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Arizona Diamondbacks
www.sportingnews.com/baseball/teams/diamondbacks
34-21 1st in West
TIME HEALS: One day after 1B Erubiel Durazo (broken hand) came off the D.L., he had a three-homer game against the Phillies. But that power surge might have been misleading. The team noticed Durazo wasn't swinging as well as usual in batting practice the next day. He went five days without starting, and an 0-for-4 outing last Saturday left him hitless in his last 20 at-bats. Durazo hasn't fully recovered his hand strength and entered the week day-to-day.... Despite retiring 21 of 23 Dodgers last Saturday, LHP Brian Anderson remains winless as a starter since last ]uly 22. One reason is the team has averaged just 3.4 runs in his last eight starts. Another is that in his last 17 starts, none wins, Anderson has a 6.13 ERA. In his last four starts, he has a 3.08 ERA.
SCOUTING REPORT: LF Luis Gonzalez is having trouble at the plate this season, especially with breaking pitches. As the No. 3 hitter he sometimes puts pressure on himself to drive in runs and chase pitches. But he still draws walks and deposits mistakes into the right field stands. Defensively, he usually is sure-handed and takes good angles, but he has a weak arm that is getting weaker.
SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: One of the trademarks of LHP Randy Johnson's delivery out of the windup used to be its starting position--the ball in his glove, held high in front of his face. But Friday against the Dodgers, he began his windup with the ball and glow at his waist. He says that helped keep his hands behind his right leg as he raised his right knee toward his chest, preventing him from "flying open," or turning square to the plate too soon. So instead of leaving fastballs over the plate, he drove them down and in to righthanded hitters. He allowed six hits in eight innings for his ninth win of the season.--Ed Price
MAY GRADES