│

1

D-backs ink veteran infielder Punto to Minor League deal By Cash Kruth / MLB.com http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/105791568/d-backs-ink-veteran-infielder-nick-punto-to-minor-league-deal Arizona Diamondbacks agree to terms with Nick Punto By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2015/01/07/arizona-diamondbacks-agree-to-terms-nick-punto/21395463/ Phoenix Suns hiring 200 workers for Diamondbacks season By Laurie Merrill / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/2015/01/07/phoenix-chase-field-ushers-screeners-tickert-scanners-hiring-baseball-season/21399983/ Diamondbacks to have six new managers at minor league affiliates By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2015/01/07/diamondbacks-announce-managers-minor-league-affiliates/21391449/ Curt Schilling thinks politics have kept him out of the Hall of Fame By Andrew Joseph / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/heat-index/2015/01/07/curt-schilling-thinks-politics-keeps-him-out-of-the-hall-of-fame/21402437/ D-backs add veteran Punto; Navarro, Castillo possible catching targets By Jack Magruder / FOX Sports Arizona http://www.foxsports.com/arizona/story/d-backs-add-infield-depth-continue-to-seek-catcher-010715 The Pulse: 2001 World Series was fans' favorite Randy Johnson Diamondbacks moment By ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1796887/The-Pulse-2001-World-Series-was-fans-favorite-Randy-Johnson-Diamondbacks-moment Report: Arizona Diamondbacks agree to contract with IF Nick Punto By ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1796756/Report-Arizona-Diamondbacks-agree-to-contract-with-IF-Nick-Punto

Former Arizona Diamondbacks great Randy Johnson elected to MLB Hall of Fame By ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1796476/Former-Arizona-Diamondbacks-great-Randy-Johnson-elected-to-MLB-Hall-of-Fame Kept Promise Helped Colangelo Land Big Unit By Eric Sorenson / Sports360AZ.com http://www.sports360az.com/2015/01/kept-promise-helped-colangelo-land-big-unit/ Duncan hired as Dbacks short-season manager By Damien Alameda / Tucson News Now http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/27787501/duncan-hired-as-dbacks-short-season-manager D-backs Offer Exclusive Spring Training Presale To Tucson Residents By Damien Alameda / Tucson News Now http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/27787579/d-backs-offer-exclusive-spring-training-presale-to-tucson-residents Duncan leaving UA for shot to manage in minors By Greg Hansen / Arizona Daily Star http://tucson.com/duncan-leaving-ua-for-shot-to-manage-in-minors/article_98880f56-938c-11e4-bfb3-1b973d0ffa16.html 2008 Tucson Sidewinders By James S. Wood / Arizona Daily Star http://tucson.com/sidewinders-p/image_c5fc6389-a32a-5a22-8e54-38374d420132.html D-backs Baseball Academy Continues Through January By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski / Nearby News Frye Awarded $5K Grant from D-backs By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski / Nearby News

Big Unit showing more sides since retirement New Hall of Famer embraces photography, visits war zones, opens up By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/105859066/hall-of-famer-randy-johnson-showing-more-sides-since-retirement Day after vote, 'old goats' talk Hall of Fame, honor By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/105762364/day-after-vote-old-goats-talk-hall-of-fame-honor

