The D-backs got their pitching coach; Ketel Marte got something for his mantelpiece.
Team news
[SI] Q & A with New D-backs Pitching Coach Brian Kaplan and Torey Lovullo – To Torey Lovullo: What were you looking for in a pitching coach and what did you see in Kaplan? “Being able to deliver the message the right way. I think there’s a uniqueness in being able to address, talk to and connect with players. And he explained how important that was to him. On a given day, he will have a certain type of a conversation with, for example, a starting pitcher, knowing where he is in his five-day process. And I was very specific about some of the questions that I was asking on that five-day process”
[Arizona Sports] Diamondbacks 2B Ketel Marte wins 1st career Silver Slugger – Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star Ketel Marte has collected his first career Silver Slugger award as the best hitter among second baseman in the National League for 2024. Marte is the first D-backs player to win a Silver Slugger since pitcher Zack Greinke in 2019. The last position players to do so were first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and outfielder David Peralta in 2018. Aaron Hill is the only other D-backs second baseman to win the award, doing so back in 2012. Marte led major league second baseman with a .932 OPS, 36 home runs and 95 RBIs. He was far-and-away the most productive hitter at his position.
[Michael’s Substack] Gino Groover on Arizona Fall League experience – “I’ve had fun,” said Groover. “I come out here, you play against some of the best people, some of the best arms. At the end of the day, you go out there, it’s your best vs. their best, whether you’re feeling your best that day. I just go out there, whatever I have that day working, that’s what I battle with.” As mentioned in his Fall Stars scouting report, he is the best hitter in the organization in terms of getting the barrel to the ball. Looking at some of the results, the biggest takeaway from the negative side is the lack of slug. Groover himself noted he’s not slugging the way he wanted to, as he has just one extra-base hit in the Fall League at the time of this writing.
[Newsweek] Braves, Phillies, Mets Among Potential Trade Fits For Controversial Diamondbacks Pitcher – Arizona doesn’t want him back, so it’s actively shopping him this winter. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Diamondbacks are actively looking to shop Montgomery. It’s likely viewed as an “addition by subtraction” move in Arizona’s mind, so the return likely won’t be something to call home about. “The Diamondbacks want to move him and will eat some of his $22.5 million salary to do so,” Passan wrote. “He’s near the top of the list of players likeliest to get dealt after a rough 2024, and he’ll head to his new team with plenty to prove as another go-around at free agency beckons.”
And, elsewhere…
[ESPN] Rays’ hurricane-damaged home can be fixed for $55M+, ready for ’26 – A detailed assessment of the hurricane damage to Tropicana Field concludes that the home of the Tampa Bay Rays is structurally sound and can be repaired for about $55.7 million in time for the 2026 season. The 412-page report released Tuesday by the city of St. Petersburg, which owns the building, found that the basic structure of the domed stadium “does not appear to have been adversely affected” by Hurricane Milton’s winds, which shredded most of its fabric roof.
[MLB] World Baseball Classic qualifiers announced – Sixteen teams are in for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and four spots remain for the main tournament. On Tuesday, the eight participating teams that will meet early next year in one of two Qualifiers were announced. Four teams will play at the first Qualifier at the Taipei Dome in Taiwan from Feb. 21-25. Next, four more teams will head to Tucson, Ariz., from March 2-6. At each Qualifier, the top two ballclubs will advance to the World Baseball Classic in 2026. Let’s break down the two pools below. Tickets for the Tucson pool are available here. There will be more ticketing information updates as it becomes available.
[FanGraphs] The 2025 ZiPS Projections Are Imminent! – A good primer on what they are, especially with the numbers for Arizona due out first, on Thursday! Well, it’s that time of the year again. When the last gasps of summer weather finally die and everybody starts selling pumpkin spice everything, that’s when I make the magical elves living in the oak in my backyard start cranking out the E.L.fWAR cookies. Szymborski shtick, Szymborski shtick, pop culture reference, and now, let’s run down what the ZiPS projections are, how they work, and what they mean. After all, you’re going to be seeing 30 ZiPS team articles over the next two months.
[Reddit] 2024’s Least Valuable Players – With the league handing out its awards this month, I thought I’d put together some awards for the league’s underperformers. In the interest of not picking on minor leaguers that came up to fill in for somebody that got hurt, I’m including a 60 game minimum for position players and 50 inning minimum for pitchers. With that said… [No surprise which member of the D-backs is “honored”!]