Down the Left Field Line:
Life, Baseball & Eric Byrnes

For the first time this season, the Diamondbacks were swept in a series as the Cubs defeated them Friday, Saturday and Sunday by scores of 3-1, 7-2 and 6-4 respectively. On Friday, Dan Haren came out on the short end of a pitchers’ duel with Ted Lilly, made all the worse by Haren given up the tying RBI to Lilly himself after the 8 hitter was intentionally walked to get to the pitcher.

On Saturday and Sunday, starters Max Scherzer and Edgar Gonzalez left the game winning, only to have the bullpen blow it both days.

Gonzalez was a last minute replacement for starter Randy Johnson because manager Bob Melvin did not want to risk him if there was a rain delay. The game started almost an hour behind schedule and games on Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburgh were rained out. Cubs manager Lou Piniella was thinking the same thing, scratching starter Carlos Zambrano in favour of Sean Gallagher.

Eric Byrnes, batting second, doubled in his third plate appearance pushing Augie Ojeda to third and scored. The Cubs elected to walk the bases loaded and both Ojeda and Byrnes scored when Conor Jackson and Justin Upton were walked unintentionally by reliever Chad Fox.

Next time up, in the 6th inning, Byrnesie was having a good AB, taking a bunch of pitches out of the pitcher’s arm, when Chris Burke who had drawn several throws at first base, finally got caught leaning the wrong way and was picked off for out number 3. Boo-Hiss! Two outs late in a fairly close game–it was 4-2 D’Backs at the time–is not time to take chances of ending the inning with a pickoff.

With Sunday’s loss, the Snakes no longer have the best record in baseball. That distinction now belongs to–hold on to your hats–the Florida Marlins!

On a good news note, Doug Davis pitched 4.2 in a rehab assignment in Tuscon, allowing two runs on six hits with a walk and a three strikeouts. The Diamondbacks want Davis to stretch out his arm to 100 pitches before bringing him back to the majors. That will take at least one more rehab start.

ByrnesBlogger1 

on testing cancer free. I hope it stays that way.

You are also staying strong despite potentially energy sapping radiation therapy. Also very good.

You have a rehab game in the minors Saturday. Good luck!

Looking forward to seeing you back in the majors real soon!

ByrnesBlogger1 

I heard some sports talking head this morning talking about Josh Beckett being the best pitcher in the majors at 4-2. Fiddlesticks! Brandon Webb is 8-0!

He pitched a complete game yesterday, saving the bullpen. Of course, it helped that he was staked to a chalupa-sized 8 runs, thanks in part to Chris Young’s 2-run homer, Chris Snyder’s 2-run double, and Justin Upton’s solo shot. Also, The Sheriff is back in town. Mark Reynolds went 3-4 with an RBI and a run.

Eric Byrnes is thinking of running a bakery. He served up another bagel (0-5) yesterday. I won’t repeat his batting average here in case kids are reading.

I drink herbal teas that are my own blends. This week, I have been adding the memory supplement ginko biloba because I can’t remember the last time Byrnesie had an RBI.

I am trying to figure out what he can do to right himself. Maybe he ought to stop trying to grow a mustache for a hitting streak. His body is trying to put too much energy into a futile effort (mustache) and doesn’t have enough for a good effort (hitting streak).

Actually, there are plenty of other more important things wrong now. But this is a celebratory essay so I won’t go on about it.

BRANDON WEBB! He’s the first NL pitcher since Pedro Martinez in ‘97 to start 8-0. The D’Backs are starting to talk contract extension with him. Ca-Ching! And he deserves it!

Now Danny Haren goes up against the Cubs at Wrigley today at 11:20 PDT/MST. Day game on a Friday? And with no off day for travel? There has been some weird scheduling of day games this season.

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Many knowledgeable baseball people, including Eric Byrnes, consider the 2001 World Series one of the best, if not THE best World Series ever. Seven games between the storied New York Yankees, winners of the previous three World Series, and 26 championships overall, versus the upstart Arizona Diamondbacks, in existence for only four years and playing in their first World Series. And Game 7 was an epic pitchers’ duel that went down to the wire.
On April 29th, A&E Home Video (aetv.com) and MLB Productions make a DVD set of this series available. Buy it. Unless you win the one I have available as a giveaway on this blog. Details about that further down.

