Snake Bytes 7/9: So Thirsty (for Baseball)

Diamondbacks News:

Dbacks get Junior Guerra back from Covid absence, lose another player to positive test

Guerra said he tested positive 10 days ago and was asymptomatic the entire time. He said that gave him comfort, but he admitted he initially was concerned about passing it on to family members.

“I kept doing what I do, practicing and throwing bullpens and running because I didn’t feel any symptoms,” Guerra said. “But it was scary.”

Meanwhile Starling Marte was not seen at camp on Tuesday or Wednesday

Dbacks play waiting game after Kole Calhoun’s positive test

“We think it’s going to be around a 10- to 14-day window” following a positive test, Hazen said, “though I can’t speak to that firsthand yet. …

“If they’re going to be down for that period, some of our guys have been able to maintain some level of activity after a period of time because they have been asymptomatic and able to get back into activity a little early. That’s the most determinant factor of when a return is coming: Is it down for 14 days and then start, or down for seven days and starting and returning on Day 14. Those are different outcomes. I don’t know which is more likely or going to be more consistently accurate.”

Mike Hazen: Starting pitching depth could be key in 2020

“I think that this season in some small part will be determined by your ability to have enough pitching to get through it,” Hazen said Wednesday. “Because if you lose somebody to a positive [coronavirus] test, especially a pitcher, and that sits them — I don’t know yet — but let’s say 10 to 14 days, and they’re not going to be able to do a lot while they’re sitting, and they’re going to have to come back and build their pitch count back up, you could be looking at a decent-sized absence from a pitcher.

Dbacks name Alek Thomas to camp roster

“It’s all pretty crazy. Our general manager, Mike Hazen, said ‘Just be ready,’” Thomas said. “Players are going to get more opportunities than they’ve ever had. With 60 games, someone could go down and miss a third of a season, half a season. It’s the next guy up off the taxi squad.”

“I’m really thankful that we’re here and able to play,” Thomas said after his first day of practice with the Diamondbacks.

Eduardo Escobar on masks during workouts: ‘It’s safer for everyone’

“I can do it every day,” he said. “It’s safer for everybody. The coronavirus is very, very dangerous. I want to make sure everybody is safe. I need everybody on the roster — that’s the most important, I take care of myself, I take care of my family and I take care of my teammates. I can do it in practice. I can do it in the game.”

Baseball News:

MLB intake coronavirus testing yielded 66 positive results from 3,740 tests

‘MLB admitted there were issues processing samples as part of the monitoring and testing plan, which led to several clubs having to cancel their daily workouts because of a lack of information about the status of the tests. The Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants all canceled workouts. Three other teams had to alter their schedules due to failures in delivering results in a timely manner.’

Jose Canseco blasts MLB for starting season, says Manfred is a ‘fool’

“He doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s mandating a 60-game season and now some teams are being delayed. The whole thing doesn’t make any sense to me. They’ve already messed up so bad, it’s ridiculous. But you can’t talk common sense and math to idiots. I don’t think they should play the season. I think they’re in desperation mode. This season should not happen, to be honest with you now that COVID is spreading again. It’s only getting worse.”

Brock Holt is brutally honest why he won’t opt-out this season

“I’m not in a position to opt out of a season,” Holt said, via WEEI’s Rob Bradford. “I feel like if I didn’t play this year, my baseball career would be over. If I didn’t play, it would be hard for me to find a job next year.”

I have a feeling other players feel the same way about their careers and this season.

Off topic Snake Byte:

Man fights off deadly snake while driving on highway

“It just started to wrap around me. Its head just started striking at the [driver’s seat] chair, between my legs,” Jimmy told police.