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That first start was rough. And then Diamond turned into the guy we all wanted him to be: the solid number three who wasn't blowing anybody away but knew how to pitch. For four consecutive starts we were falling in love all over again. And then he went and reminded us why people hate the phrase "pitch to contact" so damned much.
There are no secrets to Diamond's success. It's all about location. He knows it, the fans know it, and the batters definitely know it. In his last two starts you could almost see him forcing the issue - either trying to be too fine or maybe just not having the feel for what he had that night. The Tigers are stacked with good hitters. Hopefully he's on his game tonight and, for a start, could maybe hang a big fat "0" in the bottom of the first.
He's been on a hot streak recently, after holding an 11.08 ERA four appearances into the season. The way I see it, he hasn't been beat up in his home ballpark yet this year. Tonight seems like a good time, and the Twins are certainly due to end their skid.
Right?