SnakeBytes, 2/18: The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow Edition

by Jim McLennan on Feb 18, 2012 4:00 PM EST in Snake Bytes

Last SnakeBytes of winter, folks. Pitchers and catchers report tomorrow. I confidently predict that we can look forward to the following stories in the coming weeks:

Player A is late arriving in camp due to visa problems. There's a good chance Player A's first name will end in a vowel.
Player B shows up at camp "in the best shape of his life". Animated GIFs involving said player and chocolate cake may have become an Internet meme last year.
Pitcher C will be working on a new pitch, which will be a work in progress but could be a valuable weapon in his repertoire. [Said pitch will not be seen after Opening Day[
Manager D will express disdain for his team's dreadful won-lost record, stating that "It's only spring training."

Meanwhile, here are some more solid pieces of journalism.

[dbacks.com] Kirk Gibson aims to keep D-backs hungry - "Success is hard to deal with. We've talked about it. I'm not worried about it, but yet I'm alert about it. And it's something that we'll work on. It's something we'll remain alert about. It could damage our chances if we can't remain humble."
[AZCentral] Towers ready for a greater challenge in 2012 - "I think this year is an even greater challenge," he said. "Good teams don't just win one year. They sustain it for a period of time. I think that if we can pull it off again, go deeper into the postseason, I'd say we're kind of for real."
[Fox Sports Arizona][ More Cactus League intrigue than ever - "The D-backs, however, are only the tip of the Cactus League's intrigue iceberg this season. The storylines are perhaps more plentiful this year than any in recent memory."

But, wait! There's more...

[HardballTalk] Running down the rosters: Arizona Diamondbacks - "I wasn’t optimistic about the Diamondbacks repeating in 2012. Now, I am. Props go out to ownership for expanding the budget and GM Kevin Towers for bringing in a couple of quality pieces. They definitely had a better winter than the Dodgers or Giants."
[dbacks.com] Joe Saunders pleasantly surprised to return for '12 - "I think the camaraderie we built last year was huge," Saunders said. "The starting pitchers got along really well, and we did a lot of stuff together both on and off the field. We'll introduce Mr. Cahill to all our idiosyncrasies this year and have a lot of fun."
[AZCentral] Trevor Cahill just what the Diamondbacks were looking for - "The song he warms up to is "White Rabbit," the Jefferson Starship's psychedelic anthem that is anything but demure. Cahill has said he simply liked the song when he was young and never felt like changing it." Go ask Cahill... I think he'll know...
[MiLB.com] Prospect Pitch: Bauer reveals repertoire - "Right-hander Trevor Bauer, the D-backs' No. 1 prospect, talks to MiLB.com about the nine different pitches at his disposal." Nine of them. I'll repeat that in case you skimmed the sentence: NINE DIFFERENT PITCHES.

Order now, and we'll also give you these free, additional clippings!

[Diary of a Diehard] Diamondbacks Evangelism - "There’s a lot to like about this team and now is the perfect time to make your conversion. Before long you’ll be referring to colors not as red and tan but rather Sedona Red and Sonoran Sand and humming the roof opening music to Chase Field and loving every minute of it."
[Fox Sports Arizona] Cactus or Grapefruit? No question about it - "Arizona provides the perfect combination of factors for spring training, from ideal weather to minimal game-day travel to entertainment and dining for players." Hell, yeah!
Baseball IQ | MLB Network: Promotions - Down to the last eight of the MLB Network's gameshow, and Arizona is still represented, through Josh DiFanio. He faced the Rockies' rep on Tuesday at 7:30pm Arizona time, and hopefully will progress to the final four - I mean, it's the ROCKIES...
[MLB.com] Fan Cave Voting 2012 - And finally, there is an Arizona fan in the final round of Fan Cave voting! At least, I think she's a D-backs fan, though that doesn't really look like a D-backs cap she's wearing. She is from Phoenix anyway, so click on the link above to vote for Christy McGaugh. Here's her video.

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Comments

Doesn't Superfan Susan ever go away?

Saw her at Fan Fest…

Welcome Back Bazooka Joe!!!

Geoff Blum: BEST hair in the Major Leagues!

by Rockkstarr12 on Feb 18, 2012 4:13 PM EST reply actions

She wouldn't be very Super if she did...

Founder and Chairman of the Send Dan Some Pizzeria Bianco Commission (SDSPBC). SDSPBC is a totally, definitely for-profit organization.

by Dan Strittmatter on Feb 18, 2012 4:40 PM EST up reply actions

And...

I love the Saunders article ;)

Welcome Back Bazooka Joe!!!

Geoff Blum: BEST hair in the Major Leagues!

by Rockkstarr12 on Feb 18, 2012 4:15 PM EST reply actions

what team that lady roots for. In the first shot there was both Angels and LA stuff, but also Braves. Then there were binders with Braves logos and a map of Turner Field, but she ended at Salt River Field. I think she’s just a baseball fan in general.

Tomorrow is another day.

by soco on Feb 18, 2012 4:31 PM EST reply actions

Caption

“Oh, you’re one of KT’s veteran signings? Great, you can get your own set of cleats over there…”

Changing planes in Acapulco, we are flying down to Rio...

by NASCARbernet on Feb 18, 2012 7:37 PM EST reply actions 2 recs

I can't wait for tommorow

But right now I’m furious with NASCAR (the sport) because they are seemingly trying to kill off all of their drivers. I’ll be back tommorow

isitspringtrainingyet.com
"Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing...after they have exhausted all other possibilities." - Sir Winston Churchill

by imstillhungry95 on Feb 18, 2012 10:52 PM EST reply actions

Yay! Baseball is back!

