Notes: Cintron gets a start
PHOENIX -- Alex Cintron is the type of player who wants -- and expects -- to play every day. His playing time, though, has been limited by the solid play of middle infielders Craig Counsell and Royce Clayton, and now he's seen his starts dwindling due to someone who doesn't even play his position.
With Tony Clark, the team's top pinch-hitting threat for much of the season, seeing more playing time, Arizona manager Bob Melvin has kept Cintron on the bench to be the team's go-to hitter in the pinch. Cintron has adjusted to his new role nicely as he has delivered three hits in his last four opportunities. Included in that is a two-run double Friday and a two-run homer against Philadelphia on Aug. 27 that accounted for the game's only offense.
But the switch-hitting Cintron was awarded the start Saturday as Counsell rested against sizzling southpaw Noah Lowry.
"This guy's been pretty tough on lefties -- and righties -- of late; his numbers of late have been ridiculous," Melvin said of Lowry, who was 5-0 with a 0.69 ERA in August. "But Alex hasn't been playing here as of late as regularly as he has. We were going a little bit more with Royce and Counse, and with Tony in the lineup more and more, I also need a guy off the bench. He's done a great job off the bench, so it's good to get him a start. He's a guy that needs to play some to stay ready."
Cintron delivered in the first inning Saturday, clubbing a two-run homer off Lowry.
Last season, Cintron struggled while seeing his playing time diminish. He has approached this year with a better attitude toward his role, a mentality that has pleased his manager.
"I thought early on we'd have some problems with him because he's a guy who wants to play," Melvin said. "But he's been great, he really has. Even though you see some days where you know he really wants to be in there and he goes several days without [playing], he still goes out there and keeps himself ready. ... He's handled this year beautifully."
Rest for the weary: Counsell has been mired in a bad slump for the past two weeks, collecting just three hits in his last 38 at-bats. Counsell had posted multihit performances in three of the four games preceding the skid, raising his average to .281, but it has dropped 16 points since that time.
Despite the recent struggles, Melvin noted that his second baseman has still contributed by drawing 10 walks during the slump and playing solid defense.
"You go through some periods where you struggle," Melvin said. "At times when he's not swinging the bat well, he'll find a way to do something for you defensively or draw a walk or do some things that maybe don't show up numbers-wise as far as average or whatever, but he finds a way to contribute all the time."
Wait and see: Melvin announced Friday that Brad Halsey's spot in the rotation would be skipped as the rookie's workload has mounted lately. The manger has yet to determine when Halsey will make his next start.
Depending on when that next start could come, Halsey might work out of the bullpen in the meantime. The southpaw made one relief appearance -- on Opening Day -- before joining the starting rotation full time.
Birthday boy: When it was announced during pregame stretches that Saturday was Luis Gonzalez's birthday, Cintron turned to the dugout with a straight face and asked, "60?"
Well, not quite. Gonzalez, now 38, joked that he's chasing Atlanta's ageless wonder, Julio Franco, who turned 47 in August.
"If I can play that long, I will," Gonzalez said. "These guys joke around, but if you ask someone like Counsell, they'll tell you I love playing this game. I love being out there, I love being around the guys, and if I could play that long, I definitely will be out there."
Helping hand: The Diamondbacks announced that all proceeds from ticket sales during the Sept. 13-15 series against Milwaukee will be donated to the Red Cross and Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
"It's great -- it's right on time," Melvin said. "This is an absolute catastrophe. Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody over there and I don't think there's anybody who isn't following this as closely as you possibly can. You're seeing people in all walks of life doing whatever they can to help -- I think it's great."
Bolstering the ranks: The Diamondbacks called up right-handed pitcher Dustin Nippert from Double-A Tennessee on Saturday. Nippert will not be available until Sunday.
Coming off Tommy John surgery in July 2004, the 24-year-old Nippert was 8-3 in 18 starts for the Smokies with a 2.38 ERA.
