The Arizona Diamondbacks begin a three game series against the Colorado Rockies. Colorado currently has 13 more wins than Arizona.
Arizona Diamondbacks… Stuff
[The Athletic] Diamondbacks 2021 draft preview: Arizona picks sixth and could still land its top choice – The Athletic’s Keith Law has the Diamondbacks taking North Carolina high school shortstop Kahlil Watson at No. 6. Baseball America favors University of Louisville catcher Henry Davis and MLB.com suggests Texas prep shortstop Jordan Lawlar. (The last two have, at points, been predicted to go first.) One rival scout suggested keeping an eye on Watson, Georgia prep shortstop Brady House and Boston College outfielder Sal Frelick. The MLB Draft isn’t a straightforward take-the-best-player exercise, even if the industry agrees on the order of the talent. Most prospects can go or return to college and enter the draft a different year, which means there are signability concerns. Teams have draft bonus pools that they apportion in creative ways. Each pick comes with a recommended signing bonus slot, but teams routinely cut deals, drafting a player in one round who will sign for less than slot value and using the savings to drive a talented player to a later pick with an over-slot bonus.
[Rising Apple] NY Mets: Caleb Smith is the affordable trade piece to add right now – Why Caleb Smith is absolutely perfect for the Mets Already covered last week when looking at the entire Arizona Diamondbacks roster, Smith is a starter/reliever who throws left-handed and is having a pretty good year on a team going nowhere. The Diamondbacks have already begun to lightly sell and are a hot top in early July trade rumors. Smith may not be the hot name many Mets fans want to see. He’s no superstar but he can fill in temporarily as a productive starter and slide into the bullpen if everyone does manage to get healthy again.
[Last Word on Sports] Carson Kelly and the Mindset Change That Sent His Career to New Heights – Carson Kelly has the chance to be one of — if not the — best catchers in the history of the Arizona Diamondbacks franchise. They’ve had a grand total of two All-Stars at that position — Miguel Montero and Damian Miller. Montero made the squad in both 2011 and 2014, while Miller made it in 2002. Kelly was on track to make the squad in 2021 before getting injured. But Kelly does not think about his long-term legacy. “I want to take it day by day — be the best that I can be today. I’ve got to keep learning. There are things I haven’t experienced yet that can happen in three years that either might be better for me in my career or worse for my career. There are things that are out of your control. So what I can do is focus on what I can do right now, and all that other stuff will take care of itself.” Despite having both a broken toe and a broken wrist, he has a positive mindset. “During these times of being hurt, it’s given me perspective. There’s still a lot to accomplish — still a lot to grow from, still a lot to experience. And that I take as a challenge and as an opportunity, because not everybody gets to play in a big-league uniform.”
Around the League
[Yahoo Sports] Dodgers manager Dave Roberts doesn’t expect Trevor Bauer back before All-Star break – It’s highly unclear when Trevor Bauer will be allowed to return to an MLB field, but it seems it won’t be until after the All-Star break. Facing serious assault allegations, Bauer was placed on paid administrative leave by MLB on Friday. The Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher can be kept on leave for up to seven days, but any more time away from the team would require the approval of the MLB Players Association.
[MLB Trade Rumors] Marlins Have Made Extension Offer To Starling Marte – The Marlins have presented a multi-year extension offer to star center fielder Starling Marte, report Jordan McPherson and Craig Mish of the Miami Herald. Terms of the offer are unknown, although McPherson and Mish hear Marte and his representatives at Rep 1 Baseball are seeking a “three- or four-year deal in the $50 million range.” Marte, who is playing out the season on a $12.5MM contract, is slated to hit free agency at the end of the year. Last month, he expressed a desire to work out a long-term deal to stay with Miami rather than test the market. Theoretically, the two sides have until the conclusion of the season to work out an extension, although McPherson and Mish suggest the July 30 trade deadline could function as a de facto extension deadline as well. If the Marlins and Marte don’t work out a long-term deal in the next few weeks, the 35-47 Marlins are expected to trade him, according to the Herald duo.