Saunders spending time on highlight reels

By Anthony Fenech / MLB.com | 06/05/11

PHOENIX -- D-backs starter Joe Saunders found himself on ESPN's SportsCenter two nights in a row for two different reasons.

On Friday, he was wearing bubblegum on the top of his hat, courtesy of closer J.J. Putz.

"I saw that," Saunders said. "My friendly pitching coach came in and told me. I was giving him a fist and he said, 'Hey, how's it going. You have bubblegum on your hat.'"

On Saturday, he was diving and making a backhanded toss to first base that earned him a spot on SportsCenter's top plays.

The play was a replica of one earlier in the year that he couldn't make in Chicago.

"I can make that play," he said. "I was mad for not making that play because I've made it a ton of times, so it was a good play."

Saunders said that when he was with the Angels, Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki would often test him by bunting.

"I've had some practice with it and finally proved the fact that I could make that play."

He nabbed Ian Desmond on the third-inning play and tabbed Putz as the team's main culprit in the clubhouse -- and dugout -- pranks.

"J.J. usually tries to get a different guy each time," Saunders said. "Whoever's dumb enough like me not to pay attention."