Just a guy from Section 132 Row 9 Seat 9
Stadium giveaways are always a hit or miss. There are times when I see an item on the promotional calendar and think it is going to be the hottest hand out of the year only to find I was the only one that thought it was cool.
There are other times when I look at an item on the promotional schedule and think no one is going to want one of those then find that the giveaway is gone in the first five minutes after the gates open.
Each game during the pre-game festivities at Chase Field the Public Address announcer proclaims the Arizona Diamondbacks as the most fan-friendly team in all of sports. Many would declare this as marketing hyperbole but fans who have followed the Diamondbacks over the past five years would realize the title fits.
Of all the Major League Baseball teams I have followed throughout my life none of them come close to the customer service of the Diamondbacks. They make it easy to be a fan.
Continue reading ‘The Arizona Diamondbacks Season Ticket Holder Advisory Board’ »
The continuing saga of Brandon Webb continued on the journey that began on Opening Day 2009 when he suffered an arm injury. The injury was with his pitching shoulder and after a lengthy rehabilitation schedule Webb succumbed to season ending surgery.
Webb and his representatives described the surgery as minor. Terms such as “slight clean up” and “quick recovery” were bantered about. The Diamondbacks felt confident Webb would return to his dominating self in time to help the team for the 2010 season.
Continue reading ‘Diamondbacks Ace Brandon Webb Relearning to Pitch’ »
The 2009 regular season was one Diamondbacks center fielder Chris Young would just as soon forget. After a successful full season in 2007 Young followed that up with a good sophomore season leading several within the industry to predict that he would have a break-out season in 2009 and become part of the next wave of baseball stars.
The Arizona Diamondbacks likewise loved what they saw from the young outfielder and rewarded him with a long-term contract. No one not even Young himself was prepared for what happened next.
Continue reading ‘Diamondbacks Chris Young Enjoying Early Success’ »
It seems like whenever your favorite team is struggling, team officials admonish that it is a long season and that we as fans need to be patient. There is still a lot of baseball left to be played and the team is just a winning streak away from climbing back into contention.
Arizona Diamondbacks fans have been hearing this mantra since 2008. After a trip to the National League Championship Series in 2007 expectations have been high for this team.
Continue reading ‘Diamondbacks First Quarter Season Review’ »
Growing up one of my favorite baseball players was Chicago Cubs shortstop Ernie Banks. He was known as ‘Mr. Cub’ and his enthusiasm for the game was second to none. He is perhaps best known for his memorable quote, “It’s a beautiful day for a ballgame, let’s play two!”
Banks was of course referring to playing a double header. The notion of a double header has gone the way of the four-man pitching staff. Teams and players cringe at the thoughts of having two games in one day.
Another day and another shaky pitching outing for the Arizona Diamondbacks resulted in another loss. The winning streak that began yesterday is now replaced with a losing streak that began today. The team is staking claim to the cellar of the National League West and have last place in a choke hold.
Although today’s loss should be placed squarely on the shoulders of starting pitcher Dan Haren, the bullpen again struggled when called upon in an already one-sided game. While manager AJ Hinch is still publicly standing behind his pitching staff, you have to wonder how much confidence he has in any of the relievers.
Continue reading ‘Relief Help On the Horizon for Arizona?’ »
In what has become all too typical this season, the Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen once again faltered. Diamondbacks fans have almost come to expect to see a strong starting pitching performance be destroyed by a relief pitcher.
Now though the bullpen does not seem content to just implode once per game. After another stellar performance by Ian Kennedy he was pulled in the seventh inning with a three-run lead but with two Braves on base. Juan Gutierrez came in and gave up a 3-run home run to blow the save and tie the game.
Continue reading ‘Diamondbacks Rollercoaster Season Continues’ »
Six years ago the Arizona Diamondbacks were coming off a dismal home stand where they went 2-8 with a five-game losing streak. After a much needed off-day the team found themselves in Atlanta Georgia to face a Braves team who many had predicted would be a play-off team by the end of the season.
The Diamondbacks season had fallen apart with injuries to key personnel and the team looked to be spiraling out of control. That assessment was not that far off, as the team would go on to lose a franchise-worst 111 games before the season ended.
