SB Nation Arizona: All Posts by Troy Erickson

Diamondbacks Get Hammered And Lose Series To Padres

2012-09-09T23:40:29Z

After the Diamondbacks exploded for four home runs last night, the San Diego Padres slammed three of their own today, as they downed the Diamondbacks 8-2 this afternoon. With the win, the Padres take the series 2-1, and have now beaten the Diamondbacks for the tenth time in 15 games this season. The Padres have been playing well as of late, and are 14-6 in their last 20 games. The Diamondbacks end their ten game road series with a 5-5 record, and have now lost their 25th series of the season.

The Padres scored first when Carlos Quentin led off the second inning with his 21^st double down the left field line. Jesus Guzman was walked, and that was followed by another double by Cameron Maybin. Maybins' double scored Quentin, and a sacrifice fly by Andy Parrino scored Guzman later in the inning, giving the Padres an early 2-0 lead.

The Diamondbacks manufactured a run in the top of the third to close within one. Adam Eaton doubled to left, followed by an Aaron Hill walk. The Diamondbacks executed a double steal with Jason Kubel at bat, and when Kubel grounded out to first, Eaton scored.

Padres starter Andrew Werner held the Diamondbacks to just that one run, after pitching 6.1 innings on the day. He gave up four hits, three walks, and struck out six Diamondback hitters, while getting his second win in his fourth major league outing.

Patrick Corbin gave up one more run in the sixth inning, a lead-off homer by Chris Denorfia, before getting replaced by Matt Albers. Corbin lasted 5.1 innings, giving up three runs on six hits, with two walks and three strikeouts.

The game was still within reach until the Padres exploded for five unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. After two walks and an error extended the inning, Chase Headley ripped a grand slam over the right field wall for his 27^th home run of the season. The Padres hit back-to-back home runs off reliever Takashi Saito when Carlos Quentin nailed his 16^th home run over the left field wall, and the Padres lead grew to 8-1.

The Diamondbacks scored one meaningless run in the ninth inning. After Miguel Montero singled and Chris Johnson walked, Gerardo Parra grounded out to second, scoring Montero from third. The Diamondbacks left 20 runners on base during the game, and are now 20-52 in games where their opponent scores first.

The Diamondbacks have dropped four consecutive games with Patrick Corbin on the mound, and now sit three games under .500. The Diamondbacks sit at 5-5 as they are in the midst of playing 25 consecutive games against National League West rivals. They will have a day off before heading home for an eight game home stand at Chase Field. The Diamondbacks will play two games against the Dodgers, then three against the Giants, and finish with three more games against the Padres.

Diamondbacks (69-71) Vs. Padres (65-75): Pregame Notes And Starting Lineups

2012-09-09T19:01:42Z

Being 5½ games out of the playoffs with just 22 games remaining, the Arizona Diamondbacks need to win every series possible. Today, they have an opportunity to win their series against the San Diego Padres, after snapping a seven game losing streak against the Friars last night. After going 2-8 in their most recent home stand, the Diamondbacks are 5-4 on this road trip, hoping to end it today with another win. Left-hander Patrick Corbin will get the start for the Diamondbacks, while lefty Andrew Werner will start for the Padres.

Corbin did not figure in his last outing, a 9-8 loss to the San Francisco Giants September 3. He threw five innings, and after allowing four runs in the first, he retired 13 of the final 16 batters he faced. The last win Corbin recorded was on August 18, when he helped the Diamondbacks beat the Astros 12-4. Corbin, who is in his third stint with the Diamondbacks this season, is 5-6 with a 4.13 ERA in 12 big league starts. Corbin will be making his first start at Petco Field against the Padres today.

Werner is making only his fourth major league start of his career, after being called up and making his MLB debut August 22. In his last outing, Werner did not figure in the decision after pitching six innings, and allowing only two runs on five hits, while striking out eight. Werner has pitched six innings in each of his previous three outings, and has given up a home run in each game. He has 17 strikeouts in his total of 18 innings pitched, and is 1-1, with a 3.00 ERA in his three career starts.

