UPDATE: Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale apologizes for criticizing media
UPDATE: Arizona Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale has apologized for blaming the media for overhyping Zack Greinke's desert debut in Monday night's season opener.
Hale told reporters Tuesday that he "didn't mean to be harsh in any way" and that it was the team, not the media, that created all the hype for the opener.
Hale said, "I didn't mean to put it on you guys." He said he just didn't want his players to have a "sky is falling" attitude after one game.
Greinke, signed to a $206.5 million contract in the offseason, had his worst outing in four years, allowing seven runs, including three homers, in a 10-5 loss to the Colorado Rockies.
Hale said his son got on him about those postgame comments Tuesday morning. — AP
The Arizona Diamondbacks, who were pretty good last year, are supposed to be better this season. They picked up Zack Greinke from the Dodgers, Shelby Miller from the Braves, and have Paul Goldschmidt in the heart of his prime. It's hardly outrageous to expect the Diamondbacks to make the playoffs in 2016.
But manager Chip Hale is having none of that positive talk.
It seems that every team in baseball is looking to create an "us against the world" mentality. Perhaps they've seen Major League too many times. But this might be the first time a team leader has deliberately deflected praise in an effort to create that underdog aura.
The Diamondbacks were beaten by the Colorado Rockies in Monday's season opener, as Trevor Story hit two home runs off Greinke in his Major League debut to lead the Rox to a 10-5 win.
Hale, speaking to the media after the game, didn't blame Greinke having the flu, or the fact that there was little scouting on Story, for the loss. Nope, it was the media's fault.
Hale said that the media hyped up Opening Day and the Diamondback's strong prospects of earning a playoff spot this year too much, and this was a big problem.
"You guys built it up really good," Hale said. "You did a nice job of it... I said it before the game, you guys really hyped it up. Every Opening Day is every Opening Day — it means no more than tomorrow's game. Are we happy that we lost? No, we're disappointed that we lost. It's just one of 162."
And the hype train will apparently continue to roll Tuesday, as Miller, the another big offseason acquisition, takes the mound for the first time as a D-Back.
"[You'll] Probably build it up just the way tonight was built up," Hale said. "I'm sure you'll do a good job of that, too."
So leave the Diamondbacks alone, media. All this attention and admiration is messing the team up. Also, fans, if you would stop cheering, that would be a big help. That hooting and hollering is distracting.
