Oh, this was not a happy week for the Arizona Diamondbacks. It started with them getting swept by the Cincinnati Reds and ended with them blowing a lead against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team is back below .500 and seems to acknowledge the writing on the wall with their season. There have been a few pleasant surprises (Wade Miley, Jason Kubel), but mainly it's been a season filled with disappointment.
Despite the week, a few players had a few decent performances. This week, Chris Young is the Player of the Week, almost by default, for his performance against the Dodgers on Thursday. David Hernandez gets the Pitcher of the Week award for being a consistent presence in a strong bullpen.
This was another one of those weeks where the D-backs' offense struggled to make things happen. They haven't scored more than four runs in a game since August 21. But on a not-so-magical Thursday night, Young provided all the offense that was necessary, with a two-run homer off L.A.'s ace, Clayton Kershaw, to give the D-backs a needed win against a division rival and snap a six-game losing streak. Young also added a single in the sixth, though he was caught stealing on it.
Hernandez has had a quiet season, but he's been productive. Oddly enough, one of the strengths of this year's D-backs team has been the bullpen. Hernandez hasn't given up a run since the wee beginning of August. Though he isn't always the most efficient pitcher (he regularly takes 15-plus pitches to clear the eighth), he's gotten the job done at a time when getting the job done has been difficult for most everyone on the team.
For those keeping track at home, here are the scores:
Player of the Week awards:
Hill (6), Goldschmidt (4), Montero (3), Kubel (2), Parra (1), Roberts (1), Bloomquist (1), Johnson (1), Young (1)
Pitcher of the Week awards:
Miley (7), Cahill (3), Corbin (3), Collmenter (2), Kennedy (2), Saunders (1), Shaw (1), Hernandez (1)