According to ColorWerx and Chris Creamer's sportslogos, the Diamondbacks will be sporting a new primary logo in 2012. Let's see, shall we?

...The D-Backs made a minor change to their graphics for 2012 - the primary mark is now just the "A" mark - sans the wordmark. The "A" plus the wordmark is still part of their graphics package however.

Conspiracy time!!!

The Diamondbacks are now the only team in the National League with a primary logo that is free of any script. They join a small clan from the American League - the Red Sox, Tigers, Indians, and Angels - as the only teams in baseball that have a simplified logo.

Welp, looks like we're off to the AL.

Pitcher, Ian Kennedy and Gold Glove winner, Gerardo Parra will be joined by Ryan Roberts and Pitcher, Bryan Shaw at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino this Friday, February 10th from 6pm to 7pm. The event takes place in the Ocotillo Ballroom and the first 200 D-backs fans to arrive at the event will have an opportunity to receive autographs and meet with the players. Each attendee will be provided an opportunity to have one item signed by each player. Free autographed player photos will also be available. For more information or directions to Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino visit WinGilaRiver.com.

We have an opportunity for eight guests to take an exclusive (and free) tour of Chase Field -- from the Diamondbacks Clubhouse to the inner workings of dbTV, you will visit places that are normally off-limits to fans. Although you may have toured Chase Field before, you will be sure to learn or see something new!

There is space for 4 guests each on the the following two dates/times:

• Jan 31st at 6pm
• Feb 15th at 6:30pm

If you are interested, please email me in the next 24 hours as I need to submit names to the account executive by close of business tomorrow (Thursday, 1/26). Provide your and your guest's names - please limit your request to just 2 people each.

2012 Season Ticket Holder Evening at Salt River Fields

Mariners vs. Dbacks - Saturday, March 10

$35 per person, includes

• All-you-can-eat dinner of hamburgers, hot dogs, sides and sodas
• Reserved seat for Saturday, March 10 game vs. Mariners at 7:10pm
• Pre-game autograph session

I can get tickets for up to 8 people, but seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you are interested, please email by February 3

This comes from a Keith Law tweet. The 28 year old will add depth to our back stop behind Miggy and Blanco. The Diamondbacks have confirmed the news here and have also announced that with this move, the 40 man roster is now full.

"[He's a] good catch-and-throw guy, and some people that knew him in the Baltimore system said some good things about him," Towers said. "He's good people, and he can hold his own behind the plate."

Craig Tatum's career major league stats and his player card (via Baseball-Reference.com)

299 Plate appearances
.223 batting average
1 HR
22 RBI
.264 SLG
.291 OBP

Josh Collmenter had an excellent Rookie season. His 3.38 ERA , (117 ERA+) were very good. His WHIP was an excellent 1.069. He did a great job at keeping runners off base.

The underlying peripherals are very interesting, and while not unique, presented a somewhat rare statistical profile last year. Specifically, his walks per 9, and his BABIP were extremely low. These two numbers were the underpinning of his success, as his HR/9 and K/9 were a little worse than league average.

How do the numbers in his first MLB season compare to his minor league career ?

So how rare is it for a pitcher to have this kind of BABIP and walk combo ? Pretty rare.

In 2011, there were only two pitchers to throw at least 140 IP and have a BABIP under .270 and a BB/9 under 1.70, Collmenter and Josh Tomlin.

Note: I really encourage people to follow the links and study the tables.

http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/CcdIY

In the last 20 years there have been 18 such season, (3 by Greg Maddux). Tomlin and Collmenter are the first guys to do it since 2005

http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/RTQQB

What about going forward ? How likely is it that Collmenter can continue to have a BABIP under .270 ? It's been said that he is "tough to square up". Thats certainly true to some degree. He is a fly ball pitcher, and the vast majority of the flyballs he allows were very catchable balls last years. His minor league BABIP of .293, while much higher than last years, is still better than the average minor league BABIP, which is usually higher than it is in MLB. (Better fielders in MLB of cours e).

How many pitchers in the last 20 years have thrown at least 400 IP in the majors and had a sub .270 BABIP ?

TEN PITCHERS IN 20 YEARS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUSTAIN A SUB .270 BABIP FOR ANY REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME

http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/B0SMT

As a side note, the guy on that list that I most liken Collmenter to is Chris Young, formerly of San Diego. He had several years where he was really effective when he could actually post up and pitch. He was tough to pick up like Josh, and also an extreme flyball pitcher. But back injuries killed his career.

So what about the walk rate ?