The Diamondbacks will get Monday off after this series and then begin an eight game home stand, with two games against the Dodgers, three against the Giants, and three more against the Padres. The Diamondbacks are 27-17 in series finale games this season, and are hoping to win their 17^th overall series this year.

Here are the rest of today's starting lineups:

Padres:

Chris Denorfia (RF)

Logan Forsythe (2B)

Chase Headley (3B)

Carlos Quentin (LF)

Jesus Gusman (1B)

Cameron Maybin (CF)

Andy Parrino (SS)

John Baker (C)

Andrew Werner (P, 1-1, 3.00 ERA)

Diamondbacks:

Adam Eaton (CF)

Aaron Hill (2B)

Jason Kubel (LF)

Paul Goldschmidt (1B)

Justin Upton (RF)

Miguel Montero (C)

Chris Johnson (3B)

John McDonald (SS)

Patrick Corbin (P, 5-6 4.13 ERA)

John Skelton Reacts To Being Named Cardinals Starting Quarterback

2012-08-31T23:27:28Z

It was just announced that John Skelton was selected as the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals heading into the 2012 NFL regular season. "It's kind of a weight off my shoulders in a sense, because finally the speculating and waiting is over. But at the same time I think there's another weight placed on, where now you have to move forward as a starter," Skelton said.

Skelton also said that things have not been as stressful as the media tried to portray throughout the process, and that he still has the attitude that he is still competing and working to get better. At the same time, he did say, "It's finally good to have it publically said that I happen to be the starter."

As far as his feelings throughout the process, and whether he thought he had the edge over Kevin Kolb, Skelton said he just tried to get better each day and be consistent, and never really looked at how he was performing compared to Kolb.

When asked about his journey over the past couple of years, and the opportunity now to start, Skelton replied, "It's vindication for all the hard work and everything that I've put in. It seems like I've come a long way since being drafted in the fifth round. It's just hard work paying off, and having the right opportunity, and being ready for that opportunity. Now I see myself as the starter and I'm just going to keep moving forward and not look back."

Skelton said, "As soon as the season ended last year Coach Whisenhunt took me in his office and said we're going to give you a chance to compete for the starting job." Skelton emphasized that by saying the Cardinals have been truthful throughout the journey, and, "I'm thankful for the opportunity the organization has given me."

Arizona Cardinals Select John Skelton As Starting Quarterback

2012-08-31T22:33:32Z

At the 2:00 pm press conference this afternoon, it was announce by Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt that John Skelton would be the starting quarterback heading into the regular season. He said that the team is still in the process of finalizing the remaining 53 man roster, partly because of some injuries that happened in last nights final preseason game, but essentially they know what their roster is right now. Coach Whisenhunt met with those players today at 12:30 pm, and notified the players in the meeting that, "this is essentially the team moving forward." At the same time, he said that the Cardinals will be looking for opportunities to improve the team, as they do every year. They will also add eight more players to the practice squad at a later date.

The process of selecting the starting quarterback was a process that took the course over the off-season and throughout the entire preseason. When making the announcement, coach Whisenhunt said, "Taking everything into account, it's fair to say at this point going forward, we feel like the quarterback that gives us the best chance to win right now is John Skelton, and that's the direction that we are going to go." Coach Whisenhunt would not go into any details or specifics regarding the decision.

Coach Whisenhunt spoke with both quarterbacks today and informed them of the decision, and both Kevin Kolb and John Skelton know their expectations moving forward. Whisenhunt said that this is truly the first off-season Skelton has had, and that Skelton has worked hard at it, and Whisenhunt has seen progress in the young quarterback.

When asked about how Kevin Kolb took the news, Coach Whisenhunt said, "He was disappointed," but that, "He handled it like a pro." It was made perfectly clear to Kolb, that he has to be ready at any time throughout the long, grueling season. Whisenhunt said that he is not disappointed in Kolb, and that both Kolb and Skelton have worked very hard. When Skelton heard that he was selected as the starting quarterback, he was obviously excited. Coach Whisenhunt reiterated that, "It was not an easy decision."

It was interesting when Coach Whisenhunt said that "We haven't talked about it with the team," when asked how the team reacted to naming the starting quarterback. "They don't know," was Coach Whisenhunt's response.

