SnakeBytes, 8/29: Sweepless in San Francisco Edition

Published Aug. 30, 2010 at 3:06 a.m.
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The bad news is, Arizona failed to complete the sweep in San Francisco this afternoon. The good news is, rosters expand between now and Rodrigo Lopez's next start. I trust I need say no more than that. We move on to the recaps, with other stuff after the jump, including details of Webb's simulated game, and his hopes for the future.

Recaps

• [Yahoo!] Giants hold off Diamondbacks to avoid series sweep - "Stephen Drew had four hits for Arizona, including his 11th home run of the season...This time it was San Francisco’s bullpen that fell apart and nearly proved costly until Guillen bailed the Giants out."
• [dbacks.com] D-backs' sweep bid cut down by Giants - "Down, 5-2, in the seventh, the D-backs mounted a four-run rally against the Giants bullpen after starter Matt Cain left with one out and a runner on. In the bottom half of the inning, it was time for Arizona's bullpen to falter..."
• [AZCentral] Diamondbacks not hanging heads after series vs. Giants - "They played hard and had a good series against these guys," Gibson said. "They certainly didn't make it easy. I'm happy with the way they played. They played real hard."

Team News and Notes

• [dbacks.com] Webb ecstatic after simulated game - "Today, for me, was a huge breakthrough and a movement forward," Stottlemyre said. "Realistically, looking at what we have left in the season, the probability of him pitching now is high."
• [AZCentral] Webb and Stottlemyre quotes - From Webb: - "I don’t feel anything right now. It doesn’t even feel like I threw...Hopefully I’ll bounce back quickly. I’ve got tomorrow and Monday and then hopefully we’ll do it again early next week."
• [AZCentral] Webb hopes to remain with Diamondbacks - "I like the pitching staff a lot," he said. "The young guys are doing a great job. I think they're only going to get better, getting experience and stuff up here. I think they're going to be really good. I'd definitely like to be a part of that next year."
• [dbacks.com] Gibson discusses pitch-tipping speculation - An interesting admission from Cap'n Kirk: "There have been times within the year and the season that it has been utilized, but [Friday] night that was not the case."
• [The D-blog] Lending a Helping Hand - "What happens on a Sunday with Baseball Chapel is every Major and minor league team has a chaplain for their team," [D-backs chaplain Brian] Hommel said. "I'll do a message for the home team, visiting team and then I will go and meet with the umpires. It's like doing three services for a small and unique group of people."
• [dbacks.com] D-backs learn Gibson's style on the fly - Gibson's hope is that, should he shed his interim label, he'll be able to go through the list and share his philosophies throughout the entire Arizona organization. "Part of it is the way I see the game or the things I expect. They don't really know that," Gibson said. "We haven't had time to familiarize ourselves and that does take time."

Around baseball

• [SFGate.com] Fate of Dodgers could rest in McCourt divorce case - "As the Los Angeles Dodgers cling to playoff hopes, a more important struggle for their future is taking place off the field over who owns the team..."
• [MLB.com] Feller, battling leukemia, back at ballpark - The 91-year-old Feller said he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia less than two weeks ago. It is a form of cancer in which abnormal white blood cells interfere with the production of normal blood cells. "I took about two quarts," Feller said. "My blood was down. I only had about half as much blood in my system as I'm supposed to have."
• [Philadelphia Inquirer] Phils fan hit by thrown ball speaks - "I am not pressing any charges or filing suit against Mr. Morgan or the Nationals organization, nor do I harbor any animosity toward him," the fan said. "I was very surprised by the [seven-game] suspension...Obviously, MLB is taking it very seriously. I wish him luck with the appeal." What? Not suing? Isn't that un-American or something?
• [MLB.com] Did mechanics cause Strasburg's injury? - "The pitching mechanics that produced a 14-strikeout Major League debut and a promising start to a professional career are part of what's being examined in the wake of Stephen Strasburg's torn elbow ligament." A pretty interesting piece.
• [AP] Japan takes Little League World Series - The All-Star team from Tokyo's Edogawa Minami Little League became the first international team to take the crown since Curacao in 2004.
• [MLB.com] Burgos charged with attempted murder - "Former Major Leaguer Ambiorix Burgos is being held by police in the Dominican Republic on charges of kidnapping and attempted murder, according to The Associated Press. The charges stem from an incident in which he allegedly tried to feed his ex-wife rat poison." Well, cheaper than divorce, certainly. But I just like the name "Ambiorix".

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