EIGHT PITCHERS IN 20 YEARS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUSTAIN A BB/9 RATE UNDER 1.70 FOR ANY REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME

http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/QPHPc

And finally, what about the combination of low BABIP and low walks ? Well, you have to bring the BABIP up to about .285 to get anyone on the list at all.

BABIP LESS than .285, BB/9 Less than 1.7

http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/Opkrv

CONCLUSION:

Well, I really don't have a hard and fast conclusion. Obviously I am prone to think that some regression to Collmenter's BABIP and Walk Rate are higly likely, or I wouldn't be posting this. The added baserunners would certainly drive up his runs allowed. On the other hand, he may continue to develop his curveball and increase his K Rate, allowing fewer balls in play, somewhat offsetting an expected regression to his BABIP. But if his BABIP goes up to say .290, which would still be better than league avg, and his BB/9 goes to 2.5, then you would be looking at about 27 more baserunners in the same 154 IP

That would mean an increase in WHIP to about 1.25. And you know what ? Thats still pretty good. As long as the HR rate doesn't spike, he can be a decent run preventer with that kind of profile.

I think some of the early projections for an ERA around league average are pretty reasonable. And who knows, maybe he can continue to throw strikes as effectively as he did last year while adding wrinkles to his arsenal. If he can do that, keeping an ERA south of 3.50 is not out of the question.

Good luck Josh. Keep throwing strikes no matter what. And keep working on that curveball.

I, like many others, am a fan of scrappy infielders and in the game, there have been many names that come to mind upon hearing the word scrappy: Augie Ojeda, Craig Counsell, Ryan Roberts, Ozzie Smith, Troy Tulowitzki, just to name a few...but one I didn't mention sticks way out in my mind: David Eckstein. I discovered him with my fave AL team, the Angels, just as I discovered Joe Saunders with that same team. Eckstein really left an indelible impression on me not just for his scrappy-ness, but for his size and stature. Not every baseball player has to be 6-some-odd feet tall and built like a brick outhouse you know. These players range in all sizes...and what David Eckstein lacks in height, he makes up for in attitude, heart, and scrappy-ness.

I'm glad he was a Diamondback, even if it wasn't for as long as I'd hoped for, and I am happy to say I got to meet him and talk with him many times. He is an amazing guy and a true talent. He will be sorely missed by me and many other fans.

Farewell X Factor...Good Luck & God Speed!

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/22/david-eckstein-37-has-retired-from-baseball/

It's a sad, bittersweet day for Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, & Milwaukee Brewers fans as a very familiar face to each of these clubs is retiring, ending a 15-year career...Craig Counsell, known to many as "C.C.", will be joining the Milwaukee Brewers, taking on a front office position with the team.

I've been a fan of Counsell's since way back when in his early days with the Rockies, along with former Rockie & Diamondback Quinton McCracken...Craig has always been known for his quirky batting stance and his quiet nature...also for his music selection for his at-bat song, the ever-popular "All Along The Watchtower" by the late Jimi Hendrix. Also a big fan of The Police, Craig has been known to drive into ballparks jamming the tune "Don't Stand So Close To Me".

Good Luck C.C....you'll be missed on the field but I'm sure this isn't the last we'll hear of you!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/craig-counsell-will-retire-from-baseball-join-milwaukee-brewers-front-office/2012/01/17/gIQAeRqg5P_story.html

Hey, this is my first post here. Huge DBacks fan and autograph collector. I had the day off work for MLK day and had an awesome time out at Salt River Fields and got some sweet autographs from some of the 2001 WS guys, and wanted to share. I got Gonzo, Greg Swindell, Reggie Sanders, Greg Colbrunn, Matt Williams, Steve Finley, and Damian Miller. I started a team item on an enlarged ticket from Game 7 today and got four guys on that and got a few baseball cards signed. I put up some pictures of the items and pictures of the guys signing on my collection page if anyone wants to check it out...

Enlarged Game 7 Ticket (Sanders, Swindell, Matty, and Colbrunn so far)

Gonzo 2001 Keebler Card

Finley 2001 Keebler Card

Miller 2001 Keebler Card

Hi Guys,

I am the commissioner of a 14-team salary cap dynasty league that has a few openings. A brief summary of the league: we have 25 man rosters, 5 man minor league rosters and a salary cap of roughly $100 million (changes slightly each year depending on the avg salary of MLB teams). Player salaries correspond to the previous year's salary, so you always know what a players salary is going to be the next year to help for planning your roster structure. Teams can keep as much of their roster from year-to-year as they like, provided they are under the cap and within the roster limits.

If you would be interested in joining our league, please email me at joesox611@yahoo.com stating your interest. I am looking for active, competitive and dedicated owners