D-Backs’ woes on offense continue
Another day fell off the calendar for the Diamondbacks and another game went with it, this one a 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was the Diamondbacks’ seventh loss in 10 games to open the year. They are off to just the sort of start they said they could not afford.
For a while, the Diamondbacks tried to make it sound as if the shorter season were not a factor in their play. In recent days, they have begun to admit that it was – and still is. It was a hurdle that tripped them, and now they can’t seem to get on their feet as opponents zip past.
In a normal year, their sluggish 10 games would be viewed, at worst, as a bad indication of how the rest of the season might play out. But it would not be seen as insurmountable.
Even now, that perspective probably does not apply in a 60-game season – certainly not in a year in which the playoff field has been greatly expanded – but the Diamondbacks seem to be performing every night as if it were true, as if they were weighed down by the pressure of expectation.
“I think the pressing part could be a big part it,” Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly said. “Coming into the year, there was a lot of talk about a 60game sprint and you can’t afford to get off on the wrong foot. I think that probably played a part early. But I just think we need to get back to playing our brand of baseball and I think we’ll be OK.”
As usual, the Diamondbacks’ offense could barely muster a whimper.
This time, it was Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw who shut them down, allowing just three hits in 5 2/3 innings in his season debut. As if the Dodgers needed another influx of talent, Kershaw looked as overpowering as he has in years, his fastball sitting at 92 mph, about a tick and a half above what it was last year.
But, at this point, the Diamondbacks’ struggles seem to have little to do with the opposing pitcher. They hit just four balls hard – not counting ground balls – in 32 trips to the plate on Sunday. They have hit just two home runs all season. They are hitting .196. They are averaging 2.7 runs per game.
“Trying really, really hard to get back on a good start and force things is not where we need to be,” first baseman Christian Walker said. “That’s where we’ve been the last couple of days. Everybody is trying to take the swing that’s the three-run homer or wants to put the team back in the lead or spark something that lasts a while and is here to stay.”
This was a topic that apparently was discussed in a players-only meeting late last week. Walker said he believes just one game – or perhaps even just one turn through the lineup – is all it could take for things to click, for the offense to come to life.
But the Diamondbacks had hoped that moment had arrived at multiple points already only to find the next day that it hadn’t. In this case, they are hoping that the lack of a next day could play in their favor. They are off on Monday. Lovullo believes it the day off could not come at a better time.
“I’ll encourage these guys,” he said, “to step back, spend some time with their families, decompress for several hours over the next day and a half and make sure we’re ready to go to work.”