SnakeBytes, 12/13: What now?

Team news

[MLB.com] D-backs wrap up productive Winter Meetings - "With the free agents on the market and the trades that will continue to be discussed and can get done, the free-agent period usually goes through January, even early February, almost every year," D-backs GM Mike Hazen said as the Winter Meetings came to a close on Thursday. "[The Meetings] have been, I think, a lot of good building blocks for things that could come. We're not in a rush to do anything, and we certainly aren't motivated to have to do anything. We're going to pick our spots where it's going to be smart to do so."

[Fanrag] D-backs Comfortable With Team After Adding Rodney - "Very comfortable with the group we have right now," Hazen said before attending the D-backs’ Roaring ‘20s themed holiday party Friday. "I still think we need to add depth to the bullpen. We’d love to get a little more left-handed overall, for the short and long-term, and continue to build competition in various spots. With this group, I think there was a reason why there were (high) expectations going into last season. It didn’t work out the way it needed to. But I think with some changes and improvements in various areas, including our outfield defense and with our pitching progressing … there is a lot of talent."

[MLB.com] Rodney excited for new start with D-backs - "First, I want to give thanks to God. I feel good physically and mentally," Rodney, 39, said in Spanish. "My body feels great and I'm going to pitch until God tells me it's time to stop. I know I can help this team." "The first half of last year he was really, really good. It's a tough sport for pitchers," D-backs general manager Mike Hazen said. "He's been extremely durable over the course of his career. We feel good about that and he's pitched at an extremely high level for a long time."

[Inside the 'Zona] The Inside the ‘Zona 2016-2017 Offseason Plan - As with our three previous Offseason Plans, what we lay out below is not a prediction of what the team will do, although the gulf in thinking between us and the D-backs front office is probably a lot smaller than it’s been in the past. Instead, this is the result of three people scouring all MLB rosters, payrolls, and minor league systems, and trying to bring our knowledge of the state of the sport to bear on the goals we’d like the team to attempt to accomplish for this club.

[Sports360AZ] AL West Managers Break Down Taijuan Walker - A’s manager Bob Melvin and Angels manager Mike Scioscia shared their thoughts (below) on what type of pitcher Walker is and could be down the line. If the young pitcher is able to develop into what these AL West managers think he can be, the D-Backs rotation just got a lot deeper and a lot harder to hit.

And, elsewhere...

[ESPN] Dodgers going bold for Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner - The Dodgers have reportedly agreed to a five-year, $80 million deal with Jansen, and are closing in on a four-year, $64 million pack with Turner. So what gives on the news earlier this winter that the Dodgers needed to cut their operating debt to get into compliance with Major League Baseball rules? Well, the Dodgers decided they could not live without Turner and Jansen, not to mention Rich Hill, who was re-signed last week. And Major League Baseball happened to mention that they have no issues with the debt the Dodgers are carrying at the present time.

[AP] MLB rookie hazing rules ban dressing as women - That baseball hazing ritual of dressing up rookies as Wonder Woman, Hooters Girls and Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders is now banned. Major League Baseball created an Anti-Hazing and Anti-Bullying Policy that covers the practice. The policy, obtained by The Associated Press, prohibits "requiring, coercing or encouraging" players from "dressing up as women or wearing costumes that may be offensive to individuals based on their race, sex, nationality, age, sexual orientation, gender identify or other characteristic." Guess we can kiss stories like this goodbye...

[FOX] MLB reliever quits baseball to fight crime - Plenty of Boston Red Sox relief pitchers have traded in their Beantown duds for a New York uniform. Anthony Varvaro, however, may be the first to carry a badge and gun, too. Varvaro, a former set-up reliever with the Red Sox, Atlanta Braves and Seattle Mariners, joined the police force of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Friday, one of 80 officers in the Port Authority training class.