│

2

Popular infielder McDonald calls it a career Listed at 5-foot-9, defensive-minded player enjoyed 16 years in bigs with eight teams By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/105823936/popular-infielder-john-mcdonald-calls-it-a-career Perseverant Johnny Mac leaves legacy in retirement After 16-year MLB career, McDonald remembered fondly by all By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/105845610/anthony-castrovince-perseverant-john-mcdonald-leaves-fond-legacy-in-retirement Davis clearly remembers homer served up to Big Unit Former Brewers lefty allowed only blast hit by Hall of Famer Johnson in 2003 By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com http://m.brewers.mlb.com/news/article/105852172/doug-davis-remembers-clearly-home-run-served-up-to-randy-johnson-in-2003 Warm up with the official release of spring slate By Adam Berry / MLB.com http://m.mlb.com/news/article/105805538/warm-up-with-the-official-release-of-spring-training-schedule Hall vote epitomizes the essence of election By Mike Bauman / MLB.com http://m.mlb.com/news/article/105906792/mike-bauman-hall-vote-epitomizes-the-essence-of-election D-backs sign infielder Nick Punto By Associated Press http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12133105/arizona-diamondbacks-sign-nick-punto-minor-league-contract Baseball's Hall of Fame in midst of unlikely growth spurt By Joe Lemire / USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/01/07/hall-of-fame-2015-pedro-martinez-randy-johnson-john-smoltz-craig-biggio/21398237/ Curt Schilling says he lost Hall of Fame votes because he's a Republican By Mike Oz / Yahoo! Sports http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/curt-schilling-says-he-lost-hall-of-fame-votes-because-he-s-a-republican-192514435.html Diamondbacks To Sign Nick Punto By Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/ The greatest generation The pitchers of the Selig Era were the best in baseball history By Joe Posnanski / NBCSports.com http://sportsworld.nbcsports.com/the-greatest-generation/

Curt Schilling believes he didn’t make the Hall of Fame because he’s a Republican By Craig Calcaterra / NBCSports.com http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/07/curt-schilling-believes-he-didnt-make-the-hall-of-fame-because-hes-a-republican/ Diamondbacks will retire Randy Johnson's number this year By SI.com http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/01/06/randy-johnson-hall-fame-arizona-diamondbacks-retire-number Arizona Diamondbacks All-Time Team: The Outfield By Tony Fischer / SI.com http://heatwaved.com/2015/01/07/arizona-diamondbacks-time-team-outfield/ Randy Johnson's number to be retired by D-Backs in 2015 By Ethan Finkelstein / SI.com http://fansided.com/2015/01/07/randy-johnsons-number-retired-d-backs-2015/ Diamondbacks sign Nick Punto to minor league deal By Chris Cotillo / SB Nation http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2015/1/7/7509303/diamondbacks-sign-nick-punto-to-minor-league-deal

Reno Aces announce 2015 coaching staff By NBC 4-Reno http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/Reno-Aces-announce-2015-coaching-staff/FJY5_3kHb0uaRQzv0djVQg.cspx Phil Nevin Returning as Aces Manager By ABC 8-Reno http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/Phil-Nevin-Returning-as-Aces-Manager-287846461.html Reno Aces announce 2015 coaching staff By FOX 11-Tucson http://www.foxreno.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/reno-aces-announce-2015-coaching-staff-4388.shtml

Mobile BayBears, Arizona Diamondbacks announce BayBears' coaching staff for 2015 By Tommy Hicks / Mobile Press-Register http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/01/mobile_baybears_arizona_diamon_1.html Robby Hammock named new BayBears manager By FOX 10-Mobile http://fox10tv.com/2015/01/07/robby-hammock-named-new-baybears-manager/

│

3

Former Cub Grudzielanek to manage 2015 Kane County Cougars By Kane County Chronicle http://www.kcchronicle.com/2015/01/07/former-cub-grudzielanek-to-manage-2015-kane-county-cougars/a22pfob/

Ex-big leaguer Mather named Osprey manager By Bill Speltz / The Missoulian http://missoulian.com/sports/osprey/ex-big-leaguer-mather-named-osprey-manager/article_e4dee358-7a59-5125-bf57-49a0c693e00d.html

MLB NEWS January 8, 2015 • MLB.com http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news_index.jsp ASSOCIATED PRESS January 8, 2015 • Sports.yahoo.com http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/morenews MLB TRANSACTIONS January 8, 2015 • MLB.com http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions

│

4

D-backs ink veteran infielder Punto to Minor League deal By Cash Kruth / MLB.com http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/105791568/d-backs-ink-veteran-infielder-nick-punto-to-minor-league-deal The D-backs have signed veteran infielder Nick Punto to a Minor League deal with an invite to their big league Spring Training camp, according to a baseball source. The club has not confirmed the signing. Punto, 37, has played multiple infield positions in his 14-year career, and he will combine with Chad Pennington to back up third baseman Yasmany Tomas, shortstop Chris Owings and second baseman Aaron Hill. Punto has posted a lifetime slash line of .245/.323/.323 with the Phillies, Twins, Cardinals, Red Sox, Dodgers and A's. He hit .207 with two homers and a .589 OPS in 73 games with Oakland in 2014.

