Snake Bytes: 07/25 – Small-Market Team

Big Papi was inducted into the HOF and had a message for cheap teams (no pun intended…).

Diamondbacks News

Nationals 4, D-Backs 3: The elusive sweep wriggles away – AZ Snake Pit

Corbin Martin struggled to pitch consistently, the bats failed to capitalize on 13 at-bats with RISP, and a combination of sloppy play and a lack of execution sank any possibility of a D-Back sweep of a struggling Nats team.

Corbin Martin fails to seize empty rotation spot in D-Backs loss (azcentral.com)

Perhaps most concerningly, Martin wasn’t able to rely on his curveball, which is key for him to complement a fastball/change-up heavy arsenal. “It wasn’t a pitch he had a great feel for today,” Lovullo said. Ultimately, he only used it on six occasions, inducing one whiff, two hard-hit lineouts and an RBI single.

D-backs fail to pick up key hit, leave 13 runners aboard in loss to Nationals (arizonasports.com)

“I felt like we did a lot right in this game today with the exception of scoring runs, and we had opportunities to score and blow this game open but it just didn’t happen,” Lovullo said.

Corbin Martin makes case for D-backs’ rotation (mlb.com)

Martin didn’t view his performance as a step forward from his recent strong work. He didn’t attack the zone nearly enough, throwing 36 strikes and 35 balls.

“I feel like I got away from that today and tried to do too much and put myself in a situation to pretty much backtrack,” Martin said.

Nationals respond to D-backs LHP Madison Bumgarner’s ‘clown’ comment (arizonasports.com)

I’m with the Nationals though, what did Robles really do?

D-backs injuries and roster moves (mlb.com)

• RHP Corbin Martin recalled from Triple-A Reno; RHP Edwin Uceta optioned.
• Zach Davies threw a 20-pitch bullpen session on July 19, then he completed a 35-pitch session on July 22, after which manager Torey Lovullo said the right-hander “felt very good” and “was dotting it up” with his pitches. The next step for Davies will be facing hitters, although it has not yet been determined when that will happen.
• As of July 22, Humberto Castellanos continued to feel tenderness in his elbow after numerous attempts to start a throwing program. Manager Torey Lovullo said the team has “pulled back a little bit on increasing that volume, and we’re just reading and reacting day to day, as far as how he feels.” Castellanos is progressing slower than the club had initially expected after he went on the injured list June 1.

Around The MLB

MLB weekend recap: Red Sox trounced by Blue Jays; Aaron Judge extends home run lead; Cubs sweep Phillies – CBSSports.com

The Los Angeles Angels routed the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, winning by a 9-1 final. Along the way, the Angels broke an absurd stretch that had seen them not win a game started by a pitcher other than Shohei Ohtani since June.

Hall of Fame welcomes Class of 2022 (mlb.com)

David Ortiz, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Bud Fowler and Negro Leagues legend Buck O’Neil were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

David Ortiz inducted into Hall of Fame (mlb.com)

“The Twins didn’t release me based on talent,” said Ortiz. “They released me based on salary. They were a small-market team.”

Cardinals To Place Goldschmidt, Arenado, Romine On Restricted List; Matz Placed On 15-Day Injured List – MLB Trade Rumors

Goldy doesn’t believe in the COVID-vaccination.

League, MLBPA Exchange Proposals On International Draft – MLB Trade Rumors

July 25 is the deadline for Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association to come to an agreement on an international player draft, which would replace the current international signing system and end the qualifying-offer system for big league free agents.

MLB Prospect Watch: Who will be the first 2022 draftee to reach the majors? – CBSSports.com

Better call up Ben Joyce ASAP before the dude blows out that arm indefinitely. And being it an Angels’ prospect, that will probably happen sooner than later.

Marlins Roster Moves – MLB Trade Rumors

The Marlins moved former D-Back prospect Jazz Chisholm to the 60-day IL. The Bahama native has a stress fracture in his back, which doesn’t sound very good. Maybe the trade starts tilting towards the D-Backs again.

Across The Pacific

New stadium in Hsinchu opens to sold-out crowd (Taiwan)

Ex-Keidanren chief Sakakibara to become next NPB commissioner (Japan)

Kansai Electric Power Co. Chairman Sadayuki Sakakibara, 79, a former president of Toray Industries Inc. and chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), will become the next commissioner of Nippon Professional Baseball Organization. Sakakibara will succeed Atsushi Saito, making him the second consecutive commissioner to come from the business world.

KBO sees biggest win ever as Tigers trounce Giants, 23-0 (Korea)

The Tigers — and the Giants as well, but for less auspicious reasons — made KBO history on Sunday with a 23-0 win at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan. The dominant performance saw the Tigers secure the biggest winning margin ever in a KBO game, beating the previous record of 22 runs set by the Samsung Lions with a 27-5 win over the LG Twins in 1997 and tied with the Giants 23-1 win over the Doosan Bears in 2014.

Across The Atlantic

3x-World Series winner Bruce Bochy to manage France in World Baseball Classic Qualifier

French-born Bochy ended his MLB tenure with the San Francisco Giants in 2019, after 13 seasons. Three-time winner of the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014 with the Giants, Bochy was named National League Manager of the Year in 1996.

The agreement was already in place in 2019, but COVID prevented Bochy from taking the helm.

He’ll face a tough task in staying ahead of Germany, Spain and Czech Republic.

Across The Wall

MLB star Nelson Cruz to serve as Dominican Republic National Team GM

“I understand that there will be a lot of talk about the fact an active player serves as general manager for the first time in the history of the World Baseball Classic,” said Cruz during a press conference.

Puerto Rico names former MLB, NPB player Eduardo Perez as new National Baseball Team GM

The Puerto Rican Baseball Federation has named Eduardo Perez as the general manager of the National Team. The first task of the new general manager would be appointing the National Team skipper. He managed Puerto Rico to fourth place in the Baseball World Cup 2009.Perez is currently an ESPN baseball analyst.