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Not much has changed.  Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez is still Manny Ramirez the Dbacks killer.  He hit a home run in the fourth inning to break a 1-1 tie and it was all downhill from there.  Kennedy also gave up home runs to Dodgers third baseman Casey Blake and outfielder Matt Kemp.  Outfielder Andre Either added a shot off of reliever Esmerling Vasquez in the sixth. 

The Dbacks offense wasn’t as explosive as it was on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.  By the time the offense put together anything worth nothing, they were down 9-2 with time running out in the game.  Dbacks third baseman Mark Reynolds did manage a two-run homer in the seventh inning, his second of the season. 

The Dbacks are going to have to find some decent starting pitching if they are going to contend at all.  In seven games, really there have only been two quality starts, Dan Haren’s opening day start against the San Diego Padres, and Rodrigo Lopez’s gem on Friday night against the Pirates.  Edwin Jackson still gave up four runs and eight hits on Sunday and only won because of the offense.  The bullpen will be the bullpen.  Their struggles are well documented.  I was hoping it wouldn’t have to be documented as much this season with the promise of a decent starting rotation.  That is not happening right now.  The offense is the main reason the Dbacks see themselves at 4-3 and not 1-6 or 2-5. 

Scott Allen

The Arizona Diamondbacks, who lost yet another road game this afternoon 4-3 in 10 innings to the San Diego Padres now need t0 get used to the talk that manager Bob Melvin will be fired.   As long as we continue to see the  Diamondbacks in their current state, there is no other option.  It is easier to fire a manager or coaching staff than it is to get rid of 20 players.  Melvin, as good as a guy as he is personally, just isn’t cutting it anymore.  The Diamondbacks are going nowhere fast.

Consider that this team is just not hitting.  Ten hits over the last two games.  Four of them are by Justin Upton.  Amazing that given Upton’s start of 0-15 he can now be considered the team’s best hitter at .294, a 14 game hitting streak, and six home runs. That right there should tell you more about the state of this team, at least offensively.

Fact is Melvin is not the only one to blame, but he may be the only one to take the fall.  Doug Franz from KTAR 620 Sports wrote on the KTAR website today that now the NL West should be considered wide open because of Manny Ramirez’s 50 game suspension, which is by the way, THE best news to come out of the NL West today.  He also said that they should fire Melvin before this weekend’s series with the Washington Nationals so that the new manager would start 3-0.  Wait a minute, hasn’t he been watching these Diamondbacks?  My guess is the hitting woes will continue against the Nationals.  I am also guessing the likes of Adam Dunn,  Elijah Dukes, and Christian Guzman will rip guys like Yusmeiro Petit this weekend.

Making a change now is either a really good idea or a really bad idea depending on your perspective.  Making the change now tells me the Diamondbacks are going to do what they can to salvage this season, only 29 games in.  They obviously feel they still have a chance in the NL West.  The only reason you wait is if you feel the season is lost and making a change will disrupt the clubhouse.

Let’s be honest though.  A “disruption” is probably exactly what this teams now.  They need to have someone come in and shake the boat a little.  Things have already been rocky, but Melvin has seemed apathetic to it all.  He rarely shows emotion.  His fire from season’s past has seemed to disappear.  If you review his some of his post game conferences this season, he seems either lost at times or seems like he just doesn’t have the answer.

As I stated this isn’t all his fault though.  He had help and I expect some other coaching changes to be made.  I will be the most surprised person in the world if hitting coach Rick Schu isn’t let go either.  You have to look at him when half your roster is hitting lower than the boiling point of water.

So now the names will surface.  An announcement seems to be forthcoming according to KTAR’s John Gambadoro. So, make your predictions now.  Anyone care to chime in as to who you think should be the next manager.  Do the Dbacks stay in-house or do they go out and make a bold hire?  My guess is they will stay in-house, like a Brett Butler or Kirk Gibson.  Although I believe the better option is to find someone outside the organization.