Newly acquired pitcher Joe Saunders got to take the mound on Thursday night in Philadelphia.  His first start ended just like the previous six games had for the Arizona Diamondbacks – a loss.  He received the same special the Dbacks consistently served up for the departed Dan Haren – no or little run support.  Once again the Dbacks left their bats at the hotel.

This evening it was lost in extra innings.  The Phillies won 3-2.  At least the Dbacks fought tonight and didn;t give up, but clearly this is a team destined for 100 losses or more.  They can’t buy a break.  After Gerrardo Parra ruined a ninth-inning rally with a double play, he threw his helmet down in disgust at himself.  First base umpire Adrian Johnson immediately threw him out of the game, thinking he was mad at the call and directing his disgust at him.  Clearly he wasn’t upset with the call, just himself, but Johnson felt otherwise and tossed him.  That’s just the way things have gone for the hapless Dbacks this season.

The Dbacks have now lost seven in a row and head to New York to play the Mets.  The Dbacks swept the Mets last week and you can be sure they haven’t forgotten and will be looking for some home revenge.  On to number eight!

What else is new?  Another day, another loss.

The post-Dan Haren era started Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies with a 9-5 loss.  The Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen had another “tremendous” effort.  Starter Rodrigo Lopez left the game leading 5-4.  Blaine Boyer seemingly had things in hand in the sixth inning until manager Kirk Gibson replaced him with Jordan Norberto.  Norberto subsequently came in and gave away the farm.  Surprised?  I’m not.

You know what I was surprised about?  Our new interim general manager Jerry Dipoto.  During tonight’s telecast on Fox Sports Arizona he was interviewed up in the booth.  During that interview, Dipoto was asked by Darren Sutton if he had met newly acquired starting pitcher Joe Saunders yet, whom the camera caught in the dugout as Dipoto was asked the question.  he said he hadn’t had the chance to meet him yet.  Really?  Instead of doing your spin tour Jerry, how about going and meeting the player you traded for only 48 hours earlier!  Clearly, it appears to be chaos in the front office.   No one knows what they are doing when it comes to baseball decisions.

I’m afraid for what lies ahead for the rest of the week.  Which players survive and who leaves Phoenix?

When it was announced that Dan Haren was traded to the Los Angeles Angels this afternoon for Joe Saunders, Patrick Corbin, and Rafael Rodriguez, I knew only one thing – this was a pure salary dump.  This was a financial move no matter how you spin it.  Ok, sure, the Dbacks will tell you they got a lefty in Saunders and that there is a top prospect to be named later and a guy in Rodriguez that can help you in relief now.  That’s what they will tell you publicly.  Privately they will tell you something completely different.

The Dbacks dump a lot of salary to save themselves some, hopefully for next season.  Will they spend it though?  If they don’t, they will run the risk of alienating even more fans than they did with today’s trade.  I could literally hear the air come out of the baseball tires in this city.  I don’t know what else to expect the rest of this week before next Sunday’s trade deadline, I honestly don’t?  I still thought there was a chance up until this afternoon that Haren would stay here.  That’s just me being naive though.  I wish they would address the dead weight on this team.  I mean the physical kind too, not the financial kind.  Dumping salary won’t put more rear ends in those seats, I guarantee that.

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