Diamondbacks close out a dismal season against the Padres

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks (66-93)  will be at home for their final three games of the season as they take on the San Diego Padres on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Diamondbacks split two of four games at Washington -- the final road trip of the year.

Not much left to sort out for the Diamondbacks. Jean Segura did get his 200th hit while in Washington -- 201 to be exact. There's still a battle for the top dog in RBI as Paul Goldschmidt has knocked in 93 runs, while Jake Lamb is at 91.

The Diamondbacks will have a lot to sort out during the off-season.

MSBL World Series schedules

Men's Senior Baseball League World Series

Phoenix, Arizona

Oct. 16-22

70-and-over American Division

San Antonio Texans (four members of the TOTS on the roster -- Bob Daliege, Ron Petersen, Pigpen Price and Eddie Eckert)

Date/site/time/opponent

Sunday, Oct. 16  Riverview SE#4  10:00 a.m.  against Tri Valley Giants

Monday, Oct. 17 Maryvale #4  9:30 a.m.  against Red Deer Legends (Canada)

Tuesday, Oct. 18 Tempe Diablo Stadium  9:15 a.m.  against Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Oct. 19  Salt River D5  1:00 p.m.  against San Diego Mudcats

Thursday, Oct. 20  Riverview SE#6  9:30 a.m.  against Arizona Scorpions


Oct. 22-28


65-and-over Central Division

Tucson Aces (15 members of the Tucson Old Timers)

Date/site/time/opponent

Saturday, Oct. 22  Salt River D6  10:00 a.m.  against Tri Valley Giants

Sunday, Oct. 23  Papago #3  9:45 a.m.  against Legends (Canada)

Monday, Oct. 24  Maryvale #7  2:00 p.m.  against Salty Dragons (Salt Lake City)

Tuesday, Oct. 25  Tempe #6  9:00 a.m.  against Broncos (San Antonio)

Wednesday, Oct. 26  Scottsdale Stadium  8:30 a.m. against Fresno Grizzlies (California)

Palmer homers at Udall

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Reed Palmer, 60, singled, hit a solo home run over the centerfield fence, and drove in two runs as Team Blue played to a 2-2 tie with Team White at Udall Park this morning.

It was a pitching duel all the way as Doc Thompson went the distance for Team Blue and Lloyd Barzell hurled all seven innings for Team White. Team Blue had a chance to break it open in the top of the seventh. With two outs and two runners on base, Barzell walked the power-hitting Palmer to load the bases. The strategy worked as  the next batter, Pigpen Price, hit a shot back to the mound into the glove of Barzell for the final out.

The TOTS will close out the week with a game on Friday. Start time is 9 a.m.

Photo: The hard-hitting Reed Palmer

65-and-over Tucson Aces prepare for MSBL World Series

The Tucson Aces to play at MSBL World Series, Oct. 22-28

The 65-and-over Tucson Aces, a team comprised mostly of members from the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS), will head for Phoenix, Oct. 22-28, to play in the MSBL World Series.

The players from Tucson include Arnie White, Bob Daliege, Dennis Crowley, Pigpen Price, Tim Tolson, Dave Rhoades, Ron Petersen, Pete Peters, Lloyd Barzell, Joe Opocensky, Bill Mishler, Ted Davis, Chico Bigham, Doc Thompson and Daniel Boxberger. Non-Tucson players include Don Kladstrup, Reese Wellman and Ernie Hernandez.

The Aces will play a five-game round robin and will take on Tri-Valley (California) in the Saturday opener, Red Deer (Canada) on Sunday, Salty Dogs (Utah) on Monday, San Antonio Broncos (Texas) on Tuesday and the Fresno Grizzlies out of California on Wednesday. The teams with the top records will advance to the playoffs on Thursday with the championship game slated for Friday.

The Aces finished 3-2 at the MSBL World Series last year.

Pete Peters, the manager of the Aces, figures this may be the year the team puts it all together. "We came close last year and this year we have a stronger pitching staff." Peters and the Aces will count on the addition of hard-throwing right-hander Doc Thompson to get them over the hump. Thompson is the only player on the roster who has pitched professionally. Of course, that was back in the 60s -- a long time ago. Still, Thompson is the hardest thrower on the Tucson Old Timers pitching staff and will be a welcome addition to the Aces pitching staff.

With a possibility of six, seven or eight games over a seven-day period, the Aces will need more than one flame thrower. Also expected to see action on the mound are eight players -- White, Daliege, Crowley, Price, Wellman, Bigham, Hernandez and Petersen (all of them pitched in 2015 at the MSBL World Series).

Go get 'em, Aces!

Photos: (Top photo) Doc Thompson, a new addition to the MSBL World Series bound Tucson Aces pitching staff this year, (bottom Photo) Pete Peters, the manager of the Aces, also plays infield and catches.

Cubs reach 100 wins

The Chicago Cubs routed the Pirates 12-2 in Pittsburgh last night to reach 100 wins on the season. The Cubs have lost 56 games and hold a 57-24 record at home and a 43-32 slate away from home.

Kyle Hendricks (16-8) pitched six scoreless innings and lowered his ERA to 1.99 -- the best in the majors.

Diamondbacks will avoid a 100-loss season

Arizona Diamondbacks

The good news is the Arizona Diamondbacks (64-91) will avoid a 100-loss season.

The bad news: They will come close. The Diamondbacks have seven games remaining -- four at Washington and three games back at Chase Field to close out the season against the San Diego Padres.

Cubs seek 100th win in Pittsburgh tonight

The Chicago Cubs (99-56) have the best record in baseball and will go for their 100th win tonight in Pittsburgh. The Cubs have already won the NL Central.

Go, Cubbies!