Doug Davis and the Diamondbacks

by Eli Greenspan on May 17, 2009 11:14 AM EDT

In Friday's game versus the Braves, Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch pulled Doug Davis from the on-deck circle for a pinch hitter with two outs in the seventh inning. Davis, who had only thrown 80 pitches at that point, confronted Hinch in the dugout.

"We've got seven outs [left] in the game," Hinch said. "Obviously, we're trying to get a guy on base in front of [Felipe] Lopez and [Gerardo] Parra, so with seven outs, I'm going to take a shot at getting a guy on base and hitting a ball in the gap to score him and tie the game. It's a tough decision, but at the same time, it's a decision I made."

Davis is a competitor, and a veteran like him probably hasn't been pulled after 80 pitches in a game like that. But the Diamondbacks have won three of the last ten, and trying to get a runner on base to start a rally with the top of your order coming up is a way to get your team going. I think Hinch made the right move, and I think he handled the situation well by talking with Davis during the game. Davis and Hinch have reportedly cleared the air, but with Davis' impending free agency, it makes you wonder if they would look to trade him.

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

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