Coach Whisenhunt said that he is "very confident" that the Cardinals will have a successful season. He is confident in the players, likes the way they believe in each other, and they expect to have success. Whisenhunt said that last year the team did not meet their expectations, and they are heading into this season expecting to do better.

Poll

Did the Arizona Cardinals make the right decision about selecting John Skelton as their starting quarterback?

Yes

22 votes

No, Kevin Kolb should be the starting QB

0 votes

No, Ryan Lindley should get a chance to start at QB

2 votes

24 votes | Poll has closed

Cardinals Lose To Broncos 16-13 In Final Seconds

2012-08-31T06:19:39Z

The Cardinals began the second half of their final preseason game with Richard Bartel at quarterback. Bartel had not seen action in the last two preseason games and was sacked on his first play from scrimmage.

Former ASU quarterback Brock Osweiler started the second half for the Broncos, and was intercepted by Crezdon Butler in only his third pass attempt of the game.

During the Cardinals second possession, Bartel was sacked for the second time, after completing a 52-yard pass to Isaiah Williams down the middle of the field. Bartel was injured on the play and left the game 4-5 for 92 yards. Jay Feely finished the Cardinals drive with a 41-yard field goal to give the Cardinals a 10-0 lead.

The Broncos fourth round draft pick out of Arizona State, Omar Bolden, ran back the ensuing kickoff back for a 103 yard touchdown. The Broncos later tied the game at 10-10 on a 14-play, 94-yard drive led by Osweiler. On the Cardinals next possession, Ryan Lindley had his pass intercepted, and the Broncos capitalized by kicking a 43-yard field goal, giving them a 13-10 lead.

Lindley struggled early in the second half, but hit Isaiah Williams for a 56 yard completion, taking the ball down to the Broncos 13 yard line with 2:12 left in the game. The Cardinals could only come away with a 35-yard field goal to tie the score at 13-13 with 57 seconds left in the game.

Broncos third quarterback on the night, Adam Weber, came in and hit Greg Orton for a 45-yard completion. After downing the ball in the middle of the field, Matt Prater drilled a 44-yard field goal to give the Broncos the 16-13 victory as time ran off the clock. Just another disappointing ending, as the Cardinals defense could not stop the Broncos in the second half.

Ryan Lindley finished the game 14-26 for 176 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The Cardinals running game was ineffective in the second half, as they could only garner 17 total yards. Receivers Isaiah Williams, LaRon Byrd, and DeMarco Sampson all had three receptions on the night, but all three also made their share of mistakes. Justin Bethel led the defense with seven tackles. Blake Gideon finished with four tackles, and the Cardinals defense ended with five sacks and one interception.

Now it's time for the Cardinals to select their starting quarterback and begin the regular season.

Cardinals Vs.Broncos Halftime Score: Arizona Leads 7-0 At Halftime

2012-08-31T04:45:20Z

The Arizona Cardinals lead 7-0 at halftime of their Thursday night preseason game against the Denver Broncos.

The Cardinals moved the ball pretty well during their first possession until Bobbie Massie got a holding call that stalled the drive. Jay Feely attempted a 40-yard field goal, but it hit the left upright and fell short. On the Cardinals second drive, Ryan Lindley found rookie Michael Floyd in the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown. Floyd made a great juggling catch when he tipped the ball to himself.

The Cardinals offense utilized a good mix of running and passing plays in the first half. Ryan Lindley ended the half 9 of 13 for 101 yards and a touchdown, probably securing his spot as the third-string quarterback. Beanie Wells looked good in his brief appearance, rushing for 35 yards on 7 carries, while Ryan Williams did not have any carries.

In their final possession, Cardinals receiver DeMarco Sampson fumbled the ball on their own 21 yard line with 47 seconds left in the half. The Cardinals defense held the Broncos scoreless, sacking Broncos quarterback Caleb Hanie on the final play of the half, and five times throughout the first half. Linebacker Reggie Walker leads the team with four tackles and a sack. The Cardinals held the Broncos to 116 total yards, and Michael Adams and A.J. Jefferson both broke up passes late in the half.

