Arizona Diamondbacks’ Nightmare Opponent is Next
By Thomas Lynch
They’rrrreeeee baaaaaccckkk.
No, not the TV people from Poltergeist although they are probably a better alternative for the Arizona Diamondbacks and their fans than their National League West rival/tormentor San Diego Padres. Beginning with this evening’s game and concluding Thursday night, we will be watching the D-Backs play the team that has given them fits all year, the team that is probably the single biggest reason why Arizona will not be making it to the playoffs in 2012.
Clayton Richard is 3-0 vs. the Diamondbacks in 2012. Image: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE
The D-Backs’ record vs. the Padres is a a woeful 5-10. After the second series of the year, when the Snakes took two of three games in San Diego, the record stands at 3-9. If the series was 8-7 or even 7-8, the Diamondbacks would be very much alive in the race for the second Wild Card spot. Their last real shot at making postseason play was stymied at Petco Park the second weekend in September. The road trip was looking good up until then having split in Los Angeles and winning two of three in San Francisco. And then, those Padres did it to them again, winning two of three including an 8-2 whitewash on that Sunday. Star 3rd Baseman Chase Headley has hit well all year against the D-Backs and in the previous series scorched their pitching staff to the tune of three home runs and eight RBI’s. On the pitching side, Clayton Richard has owned Arizona, going 3-0 this year allowing a total of five runs in 23 1/3 innings. It is only right that Richard will be getting the start in the start in the final meeting of the year on Thursday afternoon.
Since June 12th, the Padres have gone 51-35, fifth best record in baseball. In fact, by the time this series is over, San Diego could leap over Arizona and take sole possession of third place. Expect more trouble next season. The Pads has a young, everyday nucleus in place led by NL-leading RBI man Headley along with an emerging rotation headed by Richard. The Diamondbacks will have some work to do in order to slay the Padres dragon in 2013.
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