The DVD player I have attached to my TV is not working for some reason. So I was pleased to find that the DVDs will play on a PC with DVD playing software. I’m running Windows XP Home Edition and NTI DVD software on a 2 GB system with 512 MB Ram of which only 448 MB is working properly; but the DVD’s ran perfectly despite the RAM problem. The mouse substitutes for TV remote control and is much easier to use. By the way, these are not Blu-Ray discs.

The pictures, basically the Fox broadcast of each game, are crisp and clear. The games are edited to bring you the best shots…and no commercial breaks! You just go from one inning to the next and through the pitching changes with all baseball. The only non-baseball information was in the form of the graphics that were part of the game broadcast that day. For example, Game 7 updated the viewers on the Emmy Awards that were presented that night. That’s a nice historical touch.

Bonus features include highlights of the NLDS and NLCS, trophy presentations, and several on-field post-Game 7 interviews with the winners. Each of the seven games comes on its own DVD, in its own jewel case with a liner that provides the box score, an inning-by-inning summary and tidbits that will satisfy any trivia buff. The set comes in a box that easy to store; It’s 18 hours and 49 minutes of material that lists for only $69.95. (HINT: The Amazon.com price is only $52.49).  Even though the set emphasizes the Arizona Diamondbacks, it’s a great addition to the libraries of Yankees fans and anyone else who enjoys great baseball.

For those of you who are interested in the one I’m giving away, the way to get it is to send me an Eric Byrnes story from anywhere starting with his college days to the present. Keep it family-friendly as I want to post the entries here. What was it like to meet Byrnesie? Did you go to school with him, see him as a minor leaguer, banter with him in the stands in the majors, or meet him in the supermarket? Did he visit your school, hospital or Little League?

My stats reports say that a lot of people visit, but only a few people who know me from the days this blog was on MLB.com ever comment. My usual commentators, the guys who run the AZSportshub website, members of Byrnesie’s family and current social circle, professional journalists who have interviewed Byrnes, and anyone who has ever been featured on The Eric Byrnes Show are not eligible to win the DVD set but are welcome to contribute a story to enrich the visiting experience for my readers.

I’m looking for Byrnes fans who have never commented here before. I’m hoping a chance at this wonderful DVD set will entice some of you into joining the discussions. Don’t be shy. You don’t have to be a literary genius to enter, but the winner will be the story I find most interesting, so don’t just say you were there when Byrnesie did thus-and-such.

Send your stories to byrnesblogger1 [at] azsportshub.com by May 15th. The decision of the judge (me) is final.

Byrnesblogger1

The Arizona Diamondbacks dropped the rubber match of their three game series against the Mets, 5-2. This is the first time they have lost a series since the opening series against Cincinnati.

They really beat themselves in this one. Dan Haren matched up well with Johan Santana, yielding only 2 runs. But the D’Backs offense left its clutch hitting in the bat rack; the Snakes left 12 men on base compared to the Mets’ 6. Maybe if they got a few more in they could have withstood Conor Jackson’s 9th inning error. Reliever Chad Qualls got Carlos Delgado to hit a grounder but Jackson threw it into left field and instead of runners on first and third with one out, the Mets had runners on first and second with none out and a run scored. They got two more off Qualls that inning and then Billy Wagner slammed the door shut in the bottom of the ninth.

On the good side, Mark Reynolds hit an RBI single and Chris Snyder an RBI triple. But Snyder’s triple missed being a home run by inches and he was stranded at third.

Eric Byrnes continues to be a disaster, going 0-5 with three Ks. He’s swinging a the bad stuff, letting fast balls down the middle go by, and looking like a fool on change ups. (Stop guessing, Byrnesie, wait for something in your hitting zone, then swing at it). It’s depressing, really, and I wonder how long Bob Melvin can put up with this vacuum in the top third of his order that is Eric Byrnes of late. 

