Snake Bytes 01/16: Slippy Balls

Diamondbacks News

MLB.com picks D-backs’ Corbin Carroll as heavy favorite for NL Rookie of the Year

“Carroll is the clear front-runner after holding his own during his big league debut last year,” Mayo said. “What made that even more impressive was that he had missed nearly all of the 2021 season following shoulder surgery. He made very quick work of the minor leagues in ’22, posting a 1.035 OPS, mostly between Double- and Triple-A before the D-backs called him up.

D-backs land pair of Dominican prospects (source)

Diamondbacks International Signings for 2023

From MLB.com: According to industry sources, the club has come to terms with outfielder Gian Zapata, the No. 18 prospect on the top 50 international list, for $950,000, and shortstop Jeremy Rodriguez, the No. 47 prospect, for $1 million.

Rodriguez has tons of projectability and a good, strong body, and he has a chance to be an offensive-minded shortstop with power potential.

If all goes according to plan, Zapata will start in center field and stay there for most of his career. He shows some signs of power, and it could be a talent that develops as he fills out his frame.

‘It’s crunch time’: Derrick Hall says D-Backs need clarity on future home

Diamondbacks President Derrick Hall said the organization still does not know if it will remain at Chase Field for the long haul, but he wants the saga to reach a conclusion in the near future.

“As we’re getting closer to the expiration of the lease in the next four years, that’s why it’s crunch time,” Hall said. “Time is of the essence. Hopefully we’ll have clarity in the next few to several months. We can’t go much more beyond that.”

Hall said renovating the park would be a costly endeavor. He put the price tag in the $400 million to $500 million range.

Around The MLB

The biggest winners and losers of this MLB offseason

The Arizona Diamondbacks are doing things differently than the Yankees, but I loved that they could turn Daulton Varsho into a definite top-10 prospect who is big league ready in catcher Gabriel Moreno. The addition propels Arizona into the top two farm systems in baseball. With Corbin Carroll, Alek Thomas, Jordan Lawlar, Brandon Pfaadt, Drey Jameson and Blake Walston all close, there isn’t a huge impetus to block those guys with short-term solutions. Another big bat, another infielder and some bullpen help may be on the list next winter to go up another notch once the roster shakes out a bit.

MLB offseason grades: Carlos Correa gets ‘A’ for Twins; Mets still have strong winter; Dodgers disappoint

The Snakes didn’t exactly have a sprawling winter, but trading away Daulton Varsho for their catcher of the present and future (Gabriel Moreno) and a needed right-handed outfield bat (Lourdes Gurriel Jr.) was a canny move. As well, veteran third baseman Evan Longoria remains a useful player heading into his age-37 season. Grade: B+

Blue Jays say bullpen coach Matt Buschmann stepping down

The team announced Sunday that Matt Buschmann has opted to leave the organization to pursue other opportunities.

He was a random D-Back not that long ago on here...

Across The Pacific

Rosin bag study: MLB balls are 20% slipperier than NPB balls

Japanese pitchers who make the jump to the major leagues have often said the baseballs there are slipperier than those in Nippon Professional Baseball.

But no one had done a scientific study on the differences in the rosin bags used by pitchers in the two leagues until now, according to Takeshi Yamaguchi, a tribology professor at Tohoku University.

The friction coefficient for the MLB one turned out to be 20 percent lower than the level for the NPB ball. That means major league balls are 20 percent slicker in a pitcher’s hands.

MLB balls are rubbed with mud while sand is applied to NPB balls to reduce gloss before games.

Across The Atlantic

British Baseball Hall of Fame inducts six new members

The British Baseball Hall of Fame announced five 2022 inductees: Brian Holland, Richard Klijn, Frank Parker Jr., Stephan Rapaglia, Ryan Trask and Doreen Megson. It’s the 13th class elected since the foundation of the Hall of Fame in 2009.

Holland was the official scorekeeper for the first official game for Great Britain. As the Hall of Fame states in a press release, “If the word ‘scorebook’ was synonymous with only one person in British baseball history, it would be Brian Holland.”

Exactly 50 players, officials and game builders are now enshrined in the British Baseball Hall of Fame.

I wonder when Jim McLennan is due.