D-backs have a mascot, it's a hamster, and it could be on borrowed time
PHOENIX -- Slider the Hamster is on notice.
Either she picks up her game, or her days as the Diamondbacks' unofficial mascot could be numbered.
Manny the Praying Mantis remains on the reserve list, living in the lap of luxury and ready to ride to the rescue.
Both Slider and Manny serve under the watchful eye of D-backs reliever Josh Collmenter -- keeper of the mascots.
Collmenter happened upon "Manny Five and Dive" crawling around inside a ball bag in Cincinnati.
"I put it on my hat," he said. "And it stayed on my hat for two groups of batting practice. And we made a little terrarium out of a Coffeemate box. Now it has a little better upgrade in housing."
Manny was present for three games in Cincinnati -- all D-backs' victories -- and Collmenter says he brought it back to Phoenix.
But looking for a something a little more active to liven up the clubhouse at Chase Field, Collmenter went out and acquired a hamster -- Slider -- and brought him to the ballpark on Monday.
On Tuesday, she could be seen scurrying around the clubhouse inside a hamster ball -- eventually making her way to manager Chip Hale's office.
"Something just rolled into my office when I was doing my work," Hale said. "I didn't know what was going on. I came out of my bathroom and there was this hamster rolling around in a ball.
"We're a big family, it's just another pet to add to the group."
Collmenter said the hamster now has a home in the clubhouse, but he didn't rule out road trips.
"We have to make sure it gets its passport, but once it's cleared through the FAA, we are good to go," he said.
The bigger question is whether Slider can bring better results. The D-backs are 0-2 since she took up residence.
"We'll see," Collmenter said. "The mantis was a lot better. She's 0-and-1, so she doesn't have a whole lot of leash to work with. She may be come a sacrifice if we don't get a win soon. The mantis was 3-0 in Cincinnati."