On to deal with Philadelphia, as Max Scherzer makes his major league debut as a starter. An absolute fireballer versus the most potent offense in the league. Ought to be interesting. Crafty Jamie Moyer, who is old enough to be Scherzer’s father, starts for Philly.

BTW I am still waiting to hear from people who have an Eric Byrnes story to tell for that DVD set of the 2001 World Series. It is a very good set. C’mon folks, where are all the people who wave 22’s at Chase, or the people who used to sit behind the Eric Byrnes Fan Club sign in Oakland?

ByrnesBlogger1 

The Diamondbacks beat the Mets 10-4, enabling Brandon Webb to notch his 7th win with less than his best stuff. He gave up all 4 of the Mets runs on 5 hits, including a 3-run homer by Carlos Delgado in the 6th inning, Webb’s last.

Augie Ojeda, subbing for Orlando Hudson, who is day-to-day with a tweaked hamstring, had a career day.  He went 3-4, including 2 doubles and 6 RBIs. The other big hitter for the D’Backs was Justin Upton, who went 2-3 with 3 BBs and 3 runs.

The D’backs were leading 5-4 when they came up in the 8th. They tacked on another 5 runs, 2 of which came on an Ojeda double.

Eric Byrnes and Mark Reynolds are still slumping. Reynolds went 0-4 and a 1 BB–he scored–2 K and 7 LOB. Byrnesie was nearly as bad. He went 1-5 and a run scored, a GIDP and 4 LOB. Thank goodness for guys like Augie Ojeda.

And thank goodness for a solid bullpen. Qualls in the 7th, Pena in the 8th and Lyon in the 9th were scoreless.

Tomorrow’s rubber match promises quite a pitcher’s duel: Haren v. Santana. 

ByrnesBlogger1 

Remember the B.C. cartoons in which The Fat Broad would pound the snake with a club? It’s like that when the Mets come to Chase Field. Tonight, the Mets pounded the D’Backs 7-2.

Micah Owings, whose ankle is still sore, didn’t have his stuff, gave up all the runs in 5.2 innings, and took the loss. Eric Byrnes, who still isn’t right, despite his saying on Live Video this morning that “the leg feels good”, went 0-5 with 2 punch-outs. He’s way in front on changeups and lunging at wide pitches. (Note to Byrnesie: You said “leg”. But the injury is reported to involve both legs). Byrnesie’s batting .255. Yuck!

Yuck 2 is the K string of Mark Reynolds. The Sheriff punched out twice, running his strikeout total to 23 in the last ten games. The bad guys got away.

Orlando Hudson strained a hammy cruising into second on a stand up double and had to leave the game. He’s day-to-day.

(For the folks from “the glass is half full” department. Chris Young and Justin Upton got two hits apiece. )

ByrnesBlogger1

Join Byrnesie for a chat on Live Video at 8:35 am MST/PDT this Friday, May 2. Byrnesie plans to hold these chats at this time, every Friday. The address is http://www.livevideo.com/EricByrnes

You don’t need a web cam and microphone to participate because there is also a typing facility, so you can type your questions and you can see and here him the way you would see and hear anything else on the Internet. If you do have a cam and mic, please wear headphones to eliminate echo.

Byrnesie likes taking questions about baseball in general so you don’t even have to talk about the Diamondbacks.

See you there!

ByrnesBlogger1

Don’t forget to send your Eric Byrnes story to byrnesblogger1[at]azsportshub.com for a chance to win a copy of the new 2001 World Series Collector’s Edition DVD set.

Sometimes, ya gotta win ugly. Today was one of those times, as Randy Johnson did not have his good stuff. For the second day in a row the Arizona starter did not bring his A or even his B game. But unlike yesterday, the Snakes were able to slither back with an all-team offense highlighted by the 2-run pinch-hit homer by Micah Owings to tie the game at 7, followed by a double by Chris Young and a single by Eric Byrnes that broke an 0-11 streak and brought home Young for what turned out to be an 8-7 victory in the rubber match of a three-game series with the Houston Astros.

