Snake Bytes: 02/22 - Sold Out

Diamondbacks news

[Dbacks.com] Spring training games sold out!

Tickets went on sale on Saturday, but in case any of you Arizona residents were still thinking about visiting a spring training game, no need to worry about that anymore since the decision has already been made for you...baseball is hotter than the Arizona desert!

[YouTube] Clubhouse Access | Season 3 Ep. 1 “Reporting for Duty” - Arizona Diamondbacks

Just a reminder for everyone that the club’s YouTube channel will probably be posting fresh episodes of Spring Training regularly, which gives you a little inside glimp of what is going on. Low-level entertainment for the fan.

[AZ Central] Zac Gallen: ‘If it’s your day to pitch, you’re the ace’

Nothing noteworthy, but just a nice read about Zac Gallen.

[Dbacks.com] Smith in full stride after healthy offseason

Caleb Smith is a competitor and at full strength while he enters Spring training.

[Dbacks.com] Predicting D-backs’ 2021 Opening Day roster

We always have several of those and soon we will probably be on it as well on here, but for now Steve Gilbert beats us with predicting an opening day roster that has Ketel Marte in center field and Asdrubal Cabrera at second base. Does he really believe that?

[MLB Trade Rumors] Diamondbacks To Sign Ben Heller To Minors Deal

Fansided reports that pending physical the D-Backs add a former Yankee pitching prospect with one minor league option remaining.

[Arizona Sports] ESPN ranks 4 D-backs minor-leaguers among top-100 prospects in 2021

I don’t think I will have to tell you who they are.

Around the MLB

[Toronto Star] Why did the Blue Jays re-sign Robbie Ray so early in free agency?

In early November, Ray became the first free agent to come off the board when he agreed to re-sign with the Blue Jays on a one-year deal worth $8 million (U.S.).

Throughout most of his career in Arizona, Ray used a three-quarter arm slot. Last spring, he began throwing over the top with the belief that it would improve fastball command and lead to a drop in walks. The revamped mechanics backfired almost immediately, and Ray struggled to find a groove as he walked nine batters per nine innings across seven starts for the Diamondbacks.

There are obvious risks for the Jays, but this signing was all about upside, something the club doesn’t have much of in the rotation. The obvious downside is that sometimes it looks like Ray has no idea where the ball is going. That’s where the mechanical adjustments come into play. The talent is there; it’s just about tapping into it.

[MLB Trade Rumors] CEO Kevin Mather Makes Controversial Statements About Mariners Players, Prospects, Finances

Too many drinks and stupid talk with your buddies. Someone records it all and puts it on YouTube. If you think I am talking about a couple of teenagers, you are wrong: it’s the Rotary bhoys and the Derrick Hall of the Mariners. Probably the next executive to lose his job because of being too smart.

[NBC Sports Chicago] How Kopech benefitted from his time away from Sox

Top prospect, young dad, Tommy John surgery, dating an actress...no wonder Michael Kopech had mental health issues. I think it would make a remarkable story if he succeeds in the MLB despite the talent.

[MLB Trade Rumors] Mets sign Taijuan Walker

The 28 year old former D-Backs non-tender signed a $20MM guaranteed contract for two years + a player option for a third year.

[mlb.com] Jake Lamb gets a major league deal with the Atlanta Braves

Not announced officially yet, but a few more millions on Lamb’s bank account despite the underwhelming bat. Good for him.

[CBS Sports] Rockies’ Ian Desmond opts out of 2021 MLB season ‘for now’

He could be opting out of his career and nobody would care.

[CBS Sports] Yankees’ Zack Britton on return of Domingo German: ‘You don’t get to control who your teammates are’

“I don’t think he owes anything to me. I think it’s off the field stuff that he needs to take care of,” Britton said in a Zoom interview when asked about German returning. “Sometimes you don’t get to control who your teammates are, and that’s the situation. I don’t agree with what he did. I don’t think it has any place in the game or off the field at all.”