Shelby "Miller Time"

Okay, let’s take a timeout right away.

We need it as Dbacks fans after last night...a night that took us through it all. Nostalgia with the purple & teal, excitement with an early lead, frustration falling behind 8–3, elation going up 11–8, and finally depression and shock after giving up six runs in the 9th to lose the game.

Before anyone tries to tell me what it’s like to be a fan of their team... please go ahead and walk a mile in Dbacks fans’ shoes. Seriously, move over Frank the Tank… we know frustration over here.

To get this ship right, the Dbacks need to shore up the closer spot, and it needs to be Shelby Miller.

Before I get into Shelby, seriously, what did we do to deserve this treatment as fans? We’re 0–3 in what could be the top games of the year in the whole league. A 10-run inning to take the lead late at Wrigley… only to lose. Then Eugenio Suárez smacks four home runs, including a game-tying shot in the 9th… loss. And last night? A huge comeback, Ketel Marte smacking homers, and yet another crushing defeat.

Did a player, coach, or fan pull a Peter Griffin and disrupt some cursed grave site or something?! This just isn’t fair. Our fans aren’t getting in fights or posting garbage on Twitter like other fanbases, yet we get stabbed nightly with a dull, rusty butter knife to the gut.

Sorry, had to get that out. I know all Dbacks fans are feeling the same thing this morning.

Now to the real idea to fix it. Also...maybe some Pedro Cerrano-type bullpen rituals (instead of just sick bats) couldn’t hurt either.

Right now the bullpen is down A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez, which is huge, those were the projected 8th and 9th inning guys. I can’t be too mad at Kevin Ginkel. Some guys are just setup dudes. Closing isn’t his thing. He’ll be needed again in the 8th and will do well there.

We could bring up Kendall Graveman or Drey Jameson, but it looks like the organization is being careful with them coming off injuries.

So who does that leave? SHELBY EFFIN MILLER.That’s right...it’s Miller Time.

Not only has he been the most consistent arm in the bullpen so far (1.08 ERA), but also man we gotta think about the storyline!

A guy traded to Arizona years ago to help lead a rotation to the promised land. Instead, injuries derailed his career, and that trade went down in Arizona lore as one of the worst in franchise history (though the Goldschmidt deal still takes the cake in my book).

Now he’s backthis spring as a relief man on a minor league deal, makes the team. Then is really showing out, leading the bullpen, and he has the chance to Miller Time the 9th and close out games on the way to playoff contention and beyond.

And he has the stuff, too. He can pump it to 97–98 mph and drop off some wicked junk.

This also has to be a statement from Torey Lovullo. He needs to make that call and give Miller the vote of confidence. As fans, we deserve that stability too, we want to know that if it’s a 3-run lead or less, #18 will be up and ready.

It’s the right move. Until further notice, Shelby Miller is our closer. From now on, the 9th inning is officially known as Miller Time.