Tape Delay Blogging Thursday - COL vs ARI

In a bit of a throwback to one of my previous features on this blog, if the season ended today, the 2017 NL Wild Card game would be between the teams that are facing off today on MLB.tv's free game, the Rockies and Diamondbacks. Of course Colorado is just a half a game behind Los Angeles for the NL West lead, so these rankings could be very fluid over the more than half a season left in 2017, but given that it's the rubber match between these two today, let's take a little measurement of how these teams are doing. And the fact that it's just about a week before All-Star voting concludes should allow us to take stock of what this year's midsummer classic might look like:


Top 1st
Charlie Blackmon hits a leadoff homer (1 RBI)

Speaking of All-Stars, I would vote for Charlie Blackmon as the top National League outfielder. This is not just because he and I share an astrological sign (Cancer), but because he's objectively outscored his nearest competition of Bryce Harper and Marcell Ozuna. I would also put Blackmon on my shortlist of Best Facial Hair in Baseball '17, no matter how much my mother in law would disapprove of his personal stylings.

Top 2nd
Jeff Mathis grounds out to short, Rey Fuentes scores (1 RBI)

The game then gets tied by two players who are not technically starters for Arizona, but keep in mind that the notion of "starting catcher" has been somewhat foreign to the Diamondbacks this year.


Top 3rd
Paul Goldschmidt singles, scoring Jeremy Hazelbaker
Chris Owings homers to left field, Jake Lamb scores (2 RBI)

Back to the All-Star voting, I've voted for both Diamondbacks corner infielders, although since I did a statistical sounding, Nolan Arenado has overtaken Jake Lamb at third base in terms of fantasy points. Meanwhile, Paul Goldschmidt has hit like he has a chip on his shoulder ever since he sat on the bench for Team USA through most of the WBC in favor of Eric Hosmer.

Top 4th
Nick Ahmed singles to drive in Jeff Mathis (1 RBI)
Paul Goldschmidt homers to right, scoring Nick Ahmed and Jeremy Hazelbaker (3 RBI)

Seriously, Eric Hosmer? He of the 841 points and 11.8 points per game fantasy line on the season? And what's more, he just pulled ahead of A's first bagger Yonder Alonso (903 / 14.3) in All-Star voting? (Let's not talk about how Justin Smoak (1,019 / 14.6) and Logan Morrison (1,012 / 14.3) might technically be more deserving candidates, but you have to follow the ballots.) Whatever happens, it's too bad that home field advantage in this year's World Series will be so influenced by ballot-stuffing.


Top 8th
Zack Godley singles, scoring Chris Herrmann (1 RBI)

If this really were the NL Wild Card game, you can believe Zack Greinke would get the ball. He and lefty Robbie Ray have performed pretty similarly, but barring a huge change of fortunes, money usually does the talking in these situations. However, given how he's pitched AND hit tonight, the DBacks might want to consider giving Zack Godley the ball. If the mostly unheralded pitcher can  live up to his lofty name, he will surely be a boon to the Developed Chicago Cubs roster... but that's an entirely different feature.

#VoteAlonso