Game Quotes Regarding Loss And Trevor Cahill

2012-08-27T01:09:44Z

When asked after the game what Manager Kirk Gibson saw from Trevor Cahill today, he said, "What kind of question is that? It was not good. Unable to locate his ball where he wants to locate, when he needs to make a pitch. Just wasn't very good." In the same light, Gibson praised the bullpen by saying that they were "exceptional," as they only gave up one run in five and one-third innings of work.

Even Cahill admitted that he didn't throw the ball very well today. He also said that the Padres are swinging the bats good, and playing good baseball right now. When asked about changing his start to today with the sudden trade of Joe Saunders, Cahill said, "I wasn't on my normal program," but he also admitted that he is not using that as an excuse for his performance. "I had plenty of time to get ready and prepare. I just wasn't able to execute." Cahill first heard about the possibility of starting in today's game last night, and went home expecting to get the nod today.

Cahill continued his struggles in the first inning by walking two batters and giving up three hits, along with the two runs. Cahill had a 6.12 ERA in the first inning of games heading into today. Cahill lasted only three and two-thirds innings, which was not a good sign of things to come. When Diamondbacks starters work less than six innings, they are 10-30, make that now 10-31 on the season. What made the loss even more frustrating for Cahill and the Diamondbacks is that all the Padres runs were scored with two outs.

The middle infielders for the Padres made some exceptional defensive plays throughout the game, robbing what easily could have been base hits for Aaron Hill, Ryan Wheeler, and Justin Upton. Gibson felt overall the team played a pretty good game, and that the players continue to play hard, they were just not able to complete the comeback. It has been a trend all season, as the Diamondbacks are 5-49 when trailing after six innings.

The Padres have now beaten the Diamondbacks on their home turf six games in a row. Although Gibson said it was a frustrating loss, he remains positive and insists that the team can beat the Reds in their next home series that starts tomorrow.

Diamondbacks Get Swept By Padres

2012-08-26T23:28:23Z

The Arizona Diamondbacks get swept at Chase Field by the surging San Diego Padres. The Padres came into Chase Field after sweeping the Pirates on the road, and have now won seven straight games. The Diamondbacks, after winning four straight games on the road, have gone 2-5 in their ten-game home stand, with three games remaining against the Cincinnati Reds.

Starter Trevor Cahill could only get through three and two-thirds innings before being pulled from the game by Manager Kirk Gibson. Although he struck out six in his short stint, Cahill also walked three, while giving up four runs off of eight hits.

Cahill had difficulty closing out innings. After getting the first two outs of the game, Cahill ended up giving up two runs in the first inning. Again in the third inning, Cahill got the first two outs, then gave up the go-ahead run when Mark Kotsay singled in Yasmani Grandal, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning. Grandal ended up scoring twice in the game, as he went 1 for 2, with two walks, in addition to being hit by a pitch. Cahill was pulled in the fourth inning, after giving up another run, and walking Grandal to load the bases. Cahill has been looking to secure his 50^th career win in each of his last five outings.

Edinson Volquez settled down for the Padres after giving up two runs in the bottom of the first inning that tied the score. He threw seven innings, striking out seven, walking two, and hitting a batter. Volquez allowed only the two runs in the first inning, giving up four hits on the day.

The Padres scored an insurance run in the seventh inning when Alexi Amarista doubled to right field, scoring Yasmani Grandal, who was walked for the second time in the game.

Down 5-2, the Diamondbacks rallied in the eighth when Gerardo Parra led off with a single to center field. That was followed by a home run to left center by Aaron Hill, his 20^th of the season, cutting the lead to 5-4. Miguel Montero arrived safely at first, thanks to a throwing error by pitcher Tommy Lane, keeping the inning alive. Chris Young, who was 2 for 4 in the game, made things interesting when he doubled to left field, advancing Montero to third. Chris Johnson ended up striking out for the third time in the game to end the inning, ending the Diamondbacks attempt at a late-inning comeback.

The Padres end up sweeping the Diamondbacks 3-0. With the loss, the Diamondbacks are 64-64, and slowly losing ground in the National League playoff race.