The right-handed Owings hit the first pitch he saw from reliever Dave Borkowski over the right-field fence. Yeah, opposite field. He’s now on the board with 2 RBI, after having given his brother pitchers a head start. Bob Melvin says that Owings is being worked into batting practice groups. Houston manager Cecil Cooper was very unhappy about his reliever not being able to get a pitcher out, but Micah isn’t a typical pitcher.

Conor Jackson also homered, a solo shot in the 3rd. He now has 25 RBIs. Other runs were driven in by Orlando Hudson, Justin Upton, Jeff Salazar and Chris Young. Salazar’s RBI came in the form of a pinch-hit double in the 4th, when the D’Backs were rallying and Melvin had to pull Johnson even though he had just thrown 2 scoreless innings.

Miguel Montero went 3-4 with a run scored.

Brandon Medders got the win. Chad Qualls and Tony Pena got holds and Brandon Lyon got the save but it was nerve wracking. He gave up a hit and a walk while facing the tough part of the Houston lineup. Kaz Matsui singled and eventually stole second, and Lance Berkman walked, but Lyon got the difficult to strike-out Miguel Tejada to K, and Carlos Lee to fly out. Lyon actually has been doing very well of late, after the rough early times. Still, I was nervous, probably because a blown save would mean a blown True Elation game for Eric Byrnes.

Byrnesie still is not himself. He played the first game of the series and was run ragged trying to steal with Hudson fouling off the pitches. Melvin made him sit out the middle game until the very end when he struck out as a pinch-hitter to end the game. He then went 0-3 before he got the game winning hit, but then grounded out his last time up. He will tell you that the leg problem is not affecting his hitting, but it is. Mark Grace showed close ups of the way Byrnesie was standing at the plate and explained how important to how the hitter can drive the ball.

Byrnesie’s general body language was not good, and I could see by the look on his face that he was frustrated. It’s a difficult time. I still think Byrnesie and thus the team would benefit from him just going on the 15-day DL. Gracie thinks it would help and he knows a thing or two about hitting. I wish sometimes that Bob Melvin would order him onto the DL, but when he comes through like he did today, with a two-out single for the winning RBI, it’s hard to think that way. A manager has to think of the game ahead of him. And Byrnesie will point to an AB like his fourth today and say “See, I can still contribute.” And he did today for sure.

Now comes May, typically Byrnesie’s best month. Let’s hope that is a harbinger of good things to come.

ByrnesBlogger1

Sometimes you learn something good in adversity. Edgar Gonzalez did not have his stuff yesterday. He lasted only 2.2 innings, giving up 6 earned runs on 8 hits. But the guy who came in to get the last out of the second was a revelation. Max Scherzer, Arizona’s first pick in the 2006 draft, then faced and retired 12 more batters with electric stuff. Thirteen up and thirteen  down. Diamondbacks are not triskaidecaphobes! (People who fear the number 13).

Geoff Blum of the Astros later said he was glad Scherzer didn’t start the game. That will be the Phillies problem as Bob Melvin has announced that Scherzer will start on Monday. Of course, we have to see how Max shakes out in the longer run. He’s a guy with whip-like arm speed and a blazing fastball. As long as he’s on, opposing hitters ought to be in trouble, at least his first time around the league. But like many a young fireballer before him, Scherzer has to make the transition from thrower to pitcher.

I am old school enough to wonder about these guys who get up to the bigs in a huge hurry, especially if they are pitchers. And especially in Scherzer’s case. He took 11 months to sign after the draft and pitched in an independent league to stay in shape. But once in the minors, he was advanced rapidly, as it is Diamondbacks’ policy to keep prospects challenged. We saw the same with Justin Upton; as soon as he proved he could hit in A ball, he was moved to AA. When injuries struck the big club, he was called up, at age 19, had a great October, and although you still see where he’s green in places, there’s no looking back.

It is too early to tell if it will be that way with Scherzer, but he is going to get the chance. And if the Diamondbacks keep hitting as they have this April, he will have the run support to make a go of it.

So while no loss is good, it helps to get some good news out of one.

ByrnesBlogger1 

Don’t forget: Send your Eric Byrnes story to byrnesblogger1[at]azsportshub.com for a chance to win the 2001 World Series Collectors’ Edition DVD Set.