Justin De Fratus remembers Marlon Byrd pulling him aside last April after De Fratus was demoted to the minors. The veteran outfielder told De Fratus to be mad. This was his time to be angry, Byrd told him.
"But when you get there tomorrow, it's time to work," Byrd told De Fratus.
De Fratus passed along that advice on Thursday night to Jake Diekman after the lefthanded reliever was optioned to triple-A Lehigh Valley. Diekman is one of De Fratus' best friends. He said he has no doubt that Diekman will respond to being sent down. The pitcher has electric stuff, De Fratus said.