Snake Bytes 8/19: Clutch Castellanos

Diamondbacks News:

Dbacks 4, Phillies 2

From the Keegan: it was Humberto Castellanos making his third start of the season for Arizona. Castellanos was called up from Reno to make a spot start in place of Merrill Kelly who is on the COVID-19 list. Maybe I would be as fortunate as Turambar with a no hitter recap? Hardly. That opportunity flashed by as soon as the first batter.

Castellanos hits his way to his 1st MLB victory

From the article: “I mentioned to him that back in Mexico, I was a good hitter,” Castellanos said. “I actually played third base. I told him that anything in the zone, I’ll be swinging.”

Caleb Smith ejected and his glove confiscated

From Caleb Smith:

Mike Hazen watches standings, doesn’t want top draft pick

From the article: “And as far as the long-term, if your question was more about do I want to finish with the first pick, no I don’t, frankly. I do not,” Hazen firmly added. “That is not something that (I want), wearing that around your neck through the entirety of the offseason.

Tyler Gilbert’s Dad recalls historic night for Diamondbacks pitcher

From the article: “The eighth [inning], when he threw the three pitches and got three outs, I thought man, you know what, something special is going on here,” Greg told ABC15.

Diamondbacks release 2022 Spring Training schedule:

From the article: Arizona, which will play its 12th spring training at the ballpark, has 10 games on the schedule against fellow National League West squads this year.

Other notable matchups at home include games against the Chicago Cubs on Feb. 28, and night games against the Cleveland Guardians (March 8) and the Chicago White Sox (March 22).

Baseball News:

MLB proposes $180 MM first luxury tax threshold, 100MM salary floor to MLBPA

From the article: MLB is obviously aware that getting the MLBPA’s assent on lower tax thresholds will be extremely difficult (if not impossible). That’s likely the reason for the inclusion of the proposed salary floor, with the league reasoning that setting a minimum payroll would increase some teams’ spending and more equally divide team payrolls for competitive balance reasons. Twelve teams (Pirates, Indians, Marlins, Orioles, Rays, Mariners, Tigers, A’s, Royals, Rangers, Diamondbacks and Brewers) entered the 2021 season with an actual payroll below $100MM, in the estimation of Cot’s Baseball Contracts. (Seven had an estimated luxury tax payroll below $100MM). The league’s proposal contained some method of redistributing tax money collected from the higher spenders to spur spending among those lowest-payroll clubs, Drellich and Rosenthal report.

Baseball announcer Jack Morris suspended indefinitely for racist remark about Shohei Ohtani

From the edbigghead: Before you rail against the notion of “Cancel Culture”, let us 1st remember The Dixie Chicks.....God rest their souls.....

Archie Bradley on his emotional return to AZ

From the article: “(On) the ride in, I texted my fiancée (and) my parents. I said, ‘Hey, I’m already getting a little emotional.’ The way I drove in, coming in the backside, I think I’ve only done that for Fanfest. That’s the only time I’ve been on the visiting side. So to be here, to come full circle where it all started, is emotional. It’s exciting, but it’s also bringing back a lot of lot of memories. The person, the man, the baseball player I’ve become all started here.”

Snek Byte:

Turambar, James, and I were invited to join The Bases Stories Podcast a couple of months ago. Think ‘Drunk History’ except it’s about your favorite baseball team and a specific season. This is the two and a half minute preview which also includes other SB Nation members/blogs. The full episodes will be available soon and we will be sure to post ours.