Snake Bytes 4/14: Extra Inning Win

Diamondbacks News:

Marte sacrifice fly in 10th boosts Diamondbacks past Astros

“That was a grinding game,” Lovullo said. “I hope these guys are all emotionally exhausted because I am and from what it looked like, they were invested, they were engaged and they were doing everything they possibly could to have the type of outcome we had. We had a lot of really good moments. I felt like we pitched the ball extremely well. We made plays at the right times. But we talk about wining a grinding baseball game. It feels good for these guys because of how bad they wanted it.’’

Marte, Beer help D-backs rally past Astros 3-2 in 10 innings

“There’s two or three punches we’ve got to throw at one time and we’ve got to land them all before we start putting up crooked numbers,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “I think we’re delivering some body blows, we’re getting runners on base, and eventually someone’s going to slug at the right time.”

Baseball News:

Baseball’s torn over Dave Robert’s decision to pull Clayton Kershaw in the midst of a perfect game

The three-time Dodgers Cy Young winner had a chance to add a coveted line to his already illustrious résumé with a perfect game through seven innings against the Minnesota Twins. But 80 pitches into his start, Roberts pulled him, opting to prioritize Kershaw’s health over a chance at the 24th perfect game in MLB history.

MLB, MLBPA agree to extend Dodger’s Trevor Bauer’s administrative leave for another week

Even without the police department pressing charges, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred could still suspend Bauer under the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy. It’s unclear when the league will wrap up its investigation and announce a decision on his availability heading forward.

Red’s COO discusses payroll reduction

Fans were none too pleased with Castellini’s comments, as the on-paper unit the Reds are rolling out in 2022 houses considerably less star power than the 2021 team. The team also entered the new season with a payroll $9MM lighter than the previous year (per Cot’s Baseball Contracts). With several young pitchers forcing their way onto the team’s roster at eminently affordable rates, an argument can be made to have kept at least one of the team’s departed stars.

Early Tuesday, Phil Castellini joined WLW 700’s Scott Sloan and Mo Egger and was asked why fans should maintain trust in Reds leadership. Addressing this question, as well some fans’ calls to sell the team, Castellini replied:

“Well where are you gonna go? Let’s start there. I mean, sell the team to who? That’s the other thing – you want to have this debate? If you want to look at what would you do with this team to have it be more profitable, make more money, compete more in the current economic system that this game exists – it would be to pick it up and move it somewhere else. And so be careful what you ask for […] we’re doing the best we can do with the resources that we have.”

Mariners select Matt Koch

Koch is back in the majors for the first time since 2019. A former 3rd-round pick of the Mets, he was traded to the Diamondbacks in August 2015. Koch made his MLB debut the following season, the first of four straight in which he’d pick up some big league time. The majority of his work came in 2018, when Koch started 14 of his 19 outings and tossed 86 2/3 innings of 4.15 ERA ball for the Snakes.

Snek Byte:

Texas hopes this giant traffic-cone snake will make you hit the brakes

A giant snake made from old, beat up traffic cones is the latest piece of a Texas public art installation that aims to raise awareness for work zone safety.