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Snake Bytes 2/28: Brandon Pfaadt Doo-Doo Doo-Doo Doo-Doo

All I’m saying is the syllables match

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Are my photoshop skills not resplendent like the noonday Arizona sun?!

Diamondbacks News

[theAthletic] Jordan Lawlar, Arizona’s ‘Jeter-like’ shortstop prospect, and the single mom who raised him PAYWALL

Baseball had not been Hope Lawlar’s sport, but it had become her son’s, and a parent’s duty is to encourage such interests. So there in that backyard, night after night, she set balls on a tee and played catch and fed her son grounders. She corrected his swing and his mechanics, guided less by any formal expertise than by a mental image of what looked right. Some nights, after working a full shift managing a boutique in nearby Dallas, she’d come home exhausted. But then she’d see her son’s big, pleading eyes and hear that irrefusable request — “Will you throw the ball to me?” — and to the backyard they’d go.

This article was a really great read! Getting to know Lawlar and his mom is excellent! They have a great family dynamic, just like Corbin Carroll’s (and our young pitchers’) family. It also reminded me of this Blake Walston article from Zach just under a year ago (another Paywall. Sorry).

[AZSnakePit] Diamondbacks 3, Cubs 0: Blink and miss it

Emmanuel Rivera swatted a walk-off three-run homer, and the D-backs got their pitching back on track, seven pitchers combining on a two-hit shutout of the Cubs. After the last couple of days, this was a very refreshing change indeed. Brandon Pfaadt was the starter, and worked through his two innings so quickly. he likely had to throw some more in the bullpen. He needed only 23 pitches to get six outs, around a walk and a hit. We then got scoreless innings from Joe Mantiply, Scott McGough, Corbin Martin, Justin Martinez, Bryce Jarvis (two) and Raffi Vizcaino. Martinez might have been the most impressive, tossing a 1-2-3 sixth inning on 11 pitches, reaching 101.8 mph on one offering.

[MLB] Pfaadt ‘fantastic’ in debut — and he made sure to have fun

“I was a little antsy in the first inning, but once the second inning came and the defense made a few plays for me, I kind of settled in quite nice,” Pfaadt said. “First game, first big league camp, so adrenaline’s running high. Everybody kept saying have fun. So I was like, ‘Why don’t I go out there and have fun?’ It’s just a game at a higher level, and as you kind of work your way up through the Minors, you kind of realize that.”

[AZCentral] D-Backs’ Ryne Nelson moves beyond blurry past, towards clear future PAYWALL

There was a reason Nelson thought he saw something that wasn’t there: He has keratoconus, a rare disease that affects the cornea, the outermost layer on the eye, causing it to become thin and misshapen. The way Nelson describes it, instead of being rounded and smooth, his cornea comes to a point.

Baseball News

[MLB] Glasnow injures oblique during bullpen session (source)

The right-hander threw around six pitches as part of a live BP session on Monday before walking off the mound with a trainer, and a source told MLb.com that Glasnow is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Tuesday to determine the severity of the oblique injury. The Rays have not yet commented on the news.

[MLB] One dark horse to make each Opening Day roster

D-backs: RHP Corbin Martin

[SportingNews] World Baseball Classic Pool Odds 2023: Japan, USA, Dominican Republic among biggest favorites to advance past pool play

With Team Dominican Republic, Team USA, and Team Japan being pegged as the countries to beat, it’s no surprise to see the trio listed as odds-on favorites emerge from their respective pools. Even though the betting market has projected them to advance to the single-elimination bracket, we could be in store for some upsets in what’s arguably the most talented international baseball tournament ever.

[EastBayTimes] A’s Gelof, Fishman prep for World Baseball Classic with Team Israel

Gelof spent most of his 2022 season with the Double-A Midland RockHounds, where he batted .271 with 13 home runs over 87 games. He is ranked No. 3 in the A’s prospect pipeline according to MLB.com. However, for the next couple of weeks, he is turning his attention to Team Israel, managed by former big leaguer Ian Kinsler.

Jacob Steinmetz (DBacks prospect, drafted 3rd Round 2021) will also represent Team Israel this year.

[MLB] Lux carted off with knee injury; Dodgers await test results

Dodgers shortstop Gavin Lux was carted off the field in the sixth inning of Monday’s Cactus League game against the Padres with a right knee injury.

[MLB] Musgrove breaks big toe in gym, won’t throw for 2-plus weeks

Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove fractured his left big toe in the weight room on Monday, the team said on Tuesday morning. Although the Padres boast depth in their rotation, the injury deals their pitching plans a significant setback.