Lourdes Gurriel Jr. making an All-Star team not just because of how bloodthirsty the Diamondbacks fans are but because of how bloodthirsty the Blue Jays fans that still love him even after he was traded for Daulton Varsho are...is not something I predicted going into this year.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. always seemed like a solid enough player but was never a big piece of those Jays teams, a lot like his older brother Yulieski was more a solid and consistent Astros piece than a particularly newsworthy one. I think he was in the right place to be a fan favorite, because Toronto just rewards you if you stay around a while, have some nice seasons and play the game right. Lourdes is one of those guys that dyes his hair blue and has a good time, and he's clearly someone you can recognize by the look of him. Kids in Toronto must have loved him, much like the youth of Phoenix must be rallying around this pink-haired, feather-duster-headed marvel who pounds balls into the outfield and makes fun leaps.
It's been really cool seeing him do well in Phoenix, because I worried the Jays traded him because they figured he'd begin to trail off, a lot like what's happening to Teoscar Hernandez in Seattle. And considering that they were going for a level-up/upgrade with Varsho, I kinda figured it just meant Gurriel wasn't meant to compete at the level of the rest of the team. That hasn't been the case, as Gurriel has fit right into this D-Backs squad, hitting .270 with 54 RBIs and 15 homers. Though it has admittedly taken longer than expected for Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy to catch up this year, Gurriel has been the rock this outfield has needed.
The sucky part about this Diamondbacks team is that the slow careening that was beginning prior to the break has continued, and thanks to losing a series against the Blue Jays, funnily enough, the D-Backs have now dropped to third in the NL West. Which means the Dodgers, who'd been waiting for something to happen, and the Giants, who've been arcing upward ever since Patrick Bailey came up, have lapped them in the standings, and they're back down to third, which is where many people thought they'd be anyhow this year. It hasn't been without continued greatness, like Corbin Carroll doing his thing, and Tommy Henry continuing to come into his own, but the honeymoon phase of the season is over and now the D-Backs will have to fight to remain a contender.
What's interesting is that as I write this, the D-Backs are actually chasing the Braves, and some clumsy defensive moves on Atlanta's part have been their undoing. Even as the Diamondbacks return to earth, there's still some fight in them, and I don't think they can be completely counted out yet. I even think they have a chance of netting a trade piece in a week or so, that's how serious they might still be. A crap week might just be a crap week, and even though the Braves may be even tougher than Toronto, this team has way more to work with than they used to, especially with people like Gurriel there.
Coming Tomorrow- Coincidentally another guy who dyes his hair to support the team.
No comments:
Post a Comment