kgbaseball Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 This obviously isn't a dynasty, but I decided to do a preview of tomorrow's game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees. So here we go. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Webb, Estrada lead DBacks to easy win As the regular season quickly approaches, the Arizona Diamondbacks (18-14) take on the New York Yankees (15-16) at a spring training exhibition at Chase Field on Saturday. These two teams met in one of the most memorable World Series in recent history in 2001. As in 2001, the Diamondbacks came out victorious in a game dominated by a complete game shutout by starting pitcher Brandon Webb and catcher Johnny Estrada's two homeruns. On the mound were Chien-Ming Wang (1-0, 3.97 ERA) of the Yankees and Brandon Webb (3-1, 6.35) of the DBacks. This was the pitcher's last tuneup before the regular season begins. The Diamondbacks come into this game on fire with the bats. They boast 4 hitters with a .400 batting average or better (min. 40 ABs). Let's get to the action. After a scoreless first, Brandon Webb struck out Gary Sheffield and Jason Giambi in the top half of the 2nd. Webb's sinker was in midseason form. "I felt good today," said Webb. "My sinker had a lot of movement on it, and I got a lot of ground balls, which, if I can do, will help this team out a lot." Webb was backed by a defense that made 3 spectacular plays behind him. Hideki Matsui rocketed a thigh high fastball to the left center field wall in the top of the 5th inning, sure to be a double. But Matsui was thinking more. Thanks to a great relay by the combination of Eric Brynes, Craig Counsell and Chad Tracy, Matsui was thrown out at third trying to stretch the double into a triple. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the 5th inning, when Estrada stepped up to the plate. He worked the count to 2-2, and then received a gift from Wang. "I got a fastball thigh high inside, and hit it out. That's just how my spring has been going. I'm excited to get out there and play for real," Estrada said after the game. No one's been hotter in all of baseball than Johnny Estrada, who is batting .447 in spring. Gary Sheffield looks on helplessly as the first of Johnny Estrada's homeruns leaves the field. Webb looked sharp in the 6th inning, striking out 2 of his 7 batters in the game. "When that sinker is on, he's nearly unhittable," said Jason Giambi, who suffered two strikeouts at the hands of Webb. "When he's able to locate it in the bottom half of the zone, you can forget about it." After "God Bless America" rang throughout Chase Field suring the 7th inning stretch, Estrada and the Diamondbacks went right back to work, up 2-0. Estrada belted his second homerun of the day to deep right field on a hanging splitter from Wang. Byrnes kept the rally going with a moonshot to deep left field. 4-0 DBacks. Wang then walked second basemen Orlando Hudson (who could blame him? Hudson came into the game batting .408 with 3 homeruns and 9 RBIs in the spring) and Counsell. Both men were stranded to end the 7th. Things got interesting in the top half of the 8th. With the Diamondbacks ahead 4-0, Giambi doubled dwn the right field line with one out. Matsui was up next, and hit a flare to left center field. Giambi was waved around 3rd base by new 3rd base coach Larry Bowa, and there was to be a play at the plate. Eric Byrnes threw a frozen rope to the plate, and Giambi was dead meat. Wang was pulled in the bottom of the 8th inning, allowing 4 runs on 8 hits, all earned. "I just didn't have it today," Wang expressed through a translator. "I left too many hanging pitches, and I paid for it. But I feel that I am ready to go for the season." Webb finished off the Yankees in the tp half of the 9th, striking out Johnny Damon to end the game. Webb allowed no runs on 3 hits. He threw 68 of 98 pitches for strikes. The Diamondbacks and Brandon Webb celebrate after beating the Yanks 4-0 on Saturday. This was the last spring training game for both teams. The Yankees head to oakland to take on the A's on Monday, while the Diamondbacks head to the Mile High City to take on Colorado to begin the regular season. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, what do you think? This was just preparation for my dynasty starting soon. Hope you enjoyed it! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcurrier2004 Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 For some reason, I think the Yankees will have more than 3 hits, and 0 walks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgbaseball Posted April 1, 2006 Author Share Posted April 1, 2006 That's just how it happened. In the first I played between these 2 teams, NY was up 3-0 after the first inning before I accidentally exited out of the game. Plus, Webb only walked 59 guys last year in well over 200 innings, so it's not that bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcurrier2004 Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Plus, Webb only walked 59 guys last year in well over 200 innings, so it's not that bad. Its not bad at all, but your talking about the Yankees, Giambi alone walks almost once a game. The whole lineup up and down except for Cano is known for taking pitches, and taking walks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sac51 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Tony Clark is the new catcher and Johnny Estrada the new centerfielder...also very interesting!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEOLINK Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Love the graphics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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