Snake Bytes, 11/15: Phoenix team announces plan for new stadium

Team news

[AZ Central] Diamondbacks' winter spending could be limited - They certainly have ways of freeing up salary. For one, De La Rosa, whose elbow problems make him a candidate for a second Tommy John surgery, could be non-tendered. The team also has enough position-player depth that it could trade both a high-priced infielder (such as Segura) and outfielder (like Tomas) and still have viable internal options at each position.

[Fanrag] Prospect Profile - D-backs' Sergio Alcantara Succeeding Despite Age - It’ll be fun to watch guys like him and Fernery Ozuna make their way through the Diamondbacks’ system. Arizona has some exciting, legitimate prospects coming up the ranks across their infield (Dawel Lugo, Henry Castillo, Domingo Leyba, and Jamie Westbrook), and so Alcantara and Ozuna will likely keep flying under the radar. That’s understandable, but unfortunate; Alcantara can play ball, and he should keep developing his exceptional raw talent against opponents one and two years older, keeping him firmly into the fire as he grows.

[Ahwatukee Foothills News] Fall baseball league includes two Ahwatukee star players - Kevin Cron remembers serving as a bat boy in the Arizona Fall League for his father’s team. A few years later, Cron, 23, now an imposing 6-feet-5 and 245 pounds, is playing first base for the Salt River Rafters in the Fall League, considered a finishing school of sorts for top Major League prospects. Cron, of Ahwatukee, knows his family’s baseball legacy is unique, especially in the 25-year-old Fall League. His father, Chris, managed and coached in the league and has served as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ minor league coordinator.

[dbacks.com] D-backs prospects grow in Instructional League - Baseball season is very much alive and well down in the Dominican Republic, where young Latin American prospects are participating in the Instructional League. For the D-backs, this occurs at the team's academy in a part of Boca Chica called Baseball City. This year, the D-backs have about 96 players in two teams participating in their Instructional League program. From mid-October through the end of November, the players are put through the Dominican version of Major League Spring Training, spending the early mornings working on drills before participating in games against other academies.

And, elsewhere...

[AP] Walker, Hellickson accept $17.2M qualifying offers - Mets second baseman Neil Walker and Philadelphia pitcher Jeremy Hellickson have accepted $17.2 million qualifying offers, giving up free agency to stay with their teams. Eight other free agents did not accept the offers from their former teams by Monday's 5 p.m. EST deadline: outfielders Jose Bautista (Toronto), Yoenis Cespedes (Mets), Ian Desmond (Texas), Dexter Fowler (Chicago Cubs) and Mark Trumbo (Baltimore), designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion (Toronto); closer Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles Dodgers); and third baseman Justin Turner (Dodgers).

[FOX Sports] Baseball's qualifying offer system as we know it needs to end - The system hurts the team. It hurts the free agent. It needs to end, once and for all. The owners will want significant concessions from the players to effectively grant them unrestricted free agency, something that never has existed in baseball. Well, the players should yield, starting perhaps with the international amateur draft, which might be difficult for the owners to implement even if they succeed in making it part of the CBA.

[Arizona Sports] Coyotes, ASU take first step in possible construction of arena - The Coyotes and ASU are taking the first step in the possible construction of a 16,000-plus seat arena at the northwest corner of McClintock Drive and Rio Salado Parkway. The Coyotes have entered into an exclusive negotiation agreement with Catellus Development Corp., ASU’s athletic facilities district developer, to work towards the finalization of a new arena and commercial development project within the 330-acre district along Tempe Town Lake. The team would have until June 30, 2017 to review the land and get the political, development, architectural and financial plans required to build it in order.

[CBSSports] Dodgers' Corey Seager unanimously named 2016 NL Rookie of the Year - Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager was unanimously named the 2016 National League Rookie of the year, topping teammate Kenta Maeda and Nationals shortstop Trea Turner. The Detroit Tigers' Michael Fulmer won the American League award.

[USA Today[ Japanese superhero Shohei Otani hit a baseball straight through the roof of an arena - Otani is the best baseball player currently working in Japan, a 6-foot-4 slugger who’s just 22 years old and who also happens to be able to throw a baseball 101 mph. He’s Japanese Babe Ruth, and when he finally does come to MLB (could be as early as next season, but probably another year), he is going to make a lot, lot, lot of money. Also this week, in an exhibition game for Team Japan against Holland in the WBC, he hit a baseball out of the stadium through a small hole in the roof, and no one had any idea what to do.