Snake Bytes: 03/01 - Roll It

Diamondbacks news

[dbacks.com] Gallen adjusts to new rules: ‘Really? Roll it?’

This spring, as part of the COVID-19 protocols, a team can end an inning — roll an inning — after a pitcher has thrown 20 pitches, which is where Gallen was in the first inning after striking out a batter, walking two and getting a flyout.

[MLB Trade Rumors] Blue Jays Acquire Travis Bergen From Diamondbacks

And so the Trevor Bauer trade finally ends up in cash considerations.

“Note that Travis Bergen has pitched just one entire season of professional baseball so far: drafted in 2015, TJ surgery in 2016, TJ recovery in 2017, complete season in 2018, left shoulder strain in 2019 and COVID-shortened baseball in 2020. It could very well be that we have not seen the full potential of Travis Bergen so far.” - as per DBacksEurope

“If I was given a choice of one of those five pitchers to add to my bullpen (making it a 10-man bullpen), who would it be? My comments in the AZ Snake Pit Roundtable were that Travis Bergen could have a breakout season, so it would be optimistically awesome to add him. His second best pitch is awesome.” - as per Makakilo

“Bergen had a 4.05 ERA over 6.2 innings, but did walk as many as he struck out (eight of each), and had a FIP more than two runs worse than his ERA, at 6.34. Even being a southpaw was not apparently enough to save him.” - as per Jim McLennan

[Arizona Sports] D-backs’ Daulton Varsho looks to start 2021 same way he left off last season

If it’s behind the plate and controlling the pitching staff, I think that’s where I fit best,” he [Varsho, DBE] explained. “But if they want me to play center field, I know I can play at an elite level — maybe even possibly at a Gold Glove level. Wherever they really want me, I’ll be ready for.

Around the MLB

[NBC Sports Chicago] Why Cubs plan to stick to 7-inning rule for spring games

Through March 13, games are scheduled for just seven innings this spring, with the exception of nationally broadcast games (nine innings) — or unless both managers agree before the game to either play a full nine or even shorten the seven to five. The new rules also allow managers to end innings short of three outs and allow re-entry of pitchers.

I was not aware of this until I saw the Cardinals walking off the field in the Top 1st while Jake Flaherty had the bases loaded with just one out.

Yesterday’s Spring Training competition saw two games complete 9 innings (amongst them the Cards game so what do 9 innings mean). 8 innings were seen in 3 games, 7 games ended with 7 innings and two games went just 6 innings. The Cubs didn’t play (Mets neither), but that would have been a 7 innings game as well.

[Yahoo Sports] Orioles’ Trey Mancini met with standing ovation in first at-bat since cancer fight

Mancini missed the entire 2020 season after being diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer last year. Mancini said afterward he almost teared up during the ovation and it “meant the world to me.”

[AP Sports] Moneyball: Tatis took cash as prospect, owes part of fortune

“For us as a company, it’s really a testament to our modeling capabilities and how well we’ve been able to predict success of minor leaguers,” Schwimer said Monday. “When we did a deal with Fernando Tatis Jr., he wasn’t a top 50 prospect on anybody’s list. And here our numbers said he was the second-best player in the last 15 years, including Mike Trout, (Bryce) Harper and all these guys. That’s what our modeling told us. It was actually a really scary thing investing the amount of money we invested in it. It was a sizable portion of our fund. But at the end of the day, we decided to trust the numbers and trust the process, and it really, really worked out.”

“It was just a family decision,” Tatis said. “I’m just going to call it that way.” After signing his contract extension, reports say Tatis Jr. owes the company an estimated $27MM.

[Sportsnet] Tatis Jr. gets no trade, hotel suite, right to buy luxury suite

He also gets a hotel suite on all road trips, and the right to purchase a premium luxury suite and four of the best available premium season tickets for all Padres’ home games. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Across The Wall

[Dominican Republic] New university baseball league to be launched

“It’s a great project, aiming to solve a years-long situation that has seen our ballplayers leaving school and university in order to pursue their dream of becoming big leaguers,” said FEDOBE President Juan Nuñez. “Our league will serve as support for these young players who couldn’t yet reach the professional baseball leagues. Now they can retake and finish their university studies while playing the sport we all love.”

[Mexico] Criminal complaint against baseball league president ratified

As part of the alleged “fraudulent administration,” the current head of the LMB has been accused of awarding all contracts directly in the Sports City with millions of pesos that do not coincide with the works that were carried out. Mexican League president De La Vega was its Director when the fraud happened.

Across The Pacific

[Taiwan] CPBL terminates contract with Dominican player Navarro (google translate)

Article 94 of the CPBL rulebook states the following: All players with previous criminal records, violent crime charges, game-fixing charges, or any misconducts that will damage the public image of the league will face immediate dismissal.

Navarro was once fined for entering a country with a bullet in his luggage.

The CPBL also terminated the contracts of Luke Heimlich (molesting of minors) and Kyle Simon (drug abuse).

[Australia] MLB Spring Training rosters sport 44 players that played or were to play in the ABL

All eight ABL teams are represented with 23 of the 30 MLB clubs having at least one player who featured in Australia or was set to (no D-Backs Aussies.).

Three Australians – Liam Hendriks (Chicago White Sox), Lewis Thorpe (Minnesota Twins) and Alexander Wells (Baltimore Orioles) – are on 40-man rosters to start Spring Training.

Across The Atlantic

[Great Britain] 2021 Battle For Britain comes to Farnham Park

Jim will be happy to know that the first Battle For Britain in 2019 was won by a team from Scotland.

New for 2021, and thanks to increasing interest in the tournament, the Battle for Britain will expand from eight to twelve teams, allowing for even more players to take part. Also, for the first time ever, an eight team Youth Battle for Britain will take place simultaneously, opening the tournament to a new generation of players!

[Spain] Algodoneros de Guasave to become first Mexican club to play in Europe

The Algodoneros de Guasave are planning to make a trip across the Atlantic Ocean this fall to play in a tournament involving European teams and perhaps an Asian squad as well. The Cottoneers announced last week that they will be taking part in the Barcelona Baseball Cup between September 26 and October 3, thus making them the first professional team from Mexico to play on the European continent.

Around The World

[WBSC] Baseball is in her blood: Meet Donna Cohen, WBSC Diversity and Inclusivity Commission’s newest member

Is she in favour of mixed-gender teams or pure women’s leagues?