Jake Marisnick flies out to left field in a ball that many thought was going for a hit. Pitch count for the sixth was 7 pitches which was incredible. The Diamondbacks score again in the sixth making it 7-0.</p><p>For the third time in the game, Tommy Pham walks to lead off an inning. Adam Frazier lines out on a bullet to third base for the first out. Manny Machado pops out to first base in foul territory for the second out. Jake Cronenworth hits a grounder to second baseman Josh VanMeter who tosses to shortstop Nick Ahmed at second for the force. This would be the only inning with a runner left on base for the Padres. Gilbert’s pitch count was 10.</p><p>The excitement was starting to build around the stadium. There were murmurs of something special happening although no one wanted to talk about a potential no-hitter for fear of jinxing it. I was starting to worry about pitch count. While Gilbert had been pretty judicious in how many pitches he had thrown, there were still two innings and after all this was his first start. The Padres helped tremendously. Austin Nola flies out to deep left field where Peralta catches the ball at the base of the wall maybe 18” from being a home run. Eric Hosmer grounds out to short for the second out. Wil Myers flies out to deep centerfield for the third out. Pitch count for the 8th inning was 3 pitches!</p><p>As the ninth inning started the crowd at Chase Field were on their feet. By now everyone knew what was happening and that there were only three outs away from a no-hitter. The fans were cheering from the moment that Gilbert stepped out of the dugout. So many no-hitters are broken up at the very end that I think we were all a little nervous.</p><p>Trent Grisham began the inning striking out on a called third strike. The crowd erupted in excitement. Only two outs remaining. Ha-Seong Kim came in as a pinch hitter and Gilbert struck him out to the delight of the fans. It was all coming down to this last hitter. Tommy Pham walked to the plate. He had been on-base every at bat tonight. Pham swung and hit the ball on the first pitch. It was a liner to center field that looked like it might drop but Ketel Marte made a running catch to secure the final out and the no-hitter. Pitch count for this inning was 10 for a total of 102 pitches.</p><p>The players went crazy rushing to the mound to celebrate. In a season where nothing has seemed to go right for this team, they definitely needed this. The scene at the mound was reminiscent of clinching a playoff game. The fans in the stands were just as excited. In a show of good sportsmanship the Padres fans were standing and cheering and almost as excited as those rooting for Arizona.</p><p>This was just the second no-hitter in Chase Field history. The first was also by a rookie. St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jose Jimenez defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks and Randy Johnson 1-0 on June 25, 1999. I was at that game as well and it was just as memorable but this one felt a little better being on the winning end of the game.</p><p>The no-hitter by Tyler Gilbert is the third in Arizona Diamondbacks history. The first and most incredible was on May 18, 2004 when Randy Johnson threw a perfect game against the Atlanta Braves. The second no-hitter in Diamondbacks history was on June 25, 2010 against the Tampa Bay Rays. That no-hitter was the strangest as Jackson threw 149 pitches in the game and walked 8 batters. </p><p>It what can only be described as baseball irony, the first no-hitter by the Diamondbacks came during a season where they lost 111 games a franchise worst. This no hitter by Tyler Gilbert occurred during a season where the Diamondbacks are the worst team in baseball like they were in 2004. Jackson’s no-hitter had the only baserunners reaching via the walk. With Gilbert’s the only runners were again given a free pass.</p><p>Gilbert throwing a no-hitter in his first Major League start is the fourth time in baseball history that has occurred. The other three are: Teddy Breitenstein in 1891, Bumpus Jones in 1892, and Bobo Holloman in 1953. He is the first rookie to throw a no-hitter since Chris Heston in 2015.</p><p>The 2021 baseball season has now had eight no-hitters in the season. What is interesting is that the first no-hitter of the season was thrown by Joe Musgrove of the San Diego Padres who was the opposing pitcher when Tyler Gilbert threw his.</p><p>It was a magical and exiting night. Not just for Gilbert but for the whole team. While he was incredible on the mound, it was also amazing to see every position player go out of their way to keep the no-hitter intact. It is an experience I will never forget. History can be rare and elusive so being there to witness such a feat was incredible and something I will take with me the rest of my life. Like my grandfather did with me, I will recount this night and what it meant to my kids and grandkids hoping they too learn to appreciate how incredible baseball is.</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2021/08/an-historic-night-2/">An Historic Night</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/08/an-historic-night-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5384</post-id> </item> <item> <title>A Look to the Future</title> <link>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/07/a-look-to-the-future/</link> <comments>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/07/a-look-to-the-future/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Summers]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 13 Jul 2021 03:49:58 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[2021 Regular Season]]></category> <category><![CDATA[baseball]]></category> <category><![CDATA[draft]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jordan]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lawlar]]></category> <category><![CDATA[scouts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[shortstop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Vanderbilt]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://diarydiehard.com/?p=5369</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Despite the Diamondbacks struggling this season, there are still a few bright spots. In normal years I would be looking forward to the first week of June when Major League Baseball holds its annual amateur draft. This is a chance for dreams to become realities. Around the nation kids have been playing baseball hopefully in […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2021/07/a-look-to-the-future/">A Look to the Future</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Despite the Diamondbacks <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2021/07/assessing-the-season/">struggling this season</a>, there are still a few bright spots. In normal years I would be looking forward to the first week of June when Major League Baseball holds its annual amateur draft. This is a chance for dreams to become realities.