Arizona Diamondbacks Dynasty Mode

[EnglishDBacker]

DBACKS FIRE MELVIN, SMITH NEW MAN IN HOTSEAT

The Arizona Diamondbacks this morning announced the shocking news that they had relieved manager Bob Melvin of his duties, just 2 days before the opening day of the 2005 season. Stuart Smith was given the job on a full time basis, the board believing this young upstart guy can whip those overpaid charlies into shape and bring the club back to the glory days of 2001.

No players were available for comment from the club, and rumours were strongly denied that Melvins sacking was forced by the dbacks telecasters FSN, after Melvin's alleged personal attack on the AFLAC duck.

ROSTER CHANGES

Smith rang the changes on the roster immediately.. RHP Kerry Ligtenburg, LHP Javier Lopez and IF Matt Kata all were sent to AAA Tucson, with RHP Oscar Villarreal, LHP Randy Choate and UTIL Scott Hairston coming the opposite way up I-10 back to the big club.

2005 OPENING DAY ROSTER

SP Javier Vazquez

SP Russ Ortis

SP Shawn Estes

SP Brandon Webb

SP Brad Halsey

LR Oscar Villarreal

MR Mike Koplove

MR Brian Bruney

MR Randy Choate

SU Jose Valverde

SU Greg Aquino

Closer Brandon Lyon

Catcher Chris Snyder

1st Base Chad Tracy

2nd Base Craig Counsell

3rd Base Troy Glaus

Shortstop Alex Cintron

Left Field Luis Gonzalez

Center Field Jose Cruz Jnr

Right Field Shawn Green

Bench Tony Clark

Bench Royce Clayton

Bench Scott Hairston

Bench Quinton McCracken

Bench Koyie Hill

[olyrunner]

I always knew there was something a bit odd about that Bob Melvin....good luck with your dynasty!

[Sac51]

Bob Melvin is GOD for the D-Backs if you have seen the season so far...

[olyrunner]

Yes, well, Mariners fans' memories aren't that short. Good luck to "young upstart" Stuart Smith!

[EnglishDBacker]

2005 Opening Day

DBacks offense falls short as Cubs take opener

The 2005 season began as pretty much all of last season went as the Arizona Diamondbacks dropped the opener of this 3-game set against Chicago at BOB last night. Javier Vazquez made his first start since joining from New York, and though his numbers are average, he pitched into trouble alot, and seemed to struggle against the new Cubs offense, missing Sosa and Alou from last season of course.

The Cubs got things started in the top of the 2nd inning, when Todd Hollandsworth hit a 0-1 slider deep into the RF seats to put Chicago on top. Vazquez never seemed to recover from that. 1 inning later, and after back to back singles by Zambrano and Patterson, Aramis Ramirez hit an rbi groundout to double the Cubs lead.

Vazquez seemed to settle down after that a little, but came unstuck big time in the 6th inning, after a single and a walk, Todd Hollandsworth got a 2-2 "mistake" fastball right down the pipe, and promptly homered to right center field, nearly beheading a fan sunbathing poolside.

Meanwhile as Vazquez was unfolding, opposite number Carlos Zambrano was pitching a gem, mixing speeds nicely and troubling the dbacks offense with his fastball all night, He took a no-hitter into the 6th but had walked a couple by then. The Dbacks finally got a run in the 7th when Luis Gonzalez despatched a ball into the LF seats, Glaus and Tracy then singled around a groundout by Green, and just when it looked like the dbacks might be threatening, Chris Snyder promptly struck out, and pinch hitter Royce Clayton flied out to left.

As both teams went to the bullpens, it was Mike Remlinger who was the most effective, going through 2 innings. He gave up a leadoff single to Clark in the 8th, followed by a walk to Craig Counsell, Luis Gonzalez then hit an RBI single into CF to score 1, but that was as good as it got for Arizona, after that Remlinger settled down and retired the last 4 hitters he faced easily.

The Cubs managed a run in the 7th, when Nomar Garciaparra hit a sacrifice fly to left field off reliever Oscar Villarreal, scoring Todd Walker. The Cubs tacked on a final run in the 9th off Mike Koplove, closing out what was a hugely disappointing opening day for the 2005 Dbacks.

The Cubs ran out 7-2 winners in the end, Carlos Zambrano took the win (1-0) and Vazquez (0-1) was saddled with the loss.

Hitting

Gonzalez 2-4, Hr, 2 RBI

Pitching

Vazquez 6IP, 9H, 5 ER

Season Record 0-1

[EnglishDBacker]

Early blast see Dbacks home in game 2

It was hardly marked down to be a pitchers duel, as Finesse guy Greg Maddux took his very average career numbers at BOB to Arizona, to face perennial game winner, and out-of-a-jam pitcher Russ Ortis, in the 2nd game of a 3 game set to open the season.

A Pitchers duel though, is what it turned out to be. It didnt look like it was going to be that way, as Maddux yielded back to back walks to lead off the game, putting Counsell and Cintron on base with nobody out, Gonzo then hit a bloop single into shallow CF, and after Glaus and Green had both gone swinging at balls in the dirt, Jose Cruz Jnr stepped up to drive a bullet into the right center field gap to empty the bases, Cruz stopped at 2nd.

That was about all the Dbacks managed off Maddux all day though as they managed just 5 hits and 2 walks after that moment, and Maddux showed all the tools that have made him a 300 game winner.

Maddux's opposite number kept the Dbacks ahead right from the off, as the Cubs offense had trouble laying off the curveball low and the changeup inside, Ortis yielded only 7 hits (with no walks) in the 8 innings of work he threw, he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the last of the 8th as Smith decided he was tiring.

Brandon Lyon pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the Dbacks, with 1 strikeout, as Cubs seemed to take a night off. This game lasted a little over 2 hours but the crowd definitely went home happy.

Hitting

Tracy 2-3

Cruz Jnr 1-3, 2b, 3 RBI

Pitching

Ortis (W) 8IP, 7H, 1K

Lyon (S) 1IP, 0H, 1K

Season record 1-1