Team news
[USA Today] How does that Jean Segura trade look now? - He’s identifying incoming pitches by reading the arm angles of those he goes against and by picking up the ball the split-second it leaves a pitcher’s hand. "I’m seeing the ball really well," Segura says. "I’ve got a good read on what’s coming and I’m just trying to find good pitches to hit. I’m one of those guys who makes contact, and when you see the ball well, you’re going to get hits. I’m just trying to do the best I can and stay positive and bring energy to the game. Obviously, when you’ve got some hits and you’re going well, everything is going on your side. It’s a great start for me. I hope to continue to do it, and we’ll just see."
[AZ Central] Diamondbacks see bright side of Robbie Ray’s season - While the Diamondbacks would appear to have a major league-ready alternative in Triple-A in Archie Bradley, the club sounds committed to allowing Ray to continue his development in the big leagues. "His last outing against the Yankees, we know he can do (that) consistently," Hale said of Ray, referring to his May 16 start in which he gave up two runs in seven innings. "Is it a step back (on Saturday)? I don’t think it’s a step back, I think it’s just part of the process of getting better and better."
[dbacks.com] D-backs' Jake Lamb inspired by late friend - Josh Dickerson has been gone for almost four years, a life taken far too early by rhabdomyosarcoma, rare form of cancer. But Dickerson is never far from Jake Lamb's thoughts. The D-backs third baseman has JD2 (2 was Dickerson's high school number) stitched into his glove where most players have their own names. On Lamb's wrist is a silicon band with the same abbreviation, along with the words Courage + Belief = Life.
[FOX Sports] D-backs by the numbers - Paul Goldschmidt's 43 walks are second in the majors to Bryce Harper's 48. He leads the team with 8 homers and 26 RBI and his .412 on-base percentage is better than his career average, but his .455 slugging percentage would be the lowest of his career and he's struck out in 24 percent of his at-bats -- his worst ratio since his rookie season.
[Arizona Sports] Unlikely D-backs performances: By the numbers - Through 46 games, the best and the worst performers of the 2016 Diamondbacks probably aren’t who you would have predicted. In fact, almost nothing about this team has gone according to plan. Paul Goldschmidt is hitting just .245, Jean Segura has the team’s top batting average and Chris Owings has a share of the major-league lead in triples. Meanwhile, the marquee pitchers who were acquired last offseason have been pitching significantly below expectations.
[AZ Central] Why do Diamondbacks games take so long? Diamondbacks pitching coach Mike Butcher cringed. "For us to be near the bottom is not where we want to be," Butcher said. He knows the questions are related to his team’s time of game, but, truth be told, that isn’t what bothers him. He thinks there’s a correlation between working fast and working effectively. "The closer you are to throwing pitches, the better you are at repeating pitches," he said. "That’s the reason why I like to do it. For me, it’s more about repeating the pitch you want to repeat. I think it’s proven over the course of time that that works. We’re going to get better at it for sure."
[dbacks.com] Orlando Hudson, Jim Marshall to represent D-backs at Draft - Twenty-three former All-Stars. The winningest pitcher in postseason history. Three pitchers who tossed perfect games. A Most Valuable Player, a Rookie of the Year, a Hall of Fame manager and a Hall of Fame broadcaster. They will be among team representatives on the floor at MLB Network's Studio 42 when the 2016 MLB Draft gets underway on June 9. [H/T Michael]
[BaseballAmerica.com] Cuban Outfielder Yadiel Hernandez In Private Workout - Corner outfielder Hernandez, who is a free agent exempt from the international bonus pools, ranked second in Serie Nacional in batting average and OBP in his final season (2014-15) in Cuba, batting .369/.509/.535 with 77 walks, 47 strikeouts and seven home runs in 369 plate appearances, with his value tied into his ability to get on base more so than his power... The Diamondbacks, Brewers and Rockies are three other notable teams that have popped up in connection with Hernandez recently.
And, elsewhere...
[SI] Josh Donaldson: MLB must protect hitters from beanballs - Josh Donaldson said MLB must do a better job of policing pitchers who intentionally throw at hitters after he was nearly hit by two consecutive pitches from Twins starter Phil Hughes on Sunday, which Donaldson deemed intentional. "Major League Baseball has to do something about this," Donaldson said, according to SportsNet. "They say they’re trying to protect players. They make a rule that says you can’t slide hard into second base. They make a rule to protect the catchers on slides into home. But when you throw a ball at somebody, nothing’s done about it."
[Big League Stew] Baseball just got more stylish - Baseball has taken a cue from the NBA and added stylish sock-maker Stance as the official sock of MLB. The league announced the partnership on Monday, unveiling new-look socks that will be worn during the Home Run Derby and All-Star game this July in San Diego. From there, Stance will take over as the official on-field sock of MLB. This year, that won't look too different. Stance plans to offer players solid colors and stripes that match their uniform colors. But next season, Stance will unveil more stylish offerings that players can choose to wear.