Arizona Diamondbacks agree to terms with Nick Punto By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2015/01/07/arizona-diamondbacks-agree-to-terms-nick-punto/21395463/ The Diamondbacks have agreed to terms with veteran infielder Nick Punto on a minor league contract that includes an invite to major league camp. Punto, 37, will come to camp looking to win a roster spot. If he does, he'll provide the Diamondbacks depth at multiple positions on the infield. He's spent parts of 14 seasons in the majors, the majority coming with the Minnesota Twins. A career .245 hitter, he has regarded as a solid defender at second base, third base and shortstop, and is valued by teams for his leadership ability and clubhouse presence. Prior to last season, he signed a two-year deal with the Oakland Athletics. But after hitting .207 in 198 at-bats, the A's released Punto last month despite being on the hook to pay him $2.75 million in 2015. If Punto makes the team, the Diamondbacks will only be responsible for paying him the league minimum salary ($507,500).

Phoenix Suns hiring 200 workers for Diamondbacks season By Laurie Merrill / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/2015/01/07/phoenix-chase-field-ushers-screeners-tickert-scanners-hiring-baseball-season/21399983/ About 100 will operate the new metal detectors that will be installed at the ballpark before the Arizona Diamondbacks season begins in April. The Phoenix Suns are hiring more than 200 part-time ushers and security workers for Chase Field and US Airways Arena.

Of those, about 100 will operate the new metal detectors that will be installed at the ballpark before the Arizona Diamondbacks season begins in April. Most of the other hires will work in guest services as ushers and ticket scanners. The Phoenix Suns organization is doing the hiring; it manages both US Airways Center and Chase Field, according to Karen Rausch, Suns vice president of human resources. "We do manage two facilities," Rausch said. "We are gearing up right now for baseball." The Diamondbacks season runs from April 6 through Oct. 4. Last year, the Major Baseball League announced that metal detectors would be mandatory at all 30 MLB parks by 2015 to comply with U.S. Department of Homeland Security requirements. The organization is hiring security personnel to operate the metal detectors as well as to conduct ongoing bag searches. "It takes a lot of manpower to do that," Rausch said. Ticketholders for Phoenix Suns and Arizona Cardinals games already are required to undergo metal-detector screenings at US Airways Center and University of Phoenix Stadium. Rausch stressed that these are part-time, not seasonal jobs, and the company's goal is for employees to stay with the organization year round. The jobs pay about $9 and $10 an hour. Many people work at the sports venues to supplement other income, and many also return annually to work just one sports season a year, Rausch said. "Most of our employees have other lives," Rausch said. Apply for jobs at http://www.nba.com/ suns/contact/careers. The Phoenix Suns is one of more than a dozen Arizona companies hiring 100 or more employees in January.

Diamondbacks to have six new managers at minor league affiliates By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2015/01/07/diamondbacks-announce-managers-minor-league-affiliates/21391449/ The Diamondbacks will have six new managers at minor league affiliates for 2015, the team announced Wednesday. Phil Nevin, who was said to be a finalist for the Diamondbacks' major league manager position, will return to manage at Triple-A Reno. Former Diamondbacks catcher Robby Hammock, who spent last season as the manager in High-A Visalia, will take over at Double-A Mobile after Andy Green was named the major league club's third base coach.

