Arizona Diamondbacks: Ready for a one-game elimination

Right-hander Zack Greinke gets the start for Arizona in the National League Wild Card game. Jon Gray will go for Colorado.

As they prepare for the National League Wild Card game at home Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies, the best read in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ clubhouse is a quiet confidence with a healthy dose of apprehension.

Above all, players are keenly aware of this single elimination game and each out, even down to each pitch, is magnified. The margin for error is non-existent, and the bottom line in this game, Arizona utility player Daniel Descalso told Call to the Pen before Monday’s workout in Chase Field, is “execution.”

While several players have post-season experience, including Paul Goldschmidt, Gregor Blanco, J. D. Martinez, Fernando Rodney, Jeff Mathis, Chris Iannetta, J. J. Hoover, and Zack Greinke, the nature of a single elimination game is haunting.

Still, enthusiasm is clearly prevalent. Third baseman Jake Lamb told Call to the Pen before Monday’s workout that the wild card experience draws an analogy to a championship boxing match.

"“(The Rockies) are going with their best guy and have confidence in him,” he said. “We’re going with our best guy, and have confidence in him. This will be a fun game.”"

More from Call to the Pen

Here, Lamb referenced the pitching match-up. The Diamondbacks will go with Greinke, who is 3-3 in nine post-season starts in NL Division Series and NL championship games with Milwaukee and the Dodgers. He’ll draw Jon Gray as his mount opponent, who just completed his third major league season, and no post-season numbers.

If the Diamondbacks have an edge on the field, it is their post-season experience. Descalso participated in the most games, 37 games with the St. Louis Cardinals over four years. His advice to those facing this anxious moment is simple. Telling Call to the Pen that players need to relax, that may be more difficult to ask than to implement.

"“The message I’ll deliver to these guys is try and not do too much,” he said. “Just do your best in the moment. Look, everything is magnified, and there is a fine line between going on and going home.”"

Of the Rockies with post-season experience, manager Bud Black has Mark Reynolds, Geraldo Parra (with the 2011 Diamondbacks), Jake McGee, Greg Holland, Carlos Gonzalez, Mike Dunn, Ian Desmond, and Jonathan Lucroy.

If there is a sense of difficulty getting to the post-season, the Rockies were able to hold off the Brewers and Cardinals to gain their first post-season slot since losing in four games to the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2009 NL Division Series.

The game is the first Wild Card appearance for Arizona. In their previous five, post-season appearances, the Diamodbacks qualified as the NL West Division winner.

In the trainers’ room

Coming into the Wild Card game, the Diamondbacks have players on the mend, but expected to play.

Outfielder David Peralta, with neck and back pain, was held out of Sunday’s season finale in Kansas City. Peralta told Call to the Pen prior to Monday’s workout that he expects to be ready to go on Wednesday.

Ditto, for shortstop Ketel Marte, who left Sunday’s game with slight hamstring strain, but also should be ready.

Reliever Jimmie Sherfy, nursing inflamed triceps, received a cortisone shot (plus, MRI turned up negative), and told Call to the Pen before Monday’s workout, he should be ready for Wednesday. Manager Torey Lovullo told Call to the Pen that Sherfy will throw an aggressive regimen from the mound after Monday’s practice. At that point, the Diamondbacks will make a further evaluation regarding his availability for the Wild Card game.

In 11 appearances since his recall from Triple-A Reno in August, Sherfy went 2-0 with 0.00 ERA.

The match-ups

In the pitching match-up for Wednesday, the Rockies have had mixed success against Greinke.

Against Greinke, Nolan Arenado is hitting .277 (13-for-47) and no home runs. Charley Blackmon is hitting .265 (13-for-49), and struck out 11 times. D. J. Le Mahieu is hitting .311 (14-for 45). Carlos Gonzalez is hitting .333 (14-for-42) and five home runs. Mark Reynolds is hitting .194 (7-for-36) with four homers, but struck out 14 times.

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Against Gray, Paul Goldschmidt is 0-11 and struck out five times. Jake Lamb is hitting .308 (4-for-13). David Peralta is hitting .462 (6-for-13), and J. D. Martinez is 2-for-6, both hits were home runs.

These numbers are lifetime against each pitcher.

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