<br /><span id="more-5369"></span><br /><a href="http://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Jordan-Lawlar.jpg" data-rel="lightbox-image-0" data-rl_title="" data-rl_caption="" title=""><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Jordan-Lawlar-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-5370" srcset="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Jordan-Lawlar-300x225.jpg 300w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Jordan-Lawlar-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Jordan-Lawlar-768x576.jpg 768w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Jordan-Lawlar-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Jordan-Lawlar.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>Around the nation kids have been playing baseball hopefully in front of parents, friends, fans, and for a select few scouts. No not boy scouts although some of these scouts likely were boy scouts when they were younger. The scouts in these stands carry Jugs guns and notebooks and are constantly making notes about even the most miniscule happenings on the field. Those notes are collected and entered into databases for Major League baseball teams. From there data scientists and baseball evaluators will look over these numbers and dissect them like the lifeless frogs we had to cut up in biology class.</p><p>These scouts travel the back roads and visit small towns and big tournaments all looking to strike it rich. Instead of panhandling for gold during the California gold rush these scouts are hoping to find a nugget that will bring riches, championships, and countless fans to teams who will flock to see these ballplayers in Major League games.</p><p>For the first time, Major League Baseball did not hold their draft in June. Instead it was moved to All-Star weekend set up in a ballroom in downtown Denver where for fans could actually attend the draft (before it was a closed event where only team representatives could attend).</p><p>The draft will last 20 rounds spread over three days. If a team has done their homework and things come together at just the right way it could set a franchise up for success for an extended period of time. </p><p>As a Diamondbacks fan I am glued to the television watching the draft moving players around on my own draft board pretending I was in the “war room” evaluating talent and trying to decide what direction I would take the team.</p><p>Last year the Dbacks didn’t play well in the abbreviated season meaning this year they had the sixth overall pick in the draft. As the draft started, players I thought would be taken weren’t. When it got to Arizona’s pick there were still several incredible players available. With their pick the Diamondbacks selected shortstop Jordan Lawlar. I was ecstatic. </p><p>Lawlar is one of those special players that don’t come around very often and has the ceiling of being a perennial all-star, something the Diamondbacks have not had for a long time. I couldn’t believe the luck to have him fall into the Dbacks lap. </p><p>My excitement was tempered slightly as the question of sign ability came up. Lawlar has a commitment to Vanderbilt University to play baseball, so it is possible that he was bypass the opportunity to start his professional baseball career to get his education. As a father who has sent all of his kids to college, I understand that and would be hard pressed to fault anyone who put their education behind playing ball. Hopefully the Diamondbacks will take that into consideration and include a college education in the deal they offer him to make sure he has the ability to go to school and get a degree.</p><p>The signing window for draft picks ends on August 1st. For the next three weeks like every other Diamondbacks fan, I will be pacing the floor and praying to the baseball gods that the Dbacks will be able to sign Jordan Lawlar along with their other draft picks to hopefully bring success back to this franchise. And when that day comes, I will be in the stands cheering for them, remembering this day when the Diamondbacks fortunes took a turn for the better.</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2021/07/a-look-to-the-future/">A Look to the Future</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/07/a-look-to-the-future/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5369</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Assessing the Season</title> <link>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/07/assessing-the-season/</link> <comments>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/07/assessing-the-season/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Summers]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 12 Jul 2021 01:36:38 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[2021 Regular Season]]></category> <category><![CDATA[bad]]></category> <category><![CDATA[baseball]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Brenly]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Diamondbacks]]></category> <category><![CDATA[history]]></category> <category><![CDATA[hot seat]]></category> <category><![CDATA[injuries]]></category> <category><![CDATA[loss]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lovullo]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Manager]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Pedrique]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://diarydiehard.com/?p=5366</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>To say this season for the Arizona Diamondbacks has been abysmal would be the understatement of the year. Their play has been atrocious. Each game they seem to find new ways to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. Even that is somewhat of a rose-colored view of how bad