More D-Backs inside
Jon Jay feels right at home in Miami, despite slump.
MIAMI – After nine seasons with five major league clubs, Jon Jay has returned to his roots in Miami many times.
However, this week’s four-game series against the Marlins marked the first time he greeted his family members, friends and former University of Miami teammates and coaches in a Diamondbacks jersey.
The homecoming was even more special because his wife, Nikki, was able to bring their 11⁄2-year-old twin daughters to Marlins Park, a short drive from their offseason home. Also, after waiting until March 6 to sign a free-agent contract with the Kansas City Royals, Jay, 33, realizes that careers of professional athletes often have premature expiration dates.
“Coming home this time reminds me of how many things had to be right to be where I am today,” Jay said. “A lot of those people that helped me get here are here supporting me this week.”
After batting .307 for the going-nowhere Royals in 59 games, the injury-depleted Diamondbacks snatched him up on June 6 for a couple of minor league pitchers to help fill the void left by earlyseason injuries to outfielders A.J. Pollock and Steven Souza Jr.
On Thursday, Jay received a goodluck text from Gino DiMare, his mentor and recently named head coach of the Hurricanes.
Jay was a three-time All-American at Miami and two-time participant in the College World Series.
“Gino and I have a tight bond,” said Jay, who, despite batting .290 or better in six of his eight big-league seasons has mostly been the fourth outfielder on his clubs. “He was my hitting coach and also my outfield coach. I spent a lot of time with him, so I’m super-excited to see him take over the program.
“He was instrumental, and I felt he really primed me for the pros.”
Jay has stepped right into the leadoff spot and right field to help spark Arizona to a 15-5 record. His 61 singles are sixthmost in the majors.
“Jon Jay is probably one reason we’re on this run right now,” Lovullo said earlier this week. “I’m not taking away from any of the other guys who are slugging, doing their job and driving him in. He sets the table; he sets the tone.”
Prior to this series in which Jay took an ugly 0-for-18, he was batting .328 with the Diamondbacks while playing errorless ball. He did make a sterling, sliding catch of Brian Anderson’s foul ball in the third inning Thursday and his .996 career fielding percentage ranks first among active outfielders.
Jay, a member of the 2011 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals, is eager to be in a playoff hunt.
Injuries update
Lovullo said that Souza, out since May 21 with a pectoral injury, DH’d for the second straight game Wednesday for Class-A Visalia and went 1-for-4 with a walk and run scored. He’s headed to Tacoma to play for Triple-A Reno for next several games.
Clay Buchholz, placed on the 10-day DL Monday with a left oblique strain, won’t throw until returning to Phoenix to consult with team doctors.
Yoshi shines
If a 34-year-old rookie reliever can be labeled a phenom then Diamondbacks seventh-inning specialist Yoshihisa Hirano is earning the label.
Hirano, who spent the first 11 seasons of his professional career playing for Orix in Japan, retired the Marlins in order in the seventh inning of Wednesday’s 2-1 victory to stretch his scoreless streak to 24 games, the longest such streak in the majors this season. It also ties a club record shared by J.J. Putz (2012) and Brandon Lyon (2008).
“I felt like there would be a feeling-out adjustment period for him with the balls, the mound, culture change but he has immersed himself amongst his teammates,” Lovullo said. “We’ve put him with traffic, starting clean innings and he hasn’t let us down from the first outing.”
Via his translator, Hirano said he never heard of such a record.