Snake Bytes: 04/12 – Red Whacking Weaver

Luke Weaver hit national baseball headlines by taking a no hitter into the 7th inning, leaving many of us in awe. It was real, ladies and gentlemen.

Diamondbacks News

[AZ Central] Weaver takes no-hitter into 7th, Diamondbacks top Reds

[Arizona Sports] Luke Weaver nearly unhittable in D-backs’ win against the Reds

[mlb.com] Luke Weaver throws gem to defeat Reds

[Arizona Sports] D-backs’ Eduardo Escobar hits home run for fourth game in a row

In yesterday’s series win over the Reds, his average went up from .188 to .218 while the slugging percentage moved to .595. At times we’ve seen glimpses of the 2019 Escobar.

[AZ Central] Torey Lovullo says Nick Ahmed’s return to create ‘rotation’ on infield

Second base will become home of many.

[dbacks.com] Nick Ahmed comfortable in return from injured list

Nick Ahmed went 2 for 4 yesterday after a hitless 2021 debut on Saturday.

[Twitter] Escobar’s tik tok shows positive vibes in the club house

Escobar, Peralta and Cabrera leading the pack so you know what happens when you deal those away.

[ABC15] Street vendors return outside of Chase Field ahead of Arizona Diamondbacks opener

“I love doing this. I love saving people money and make a little income for myself,” said [essentials seller] Mervin Dergins. […] “I enjoy sitting here and chit-chatting with people from all across the nation to watch a ball game.”

[Fox 10 Phoenix] Diamondbacks offer free tickets to fans who went to home opener amid game day issues

Single-game ticket buyers will receive a ticket to an upcoming game and season ticket holders will also be offered compensation.

[reporteindigo.com] Mexican Joakim Soria ready for this year’s challenge (google translate)

Pretty good google translate of the article, the reason why I share it on here.

Around The MLB

[ESPN] Braves rip replay review after upheld call at plate keys Phillies’ win

A couple of days ago we had Michael Conforto forcing a controversial HBP walk-off, yesterday it was time for another controversial play in the MLB: Alec Bohm is called safe while his foot clearly doesn’t touch the plate. Braves would not be able to come back from that.

“They said there wasn’t enough evidence, but there were five different angles,” an incredulous Smyly declared.

[MLB Trade Rumors] Injury notes

Ahead of the Sunday matchup with the Braves, former D-Back Archie Bradley was placed on the Phillies IL with an oblique strain, making it uncertain when the reliever will be able to return to the field. “It’s not something I felt doing baseball activities,” Bradley said. “Honestly, I don’t know where it came from.”

Former ace-to-be Robbie Ray was activated from the Blue Jays’ IL and will get the start tonight against the New York Yankees. Ray was down with a bruised elbow.

Padres’ back-end starter Adrián Morejón left Sunday’s game against the Rangers in the first inning with forearm/elbow strain and will require at least an IL stint.

Dexter Fowler, meanwhile, made a weird run to 2nd base on Friday and apparently tore his ACL. The 35 year old, who will become a free agent in October, is out for the season.

[CBS Sports] New Yankees infielder Rougned Odor says his daughter ‘doesn’t want to look’ at him after he shaved his beard

Gotta admit the man looks like a kid all of a sudden.

[CBS Sports] MLB weekend winners and losers

Mets and Yankees not living up to expectations, Nationals are lost and Byron Buxton is red hot.

[mlb.com] ‘Locked in’ Martinez adds 3 HRs to hot streak

Talking about red hot players; J.D. Martinez joins a distinguished club that includes just four other players who notched three-homer games for three teams. His 12 extra-base hits in his first eight games of the season are tied with Dante Bichette (1994 Rockies) as the most in the modern era (since 1900).

[Yahoo Sports] Alex Rodriguez co-partners in bid to buy Minnesota Timberwolves

A-Rod needs to buy a sports team although, apparently and probably wisely, he will not partner up with J-Lo.

Across The Wall

[Cuba] Granma wins 60th Cuban National Baseball Series in six games

When I read this I had to think immediately of the British series “Super Gran” I watched when I was just a small kid (if you don’t know it, just listen to the song text lol). According to Wikipedia it seems this 80s series became a hit in Cuba in the early 2000s (…do I need to say more…), so I was all excited because everything clicked together, but I was a bit disappointed to see that the team is named after the Cuban region it is from. It was the third national title for the former team of Yoennis Cespedes.

[Mexico] Addison Russel joins Acereros and Adrián González the Mariachis

Both former MLB-ers will play in the LMB (unaffiliated Triple A) that starts its season on May 20. For the almost 40-year old González it will be his first action since being released in 2018 by the Mets. The Mexican hopes to make the Olympics.

Around The World

[Olympics] WBSC Olympic baseball qualifiers to be staged in June in Florida and Taichung/TPE

Baseball olympics will be deprived of any MLB star, but that doesn’t mean competition will be fierce to get the Olympic gold medal. So far only Japan, South Korea, Mexico and Israel have qualified for the Olympics. Especially Israel’s qualification has been very controversial as they have made happily use of the Jewish Law of Return; in one of the Olympic qualifiers in Germany, the German hosts put up Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” when the Israeli team was announced, in an intent to heckle the opponent (although they are not alone in their attempt: Spain has a team that consists mainly of Venezuelan-born players).

Early June the American qualifiers will start with just one of USA, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela, Canada or Colombia qualifying.

The two best losers will get a second chance a couple of weeks later in Taiwan where they will face Taiwan, (Kingdom of) The Netherlands, Australia and China to decide who will be the final and sixth participant at the Olympic Games.

Mike Scioscia will guide the US team while Fernando Tatis Sr. will try to bring the Dominican Republic to Olympic success.

[MLB] MLB rosters, broadcast partners showcase globalization of baseball

Games will be broadcasted in 15 different languages to 223 countries or territories.