The Army We Have

What do you get when you put two teams together who don't know how to win? You get last night's 11 inning 7-5 D*Backs win over the Nats. That win, being hailed as the latest "turn around game" for the Snakes, puts their record at 3-3 since the LAST turn around game (the six run ninth inning comeback against Milwaukee on July 3rd).

Thank you Bob Melvin for letting a pitcher with 104 pitches start the ninth inning. A really big THANK YOU goes to our third baseman who leads the league in errors for making 3 more last night (2 in the ninth).

One of the headlines I saw following the game last night was: "It Wasn't Pretty But It Was A Win". This reminded me of another coach in another sport at another time in Phoenix.

I don't know how many times, after having nearly blown a basketball game with poor execution and less than stellar defense (usually in games they should have won easily), Westphal started a post game press conference with that very same comment. The one exception where I ever saw him exhibit any kind of public determination or feistiness was when he made the "3 in a row" prediction after losing the first 2 games of a best of 5 playoff series at home against the Lakers. The Suns made it to the NBA Finals in 1993 and came within a few seconds of forcing a game 7 against Michael Jordan's Bulls. During the rest of Westphal's tenure, though good, they were disappointing underachievers.

I realize this is what bothers me so much about Bob Melvin. I don't question his competitiveness or desire to win, but if he can't communicate that to the fans how do we know he can transfer it to the team? All in all, the team I see on the field is a mirror reflection of Melvin's laid back attitude. It manifests itself as malaise and ennui. It's infectious. As a fan I feel the same way.

Let's see some feistiness. Let's kick some dirt or pick up a base and throw it in the dugout. As fans, let's toss 25,000 bobble heads on the field in protest on July 19th and show them that we are mad as hell, and we're not going to take it anymore. It's time to do SOMETHING.

Now, here's a little insult added to injury. Some of us have claimed that the biggest move the Diamondbacks made last winter was one they didn't actually make at all: not re-signing Tony Clark. Some so-called "experts" have dismissed this idea and have chosen to focus upon the empty seats at Chase Field instead of the product that's been put on it. Who can fault the fan who chooses to put a hundred bucks in the gas tank instead of coming to the park to watch a baseball team play with all the excitement of a John McCain campaign speech? Oh, and they need to make more signs.

Myrow's arrival could signal Clark's departure via trade

Another knife through the heart. Trading within the division is difficult. What would Arizona be willing to give up to a division rival, taking for granted the division rival would give up anything to us at all? Nick Pierco mentions former D*Backs first baseman Richie Sexson who was released by the Mariners yesterday. He would be a cheap pick up since the Mariners are on the hook for his $14 million contract. That should tell you how poorly Sexson is hitting this year. Last time I checked, we weren't looking for another .218 hitter. I'd love to see Casey Blake in Sedona Red, but I'm not sure he's someone we can afford.

Someone once said, "As you know, you go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you want." Well, this is the one we built, but it's not too late because we haven't lost the war. Yet.