The Arizona Diamondbacks (18-23) open a two-game home series against the Atlanta Braves (25-19). The D-backs also made a series of roster moves designed to either improve the team, confuse us, or both.
Starting pitcher Armando Galarraga was essentially fired for his inability to keep the ball in the park and/or runners of the bases. In another move that's yet to be fully explained, Melvin Mora was put on the bereavement list. A player on the bereavement list must miss a minimum of three games and a maximum of seven games.
To replace Galarraga and Mora, the D-backs reactivated Willie Bloomquist from the 15-day disabled list and selected infielder Sean Burroughs from Triple-A Reno. Here's more on Burroughs who entered baseball life as a child star:
Sean Burroughs: The Legendary Story Has A New Chapter - Baseball Nation
Son of former major leaguer Jeff Burroughs, who hit 240 home runs and was AL MVP in 1974, the younger Burroughs led his team to Little League World Series titles in 1992 and 1993. By the time he was 18, he was nearly his dad's size at 6-2, 200, and when he was selected ninth overall in the 1998 draft, he turned down an offer to play college ball at USC to sign with the Padres.[...]Perhaps the Sean Burroughs story will have a happy ending. He appeared on David Letterman's show after the Little League World Series triumphs
The series against the Braves will feature Joe Saunders (0-5, 5.48 ERA) against a 20-year-old prospect making his second major league start, Julio Teheran (0-1, 5.79 ERA).
Wednesday's game starts at 6:40 p.m. and will be broadcast on Fox Sports Arizona with the live game thread at AZ Snake Pit.
Series Preview #15: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Atlanta Braves - AZ Snake Pit
But there is a renaissance of sorts occurring in Atlanta right now, as an influx of talented young players has already begun to flow onto the Braves' roster. SP Tommy Hanson and RF Jason Heyward led the charge, and they have been followed by 1B Freddie Freeman and now SP Julio Teheran. And these are the players who represent the core of the Atlanta Braves for years to come.Who'll Replace Armando Galarraga In The Diamondbacks Rotation? - AZ Snake Pit
Lost in all the noise of the past 48 hours, is the irony in the title of the book written by Armando Galarraga and Jim Joyce - which hit book-stores the exact same day as the former's little dust-up with the media. The cynical may view this as some kind of masterful sales ploy. But as the dust settles over one of the more remarkable falls from grace in recent baseball history, dawn rises on a Diamondbacks team which suddenly finds itself in need of a fifth starter.Diamondbacks Farm Round-Up: May 17th - AZ Snake Pit
I don't know what's in the water at Reno, but whatever it is, should get bottled and shipped to Phoenix, stat. Eleven more runs for the Aces today, as they improved their record to 25-15. Three of the D-backs farm teams won, outscoring their opponents 24-12 in total. Snakelet of the Day: Sean Burroughs (Triple-A): 5-for-5, 3 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, 2 R