Snake Bytes 4/23: Slap on the Wrist, Slap in the Face.

Diamondbacks News

‘Scary feeling’: Archie Bradley describes his Dad battling Covid-19

“He felt like an alien. He was, I mean in complete isolation. He said, the nurse would come in maybe once a day to bring food and she (was) completely dressed up and, you know, the full suit and no one else is allowed (in) and he said it was a very weird and scary feeling,” Bradley said.

Diamondbacks, American Red Cross to host blood drive

The blood drive will take place at Chase field but you must register online and schedule a time to donate. Walk-in’s will not be allowed.

“We are excited to partner with the Red Cross and Budweiser to help provide a safe space for our fans to donate blood at such a crucial time,” D-backs president and CEO Derrick Hall said in a press release. “Blood donations are essential, especially in times like this, and we are proud to be able to offer a space that allows the Red Cross to be able to continue to collect donations and take the necessary social distancing precautions.

Father. Husband. Brother.Ballplayer. Nick Ahmed is overlooked no more

“I’ve been overlooked and doubted and told I wasn’t good enough my whole career, basically, all the way going back to high school.”

“I was being told basically, ‘Hey, you’re not good enough to play shortstop in college.”

Big Di## Nick Ahmed has spoken....

Eduardo Escobar entrena junto a Juniel Querecuto

An article about Esky and Querecuto, in Spanish text.

Slap on the Wrist

MLB suspends Red Sox replay operator, docks draft pick - Alex Cora suspended for his conduct with Astros (only)

Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy said Wednesday that the team’s 2018 championship isn’t tainted as a result of the investigation, but he said the team’s actions were still unacceptable.

“... We accept the findings in the report, and Major League Baseball conducted the interview. It was exhaustive and thorough, and it found that [Watkins] engaged in the conduct described in the report and with a limited group of players. That’s really all we can say, given that it was baseball’s conclusion and their report.”

MLB Commissioner's decision on Red Sox sign stealing

Included; Executive Summary, Discipline, and the Red Sox response.

Door swings open for Red Sox to hire Cora in 2021

“Ron Roenicke is our manager,” Red Sox president Sam Kennedy said Wednesday night on a conference call. “We did part ways with Alex Cora given what had happened in Houston and it was a mutual parting of ways. It was a difficult parting of ways because everyone with the Red Sox, John Henry, Tom Werner, myself, Chaim Bloom, Brian O’Halloran, we all have great admiration and respect for Alex. He came to the conclusion, as did we, that we needed to part ways given the conduct in Houston. Nothing has changed on that front.”

But here’s the important question: Does Kennedy think Cora deserves a second chance?

“I do,” Kennedy said. “That’s my personal feeling. He does need to go through a rehabilitation process. What he did was wrong. He acknowledged it to us and apologized to us for that. But I’m a big believer in second chances and we all wish him well.”

Slap in the Face

Why won’t MLB issue refunds?

“At what point must a sports organization offer to refund money for a ticket to a game scheduled during the coronavirus pandemic? Is it when the pandemic started several months ago? Or when President Donald Trump proclaimed a national emergency on March 13? Or when states began to issue gathering restrictions and similar measures? Or when a game is formally postponed? Or when a game is either cancelled or played without spectators? Or is no refund required at all—can the organization simply credit the money for a future game to be played when life returns to normal?”

Fans sue all 30 teams, Manfred, ticket sellers, over their refusal to issue ticket refunds

From the lawsuit:

“Baseball fans are stuck with expensive and unusable tickets for unplayable games in the midst of this economic crisis . . . Under the pretext of `postponing’ games, at the directive of MLB, teams and ticket merchants are refusing to issue refunds for games which are not going to be played as scheduled — if ever . . . The defendants continue to retain enormous profits from tickets sold for the 2020 MLB season at the expense of fans’ financial hardship.”

Off Topic Snake Byte

New snake species named after Salazar Slytherin

“The green venomous snake has been named Trimeresurus salazar after the Hogwarts house founder, but will be commonly known as Salazar’s pit viper.

In the Harry Potter stories Salazar Slytherin was one of the four founders of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - he founded the Slytherin house.”