this season has gone. […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2021/07/assessing-the-season/">Assessing the Season</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>To say this season for the Arizona Diamondbacks has been abysmal would be the understatement of the year. Their play has been atrocious. Each game they seem to find new ways to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. Even that is somewhat of a rose-colored view of how bad this season has gone. It suggests that the Dbacks are competitive in each contest. Yesterday’s second game of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers proved how non-competitive they have become. When your starting pitcher gives up five runs in the first inning then is pulled in the second after giving up another four runs before recording an out you know things have gotten bad. So bad you didn’t think it could get worse then they show you there is no rock bottom or if there is, this team hasn’t found it yet losing the game 22-1.<br /><span id="more-5366"></span><br /><a href="http://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image001.png" data-rel="lightbox-image-0" data-rl_title="" data-rl_caption="" title=""><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image001-300x178.png" alt="" width="300" height="178" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-5367" srcset="https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image001-300x178.png 300w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image001-1024x606.png 1024w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image001-768x454.png 768w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image001-1536x909.png 1536w, https://diarydiehard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image001-2048x1212.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>I’ve played enough baseball and heard enough coaches to know what the cliches will be after that. “The best thing to do is put a game like tonight’s in your rearview mirror and forget about it.” “While the score didn’t show it, there were some positives you can take from tonight.” Or my personal favorite, “This team is better than the record or the scoreboard shows, I think we’ve turned a corner.”</p><p>To put things into perspective, the worst season in Diamondbacks history was 2004. That team finished with a record of 51-111, the worst record in baseball. At game 92 the 2004 team’s record was 31-61. Compare that to the 2021 Diamondbacks whose record is 26-66 and you see that they are a full five games worse than they have ever been in the history of the franchise.</p><p>The final game of the series against the Dodgers showed again how this season has progressed for the Diamondbacks. They led the world champions by a score of 4-1 after seven innings. It looked as though the team might actually win a series on the road (a feat more elusive than an 80 degree day in an Arizona summer). But as the team has shown time and time again, no lead is ever safe. The Dbacks gave up three runs in the eighth inning to let the Dodgers tie the game then gave up a three-run home run in the ninth for a 7-4 loss. Mercifully the first half of the season has come to a close with the All-Star break coming not a moment too soon. At least for the next four days it will be impossible for Arizona to lose another game.</p><p>For the fans of a last-place team the All-Star festivities hold very little solace. The All-Star team will have one mandatory participant as a reminder of how poorly the players and the team have played so far. None of the conversations will revolve around potential playoff runs in the second half or what the GM may be planning to bolster the roster. Instead, any talk of the Diamondbacks will likely revolve around how many pieces will be moved making the likelihood of any hopes of better play an impossible dream.</p><p>If history has taught us anything it is that when a team has played this poorly not just in one season but as a continuation of another; change is inevitable. During the 2004 season, Manager Bob Brenly who had guided the Diamondbacks to their only World Championship was fired on July 3, 2004. The team had just lost two games to the Minnesota Twins and had a record of 29-52. At the time management stated that it wasn’t just the poor play of 2004 but also that 2003 had been a disappointment. The team suffered from injuries to key players but the roster could not live up to what was needed to field a competitive team. Third-base coach Al Pedrique was named interim manager for the remainder of the season.</p><p>Looking at the 2021 ballclub. The team is likewise struggling (even more so than the 2004 squad). The injured list reads like a who’s-who of key players that prior to the beginning of the season were touted as the key to the team’s success. Last season was likewise a disappointment but has been forgiven as the result of a pandemic. Still, the writing is on the wall that the Diamondbacks are ripe for a change. Torey Lovullo is likely not the reason for the team’s poor performance but it’s easier to replace a manager than it is to replace a 25-man roster.</p><p>While I always hate to see a coaching/manager change in the middle of a season, I also realize that team owners rarely look at timing and convenience when making changes especially if they feel that a roster is underperforming based on talent. The problem is, very little will likely change if Lovullo is fired. As if the scorching temperatures of an Arizona summer were not hot enough, it looks as though Lovullo’s seat may be even hotter. </p><p>The post <a href="https://diarydiehard.com/2021/07/assessing-the-season/">Assessing the Season</a> first appeared on <a href="https://diarydiehard.com">Diary of a Diehard</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://diarydiehard.com/2021/07/assessing-the-season/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5366</post-id> </item> </channel></rss> If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
Download the "valid RSS" banner.
Upload the image to your own server. (This step is important. Please do not link directly to the image on this server.)
Add this HTML to your page (change the image src attribute if necessary):
If you would like to create a text link instead, here is the URL you can use:
http://www.feedvalidator.org/check.cgi?url=http%3A//diarydiehard.com/feed/
