Snake KTE

[Theoldmole]

A West Coast trip is never good for fattening,
The Diamonbacks have shown no signs of flattening.

So here, for Metly KTE cognition,
How we stack up, position by position.

At Dback backstop, Snyder's on the schneid,
While our man Schneider's mostly on the side,

Their guy is at .210 with just one dinger,
Ours suffered an infection on his finger.

At first base, Conor Jackson knocks down walls;
Delgado - two home runs, no curtain calls.

At second, O-Dog's Golden Glove and All-Star
Our man Castillo doesn't hit the ball far,

He'll often bunt, but sometimes hit it longer,
A better strategy if his legs were stronger.

At shortstop, Stephen Drew. Distinction: him
And his two older bros, JD and Tim,

Over three separate seasons pulled a hat trick:
Three siblings, every one a first round draft pick.

But family doesn't join you when you play -
Our trio's best: Jose, Jose, Jose.

Reynolds, at third, is good for going yard --
Still, choosing the best guy here isn't hard,

He may have seven to our David's four,
By season's end, the Wright man will have more.

A TV fixture, Eric Byrnes can talk,
I'm satisfied if M. Alou can walk.

In center, Young is young, and would appear
Just at the threshold of a fine career
(Came very close to Rookie of the Year)

But we have got CarLOS iVAN BelTRAN
And till he is dethroned, he's still the man.

Over in right, I'd give it a tossup from
Our man Ryan Church to their man Upton,

Both new in their position, both appealing --
They say that Upton has the higher ceiling,

That he's the guy the fans should keep their eye on,
But we are not displeased with our guy Ryan.

Figuring out the pitching matchup sucks,.
Given both staffs are in a state of fiux.

On Friday night, New York is starting Maine,
For Dbacks, Owings' ankle may have pain.

That will move Webb up in the rotation,
Whenever he shows up, he's no vacation.

Saturday we've slotted Figueroa,
After relief today, perhaps no go-a.

We finish with a duel of pitching titans,
Santana terrorizes. Haren frightens.

The desert's been our friend. Say, two of three?
Respectfully submitted. KTE.

[Frayed Knot]

{golf clap}
plus plenty of points for originality

[Frayed Knot]

So I'm looking up Micah Owing's hitting stats (he's supposedly OK to go on Saturday btw) and prior to today's game he was at a robust .389/.421/.444

So in today's game against Houston he's not pitching so Bob Melvin puts him in as a PH-er. Houston manager Cecil Cooper immediately responds by making a pitching change just so the righty-swinging Owings wouldn't get to face a LHP - and when was the last time you saw a pitching change specifically because there was a pitcher coming up?
So Owings has to face the RHP ... and promptly hits a 2R game-tying HR on the first pitch.

There are a handful of pitchers who can hit. This dude is a REAL hitter who also happens to pitch.

Edited April 30, 2008 by Guest

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

love it

[DocTee]

Excellent work and a much needed spirit-lifter after today's debacle. Thanks!

[Guest AG/DC]

Well played.

Owings fascinates me, as do all pitchers who can hit.

In 1965, Don Drysdale went .300 / .331 / .508 // .839 for a team that went .245 / .312 / .335 // .647. He got his share of pinch-hitting assignments, but only once batted as high as eighth when he was starting pitcher. No other player on the team slugged even as high as .400.

How did Walter Alston resist the urge to start him in left a few days a week?

Edited April 30, 2008 by Guest

[Fman99]

Nicely done sir.

Owings' blast today, by the way, was an opposite-field jack.

[Guest Triple Dee]

This KTE subscribes to the 3 "i's" of CPF; informative, inventive and 'in verse'. Good job.

But you should have named it "Ode to Snakes KTE".

[Guest themetfairy]

Very nice

[seawolf17]

Damn. The bar is raised.

I wish we didn't have to face Owings this series, if only because then we wouldn't have to listen to anyone wax poetic about how he's the next Babe Ruth.

[Theoldmole]

The St. Louis Browns used to bat Ned Garver 6th or 7th when he pitched, because he was that much better a hitter than some of their regulars.

[Guest AG/DC]

I'd enjoy seeing Owings get that opportunity.

[MFS62]

Bravo, Mole, Bravo.

Later

[metirish]

DocTee wrote: Excellent work and a much needed spirit-lifter after today's debacle. Thanks!

My thoughts exactly , loved it.

I want to hear what Val thinks about Micah.

[Theoldmole]

Here's an article on pitchers used as pinch hitters, but it's not all that good.

[Theoldmole]

And the best hitting pitchers by year.

[stevejrogers]

KTE's Uniform History! Everything, right down to stuff that was only used for promotional purposes!

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Excellent job on the KTE.

[batmagadanleadoff]

TheOldMole's got some soul. Cool KTE.

[Frayed Knot]

btw,

Friday - 9:40 EDT - Maine vs Owings (SNY)

Saturday - 3:55 EDT - Pelfrey vs Webb (FOX Network)

Sunday - 4:10 EDT - Santana vs Haren (Ch 11)