On deck: Arizona closes out its short three-game homestand against San Francisco on Sunday. Russ Ortiz (5-8, 6.82 ERA) takes the ball against rookie Matt Cain (0-1, 3.60 ERA).
Source: http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/
With Tony Clark, the team's top pinch-hitting threat for much of the season, seeing more playing time, Arizona manager Bob Melvin has kept Cintron on the bench to be the team's go-to hitter in the pinch. Cintron has adjusted to his new role nicely as he has delivered three hits in his last four opportunities. Included in that is a two-run double Friday and a two-run homer against Philadelphia on Aug. 27 that accounted for the game's only offense.
But the switch-hitting Cintron was awarded the start Saturday as Counsell rested against sizzling southpaw Noah Lowry.
"This guy's been pretty tough on lefties -- and righties -- of late; his numbers of late have been ridiculous," Melvin said of Lowry, who was 5-0 with a 0.69 ERA in August. "But Alex hasn't been playing here as of late as regularly as he has. We were going a little bit more with Royce and Counse, and with Tony in the lineup more and more, I also need a guy off the bench. He's done a great job off the bench, so it's good to get him a start. He's a guy that needs to play some to stay ready."
Cintron delivered in the first inning Saturday, clubbing a two-run homer off Lowry.
Last season, Cintron struggled while seeing his playing time diminish. He has approached this year with a better attitude toward his role, a mentality that has pleased his manager.
"I thought early on we'd have some problems with him because he's a guy who wants to play," Melvin said. "But he's been great, he really has. Even though you see some days where you know he really wants to be in there and he goes several days without [playing], he still goes out there and keeps himself ready. ... He's handled this year beautifully."
Rest for the weary: Counsell has been mired in a bad slump for the past two weeks, collecting just three hits in his last 38 at-bats. Counsell had posted multihit performances in three of the four games preceding the skid, raising his average to .281, but it has dropped 16 points since that time.
Despite the recent struggles, Melvin noted that his second baseman has still contributed by drawing 10 walks during the slump and playing solid defense.
"You go through some periods where you struggle," Melvin said. "At times when he's not swinging the bat well, he'll find a way to do something for you defensively or draw a walk or do some things that maybe don't show up numbers-wise as far as average or whatever, but he finds a way to contribute all the time."
Wait and see: Melvin announced Friday that Brad Halsey's spot in the rotation would be skipped as the rookie's workload has mounted lately. The manger has yet to determine when Halsey will make his next start.
Depending on when that next start could come, Halsey might work out of the bullpen in the meantime. The southpaw made one relief appearance -- on Opening Day -- before joining the starting rotation full time.
Birthday boy: When it was announced during pregame stretches that Saturday was Luis Gonzalez's birthday, Cintron turned to the dugout with a straight face and asked, "60?"
Well, not quite. Gonzalez, now 38, joked that he's chasing Atlanta's ageless wonder, Julio Franco, who turned 47 in August.
"If I can play that long, I will," Gonzalez said. "These guys joke around, but if you ask someone like Counsell, they'll tell you I love playing this game. I love being out there, I love being around the guys, and if I could play that long, I definitely will be out there."
Helping hand: The Diamondbacks announced that all proceeds from ticket sales during the Sept. 13-15 series against Milwaukee will be donated to the Red Cross and Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
"It's great -- it's right on time," Melvin said. "This is an absolute catastrophe. Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody over there and I don't think there's anybody who isn't following this as closely as you possibly can. You're seeing people in all walks of life doing whatever they can to help -- I think it's great."
Bolstering the ranks: The Diamondbacks called up right-handed pitcher Dustin Nippert from Double-A Tennessee on Saturday. Nippert will not be available until Sunday.
Coming off Tommy John surgery in July 2004, the 24-year-old Nippert was 8-3 in 18 starts for the Smokies with a 2.38 ERA.
On deck: Arizona closes out its short three-game homestand against San Francisco on Sunday. Russ Ortiz (5-8, 6.82 ERA) takes the ball against rookie Matt Cain (0-1, 3.60 ERA).
Source: http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/
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