The Arizona Diamondbacks entered this year’s All Star Break much like they did last year: blindfolded, hobbled and tripping all over themselves in a vain attempt to win games on pitching alone. Their bats are silent, their defense patchy and their baserunning, well, it’s something just this side of abysmal.
Fortunately for them, the rest of the National League West is in even worse shape. The Dodgers, whose average player age must be 52 at this point, just lost their closer Saito for six weeks, which will definitely dampen their chances of taking the lead from the D’Backs.
The Arizona ballclub, however, is trying to bring back the spark that led them to an improbable berth in last year’s postseason. Part of that spark, one Tony Clark, departed to division rival San Diego over the off-season after failing to secure an extension.
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The Diamondbacks must have seen the error of their ways. It was announced today that the D‘Backs have traded a minor league pitcher to the Padres in return for Tony Clark. This is a great move by the team, one that will hopefully reap great rewards in the second half of the season.
Tony Clark is not going to play every day. He may not lend his bat to big innings; he may not make spectacular plays at first base or lay down the perfect sacrifice bunt. In fact, he may do nothing more than provide some stable pinch-hitting and maybe some defensive flexibility in late innings. But that’s okay. Actually, it’s more than okay. What Tony Clark brings to the table is not just his playing. His leadership helped the young Diamondbacks to the postseason last year and it has been sorely missed so far in 2008.
This is the right move for the Diamondbacks. They have so much raw skill on the roster that it is painful to watch them flounder as they have. They have lacked a true clubhouse leader all season, and hopefully Clark is able to step back into that role and get the kids on track.
Obviously, Clark can’t make the D’Backs hitters stop golfing for balls in the dirt and flailing at outside breaking pitches every at-bat, but he can provide the mentoring, the patience and the guidance that helped funnel the energy of the Diamondbacks last year into a constructive force.
If Clark is able to harness even half of the magic he was able to wield last year, the rest of the anemic West better hold on for the ride.
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