I like that he is a tough judge on himself. I like that he is giving his best pitches B/B+ grades. He is such a geek that I would love to hear him talk about what he is doing, specifically, to improve his command of those pitches. Hey, I love physics. What can I say?

Anyway, I am really excited now. Oh, please, let this be a good season. Please, please, please. I am also excited that I think I can finally see a game at Salt River Fields this year. There is a whopping ONE game there I can go to. So, Hello Frenchy! Can’t wait!

by SongBird on Feb 19, 2012 2:59 AM EST reply actions

Ummm

For someone who has never pitched in the big-leagues, those grades are pretty nuts.

Also, it’s a scale from 20 to 80, with 80 being “Hall of Fame level”. He’s not short-changing himself at all.

Founder and Chairman of the Send Dan Some Pizzeria Bianco Commission (SDSPBC). SDSPBC is a totally, definitely for-profit organization.

by Dan Strittmatter on Feb 19, 2012 12:34 PM EST up reply actions

i agree he's not really short-changing himself

he’s definitely very confident, which is something i like a lot about Bauer

as for the grades though, i don’t think they are really that far off off. the 60 grade on the fastball is reasonable. the 70 grade on the curveball is more than reasonable. the only one that stands out is the 70 grade on the changeup, which from what i’ve read, is probably more in the 55-60 range according to other analysts.

by blue bulldog on Feb 19, 2012 1:53 PM EST up reply actions

Ehh

I think he’s maybe a future 60 fastball. But to say he’s already got an above-average-caliber fastball despite the fact that one of his biggest concerns is fastball command? A bit of an over-grade for me. The changeup is more of a 45-50 now with chance for a 55-60, if you ask me.

Founder and Chairman of the Send Dan Some Pizzeria Bianco Commission (SDSPBC). SDSPBC is a totally, definitely for-profit organization.

by Dan Strittmatter on Feb 20, 2012 12:34 AM EST up reply actions

i haven't heard

that his changeup is below average, and i feel like scouts have said it’s an above average pitch, though not plus.

the fastball is at least above average, if not plus. lots of pitchers in the minors (especially 21 year olds) have fastball command issues, and yet they still have fastballs rated as plus. besides, the whole concept with tunneling is that command in the traditional sense of the word is overrated. if the hitter has no idea where the ball is going to end up, why does it matter if the pitcher also has no idea?

also, i don’t really consider a 60 grade as plus. it’s above average for me. but that could just be because i use a simpler average (50), above average (60), plus (70), plus-plus (80) system.

by blue bulldog on Feb 20, 2012 2:32 AM EST up reply actions

Command

is important in that for a power pitcher (and generally speaking, he should be considered one), if he’s worked into a fastball count, he, like every other power pitcher, loses his advantage. This is because the batter knows what is coming and knows that the pitcher needs to throw a strike.

Changing planes in Acapulco, we are flying down to Rio...

by NASCARbernet on Feb 20, 2012 11:54 AM EST up reply actions

that's only true

if you think you know where the pitch is going, and if you know that the pitcher knows where the pitch is going

what if you know neither?

by blue bulldog on Feb 20, 2012 7:27 PM EST up reply actions

Then

the pitcher is a voter.

Changing planes in Acapulco, we are flying down to Rio...

by NASCARbernet on Feb 20, 2012 8:09 PM EST up reply actions

I didn't say he was

I said I liked that he was a tough judge. As in, he wasn’t buying into hype and was giving a fair assessment. I liked his grades. As I specifically said. Was this confusing?

by SongBird on Feb 19, 2012 10:09 PM EST up reply actions

By nuts

I mean that they’re too high. As in, he’s not being a touch judge, he’s giving himself good grades. At least, that’s my opinion.

Founder and Chairman of the Send Dan Some Pizzeria Bianco Commission (SDSPBC). SDSPBC is a totally, definitely for-profit organization.

by Dan Strittmatter on Feb 20, 2012 12:33 AM EST up reply actions

Pitchers and Catchers report tomorrow

Is that a good time to head to SRF to watch the players and get autographs? I want to take my little brother. If so, what is a good time of day to get there? Any help anyone can provide is much appreciated….

by BigLeagueAZ on Feb 19, 2012 11:13 AM EST reply actions

I'd probably give it a few days

Today in particular, it’s really just “report” rather than anything much. I suspect any work will be in the gym and not outside on the fields, as players knock the rust off. Of course, by off-season reports, it seems certain players won’t exactly have a lot of rust!

If you can make it tomorrow, first workout on the field is at 1pm. From what I recall last year, I think late-morning/early afternoon was not a bad time. You should enter from the Pima Rd side and park there, then head round the North side of the stadium for the D-backs side. There’s maps about, but you should be able to find the four practice fields easily enough – there’s a big tower in the middle which as I recall also has a little snack kiosk and restrooms. It’s very cool and definitely worth checking out.

"There's one rule by which I generally run my life:
What would Mothra do?"

by Jim McLennan on Feb 19, 2012 12:51 PM EST up reply actions