Down the Left Field Line:
Life, Baseball & Eric Byrnes

Sometimes, ya gotta win ugly. Today was one of those times, as Randy Johnson did not have his good stuff. For the second day in a row the Arizona starter did not bring his A or even his B game. But unlike yesterday, the Snakes were able to slither back with an all-team offense highlighted [...]

Sometimes you learn something good in adversity. Edgar Gonzalez did not have his stuff yesterday. He lasted only 2.2 innings, giving up 6 earned runs on 8 hits. But the guy who came in to get the last out of the second was a revelation. Max Scherzer, Arizona’s first pick in the 2006 draft, then [...]

Many knowledgeable baseball people, including Eric Byrnes, consider the 2001 World Series one of the best, if not THE best World Series ever. Seven games between the storied New York Yankees, winners of the previous three World Series, and 26 championships overall, versus the upstart Arizona Diamondbacks, in [...]

Brandon Webb gave up only 1 unearned run (fielding error by Orlando Hudson) in 6 innings on his way to a 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres. He’s now 6-0 on the season. Juan Cruz, Tony Pena and Brandon Lyon, who saved his seventh, each did their jobs. The D’Backs ended their run [...]

Mychael Urban is a Bay Area sports reporter who writes the Good for Ball…Bad for Ball column on MLB.com. He had a section on Byrnes in his latest column:
A true classic: Arizona outfielder Eric Byrnes has been accused of false hustle, showboating and being a bit too much of a self-promoter. Whatever. The man is [...]

The Diamondbacks lost a heartbreaker to the Padres today 8-7, when Tad Iguchi homered off Yusmeiro Petit in the bottom of the 13th at PETCO Park in San Diego.
The Diamondbacks’ big stick was wielded by starting pitcher Micah Owings, who went 2-3 with his first RBI of the season and 2 runs scored. He’s [...]

That’s a dumb title, I know. Since when is a win ever bad?
Edgar Gonzalez got his first win of the season Thursday night against the Dodgers 6-4. Juan Cruz wanted a chance to make up for giving up runs the night before. He got the chance and made the best of it. EdGon was helped [...]

Readers, if you want to back up what I say here, or otherwise just wish Byrnesie well, add a comment and I will send this letter on to him.
Hey, Byrnesie!
When I didn’t see your name in the line up last night, I went to the Diamondbacks website to find out why, and I found Steve [...]

YUCK!
or a word that rhymes with YUCK.
Yesterday’s 8-3 loss to the Dodgers — the last place, just off a horrible road trip Dodgers of all teams! — was yuck because the D’Backs had the opportunity to pull it out anyway, but didn’t.
Dan Haren definitely did not have his stuff last night. It happens. Considering [...]

Eric Byrnes had one hit last night. A 4th inning single. But it drove in a run and at the end of the game, it was the run that gave the Diamondbacks the victory over the Giants 5-4.
It was not a stellar night for Brandon Webb. The first 5 batters he faced produced a single, [...]