Just a guy from Section 132 Row 9 Seat 9
Last year the Arizona Diamondbacks moved into their new Spring Training home Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. This state-of-the-art facility was the talk of the Cactus League bringing first class fan experience to the Phoenix valley after 12 years in Tucson.
Continue reading ‘Season Ticket Holder Spring Training Event’ »
Earlier this week the Arizona Diamondbacks announced plans for a unique event. The Most Valuable Partner event. For the first time in franchise history they are going to recognize the efforts of the team’s corporate partners.
I’m not sure what surprised me more, the fact that the Diamondbacks were creating this event to try and bring to the forefront how important corporate partnerships are to the success of a Major League Baseball team or the fact that no one had thought to do this before now.
Ever have one of those days that you feel like you are completely in touch with your psychic powers and that you are a pair of tights and a cape away from declaring yourself as a super hero? That’s kind of how I was feeling after yesterday.
In the morning I sat down and penned a blog entry where I talked about the Arizona Diamondbacks interest in adding another veteran starting pitcher to the rotation. I briefly went over the various candidates that could fulfill the Diamondbacks needs. Among those candidates were previous Diamondbacks starter Joe Saunders.
Over the weekend the Arizona Diamondbacks were linked to right-handed starting pitcher Bartolo Colon. After making the trade on December 9th bringing left-handed relief pitcher Craig Breslow and right-handed starting pitcher Trevor Cahill there were many who thought the Diamondbacks were done.
Arizona has been stockpiling young pitchers in their minor league system with several seemingly ready to compete for a big league roster spot. If that is the case, why would Arizona be looking to add another pitcher to their staff? The simple answer is, window of opportunity.
Continue reading ‘Diamondbacks Still in Market for Starting Pitching’ »
With the countdown to Spring Training now fully underway the dominos are beginning to fall into place. The Diamondbacks have begun holding organizational meetings with the managers, coaches, and representatives from the player development arm to assess each player under club control and how they may fit into the 2012 plans.
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick is being groomed with practice fields and stadium playing surfaces looking immaculate as ever. The grass is lush and green and the landscape around the Spring Training facility is coming alive with the first signs of spring.
The Baseball Writers of America have cast their votes and after tabulation the Hall of Fame class for 2012 had just one winner and it was well deserved. Barry Larkin, captain of the Cincinnati Reds and perhaps the most well rounded athlete to play that position during the 1980’s heard his name called in just his third year on the ballot.
Larkin received 495 votes giving him 86.4 percent well over the 75 percent necessary for enshrinement into Cooperstown. Last year Larkin received just over 62 percent falling behind Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven but a year later he saw his stock raise over 22 percent to solidify his spot among the game’s best.
In just a few short hours Major League Baseball will announce the Baseball Hall of Fame 2012 class. One name is already known that being Ron Santos who was posthumously elected by the veteran’s committee. It is unfortunate that Santos was not elected earlier to enjoy this richly deserved honor for a lifetime of work in baseball. Sometimes it seems that tragedy is the catalyst for change.
For the most part this year’s Hall of Fame class is lacking a big name first ballot persona. Those who will be listed for the first time on the ballot include: Bernie Williams, Vinny Castilla, Javy Lopez, Ruben Sierra, Jeromy Burnitz, Tim Salmon, Tony Womack, Phil Nevin, Brian Jordan, Erick Young, Bill Mueller, Terry Mulholland, and Brad Radke.
After the Arizona Diamondbacks announced their spring training reporting dates it officially signaled the beginning of the end of the off-season. Shortly after the announcement Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall held his monthly Internet chat with fans and talked about the team’s organizational meetings that were held this week at Salt River Fields.
Attending the meetings were General Manager Kevin Towers, manager Kirk Gibson, the Major League Baseball coaching staff, and members of the Diamondbacks player development organization. During these meetings they discussed the state of the Major League roster as well as all of the players in the minor league system. They also talked at length about how the organization will maintain their edge a season after surprising everyone to go from worst to first winning the NL West.
Continue reading ‘The Postman Never Rings Once Let Alone Twice’ »
Today the Arizona Diamondbacks announced that Spring Training would officially begin in 44 days 19 hours 31 minutes and 22 seconds. Well technically they announced that pitchers and catchers would report to Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 20th but I am sure that was just a rounding error and they really meant to say 44 days 19 hours 30 minutes and 16 seconds (time never stands still so you have to take into consideration that it took me 1 minute and 6 seconds to type this paragraph).
It feels like a decade ago instead of 90 days 21 hours 45 minutes and 37 seconds that the final out was recorded in Miller Park in Milwaukee ending the Arizona Diamondbacks 2011 season. But finally there is an end to the long, dark tunnel that is the off-season.
