Arizona Diamondbacks: Wild Card environment new to Lovullo
Manager Torey Lovullo of the Arizona Diamondbacks will use as much information as possible to prepare for the NL Wild Card game.
Regardless of how the Arizona Diamondbacks fare in the National League Wild Card game next Wednesday, personnel decisions will continue to be scrutinized.
By manager Torey Lovullo’s admission, the process is daunting and intimidating. In his pre and post-game media sessions this week, Lovullo seemed in a constant state of flux. Clearly, he wants to be in a position to form a competitive roster. That will give him to best chance to win the Wild Card game, and advance in the postseason.
To that end, he will not commit on different scenarios, roster moves or positioning of players. Rather, he wants to leave various options open. At the same, Lovullo is aware of the plethora of scouts following his team these days, and what potential Wild Card opponents are reading in newspapers and on websites about his team.
Still, Lovullo admits to a certain trepidation and apprehension to the moment at hand. Before Wednesday’s afternoon game with the San Francisco Giants, he acknowledged to Call to the Pen that he harbors a certain uneasiness.
“Yes, there is a fear, and the line between right moves and wrong moves,” he said. “It’s the fear and unknown which motivates us. I’m not afraid to admit to an anxiety level.”
Over the final series in Kansas City this weekend, Lovullo wants to finalize both his roster composition and strategy. The latter may be a bit more difficult, and that’s because the NL Wild Card opponent is yet to be determined.
Nonetheless, Lovullo promised his team will be prepared and ready to hit the ground running. “It will be all hands on deck, and all engaged,” he told Call to the Pen prior to Wednesday’s game.
On the diamond Wednesday
The Diamondbacks closed out the home portion of their schedule the same way they opened the home portion of their season.
That would be with a walk-off win against the Giants.
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On Wednesday, David Peralta walked with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to give the Diamondbacks a 4-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants before 20,048 at Chase Field.
This is exactly how the Diamondbacks opened their season on April 2. That’s when Chris Owings’ walk-off single gave Arizona a 6-5 victory over the Giants.
Down 3-1 heading into their final at bat, J.D. Martinez slammed his 29th homer (for Arizona) and 45th overall to open the ninth against Sam Dyson, the Giants closer. Catcher John Ryan Murphy then tied this one up with a ground out with the bases loaded, and Peralta closed the home season with his first career walk-off RBI.
Afterward, Peralta told Call to the Pen that his team turned the energy from Martinez’s home run into the club’s 43rd comeback win of the season.
“That’s a good feeling, and the way we won shows everyone what this team is all about,” he said. “(With the bases loaded), the pressure is on the pitcher. I just want to get a good pitch to hit, but I’ll take the walk.”
Martinez’s blast was his 16th for the month of September and that ties the National League record set by Ralph Kiner for most homers in a single September. Kiner set the mark in 1949 as a member of the Pirates. This is one shy of the major-league mark established by Babe Ruth in 1927 and equaled by Albert Belle in 1995.
Martinez has two games left in September, and the Diamondbacks close their season on Sunday, Oct. 1 in Kansas City.
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For the final series
Facing the Kansas City Royals for their final three games of the regular season, manager Torey Lovullo constructed his rotation with an eye on postseason play.
Announcing Zack Greinke was pushed ahead from his usual start Wednesday to open the Royals’ series Friday night, Lovullo announced that Taijuan Walker will start Saturday and lefty Robbie Ray will come back on Sunday.
That would put Ray, with his normal five-days rest, in line to open the NL Division Series next Friday in Dodger Stadium. That is, if the Diamondbacks win the Wild Card game to advance.
At this point, Lovullo told Call to the Pen that his overall plans for the Wild Card game remain open and fluid.