Disgruntled Diamondbacks Take Fight Into Dugout

Well, this was bound to happen. It was only a matter of time before the Arizona Diamondbacks started to turn on their new skipper and themselves.

Friday night, D-Backs starting pitcher Doug Davis had words for new manager A.J. Hinch after Davis was pulled in the seventh inning for a pinch hitter in a loss to the Atlanta Braves. Davis had only thrown 80 pitches, given up four hits, and given up three runs (two earned). Arizona was down by just one.

Hinch pulled him because the team needed a spark late in the game off the bench. Davis actually had already had a hit in the game earlier, but I understand Hinch's move: He was playing the odds according to the unwritten "baseball book."

Davis started screaming at Hinch in the dugout because he was upset about leaving the game. It’s a move that has been made before. If you remember, former D-Backs manager Bob Melvin made the same move in San Francisco back in April when he pulled Dan Haren in a close game in the seventh inning. Haren had a low pitch count then, too, and was pitching very well. Unfortunately the Diamondbacks' poor offense has brought great starting pitching to early ends.

So, was Davis testing his new coach? Was he expressing the overall feeling in the clubhouse about the inexperience of Hinch? Haren was upset that Melvin pulled him in San Francisco, but he didn’t go off like Davis did on Hinch.

I’m just waiting to hear about a fist fight taking place in the clubhouse now; they might as well take it in there. Though a fight on the field has yet to materialize this season, you might have seen a little spark when Stephen Drew hit a ninth-inning homer to tie Friday night’s game at three apiece before the Diamondbacks eventually fell to the Braves 4-3.

Of course, in-fighting isn’t the answer, but it might be the start of something.

Nah, I knew you wouldn’t buy that.

I think this team is heading south and quick. At this rate, they might end up worse than the 2004 version that ended 51-111. It's too bad; I didn’t think I’d ever see a season like that again. But at least that team tried; they just weren’t very good.

Is that true of this team? Is the problem more than just not trying?  Maybe they really aren’t as good as general manager Josh Byrnes and team president Derrick Hall say.

Maybe when they get to Miami after the weekend series in Atlanta, they should just continue south and take a permanent vacation in the Florida Keys for the season, because they are sure playing like they are on vacation. Just a formality at this point.

AZScot is a Sports Jabber contributing author. You can view more of his work at Venom Strikes. Join in the discussion on this and other topics in the NEW Sports Jabber Forums!