Snake Bytes: 10/25 - No Milk Today

Diamondbacks News

Around The MLB

[Sports Illustrated] Tyler Matzek’s Improbable Journey to Immortality in Atlanta

He heard about a former Navy SEAL named Jason Kuhn who had himself developed a case of the yips in college. Matzek flew to Tennessee to spend a week working with him. When he came back, everything was different.

[MLB Trade Rumors] Cardinals To Hire Oliver Marmol As Manager

YES! Thank you Cardinals to give me something to write about! Marmol is Spanish for marble. Marble is what the beautiful interior of palaces and the Vatican is made of and stands for solid and wonderful rock. The ancient Greek used it, so did the Romans and afterwards the French and many other vain (and vein) rulers. Between marble walls many philosophical differences were discussed, so it makes all sense that the Cardinals’ new manager carries such a remarkable last name. Marmol is the new Shildt. The Dominican will lead the Cardinals to many more playoff appearances. However, this time they will not, and I repeat: they will not, lose wild card games against World Series winners or against hyped-up teams that are actually pretty good.

[ESPN] Everything you need to know about Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros

Well, I don’t need to know anything at all. I hope the Atlanta Braves win, I wrote that before, although the Astros are apparently the favourites. What I do know is that Lance McCullers Jr. will not pitch for the Astros and that is a bit of a disappointment for them although they were already without him in the ALCS so who cares as long as they lose and sink into misery because they are a bunch of cheaters although now it looks like they weren’t the only ones but we already expected that but if you are the only one who gets caught you are a loser anyhow and that’s that.

The Astros already set the rotation for the WS and announced that lefty Framber Valdez will start game 1 for the Astros, righty Luis García game 2, right-hander Jose Urquidy game 3 and good old Zack Greinke is expected to start game 4. The Braves announced Morton as starter for game 1 against his former team.

[ESPN] Major League Baseball work stoppage almost certain on Dec. 2

Major League Baseball’s ninth work stoppage and first in 26 years appears almost certain to start Dec. 2, freezing the free-agent market and threatening the start of spring training in February.

Update by courtesy of Jack Sommers (this is just a rumour, people):

Across The Pacific

[Australia] ABL cancels 2021/22 season

After already pushing back the start of the season, tough COVID restrictions has finally forced the Australian Baseball League to cancel the season altogether. The increased financial burden because of the restrictions were deemed no longer acceptable for the participating teams. Geelong-Korea and Auckland Tuatara already cancelled their participation in an earlier stage and eventually have proven to be the smartest ones of the class. A pyrrhic victory for the team from New Zealand who was heavily criticised by the ABL at the time.

[Japan] Dice-K throws last strike, bids farewell to game that is ‘my life’

41-year old Daisuke Matsuzaka walked a batter with his final pitch in his career, but everybody in the stadium cheered the veteran. “In ordinary circumstances, I would not be qualified to take the mound,” Matsuzaka said at a post-game news conference on Oct. 19. “Or, I should say, I was not in a condition to do so. [...] I worried, to be honest, if I could throw a strike,” Matsuzaka said. “That one single strike… it was a gift from the baseball gods at the last possible second, I think.”

In 2007 he was the first Japanese pitcher to win a World Series game when he was triumphant in game 3 over the Cleveland Indians. He pitched in the majors until 2014.

[South Korea] Bears’ ace Ariel Miranda breaks KBO single-season strikeout record

Miranda absolutely destroyed the previous record needing 169.1 innings to throw 224 strike-outs opposed to the 283.2 innings Hong Chang-ki needed in 1984 to record 223.

Mirando previously had a brief stint in the majors from 2016 to 2018. It is hard to imagine the Dominican returning to the major leagues at already 32 years of age.

[Japan] Japan’s gold-winning baseballers named Best Male Team of 2020 Olympics

“We will dedicate ourselves to promoting the sport so that baseball, along with softball, will be re-added to the Olympic program.”, said Yomiuri Giants infielder Hayato Sakamoto. Good luck on that, my Samurai friend.

Across The Wall

[Chile] Meet Fiu, Pan Am Games 2023 mascot who will cheer on baseball, softball events in Santiago, Chile

Fiu’s colors represent the diversity of human beings and especially athletes, organizers say. Like athletes, every day is a new challenge for Fiu but he is always up to the test. His colors signify strength, perseverance, respect, determination, honesty, companionship and passion.

Wow, it is always amazing how many bullshit people come up with, but, awwww, isn’t he cute though!