│

5

J.R. House will move from short-season Hillsboro to Visalia, where he will replace Hammock. The team will have four first-time managers in the system. Mark Grudzielanek, who played 15 seasons in the majors, will take over at Kane County, the club's new Low-A affiliate in the Midwest League. Shelley Duncan, the son of longtime pitching coach Dave Duncan, will replace House at Hillsboro. Duncan played parts of seven seasons in the big leagues. Joe Mather, who attended Mountain Pointe High and appeared in the majors in parts of four seasons, will be the manager in rookie-level Missoula. The club's rookie-level Arizona League manager will be Mike Benjamin, an Arizona State product who played 13 seasons in the major leagues. The full staffs are as follows: Triple-A Reno: Phil Nevin, manager; Mike Parrott, pitching coach; Greg Gross, hitting coach; and Luis Urueta, coach. Double-A Mobile: Robby Hammock, manager; Wellington Cepeda, pitching coach; Jason Camilli, hitting coach. High-A Visalia: J.R. House, manager; Gil Heredia, pitching coach; Jonathan Mathews, hitting coach. Low-A Kane County: Mark Grudzielanek, manager; Doug Bochtler, pitching coach; Vince Harrison, hitting coach. Short-season Hillsboro: Shelley Duncan, manager; Doug Drabek, pitching coach; Javier Colina, hitting coach. Rookie-level Missoula: Joe Mather, manager; Jeff Bajenaru, pitching coach; Tack Wilson, hitting coach. Rookie-level Arizona League: Mike Benjamin, manager; Larry Pardo, pitching coach; Jacob Cruz, hitting coach. Dominican Summer League: Wil Tejada, field coordinator; Juan Ballara, manager; Jose Tapia, pitching coach; Manny Garcia, assistant pitching coach; Rolando Arenado, hitting and outfield coach; Elvis Pena, infield coach; Sergio Mendez, catching coach.

Curt Schilling thinks politics have kept him out of the Hall of Fame By Andrew Joseph / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/heat-index/2015/01/07/curt-schilling-thinks-politics-keeps-him-out-of-the-hall-of-fame/21402437/ Former Diamondbacks pitcher Curt Schilling was not elected into the Hall of Fame on Tuesday, and he thinks he knows why. Politics.

Schilling finished 240 votes short of Hall of Fame election, and he told Boston radio show Dennis & Callahan on Wednesday that him being a Republican has cost him votes. Former Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson made the Hall of Fame along with Craig Biggio, John Smoltz and Pedro Martinez. Schilling was particularly critical of Smoltz's candidacy as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He said to the WEEI: "I think he got in because of [Greg] Maddux and [Tom] Glavine. I think the fact that they won 14 straight pennants. I think his 'Swiss army knife versatility,' which somebody said yesterday, I think he got a lot of accolades for that, I think he got a lot of recognition for that. He's a Hall of Famer. And I think the other big thing is that I think he's a Democrat and so I know that, as a Republican, that there's some people that really don't like that." The problem with Schilling's theory is that Smoltz actually isn't a Democrat. Smoltz has actively supported conservative candidates in the past. Smoltz campaigned for Republicans Ralph Reed and Karen Handel, as Masslive pointed out. Schilling will have more chances, but it's hard to believe that his political beliefs are keeping him out of Cooperstown.

D-backs add veteran Punto; Navarro, Castillo possible catching targets By Jack Magruder / FOX Sports Arizona http://www.foxsports.com/arizona/story/d-backs-add-infield-depth-continue-to-seek-catcher-010715 PHOENIX -- The Diamondbacks on Wednesday agreed on a minor league deal with veteran infielder Nick Punto, a deal expected to include a spring training invitation and further deepen the middle infield. At the same time, the D-backs continue to survey the catching market after trading Miguel Montero and could find a match in Toronto's Dioner Navarro or the Cubs' Welington Castillo, according to industry sources. Navarro is an intriguing possibility. He hit .274 with 12 home runs and 69 RBI in 139 games as the Blue Jays' starter last season but lost his job when the Jays signed free agent Russell Martin to a five-year, $82 million deal this winter. Navarro is in the final year of a two-year contract that will pay him $5 million in 2015. The D-backs appear to have enough wiggle room in their payroll to make that fit. It is uncertain if the teams have the pieces to make a deal work, however. With Montero gone, Tuffy Gosewisch and Rule 5 selection Oscar Hernandez are the two catchers on the 40-man roster. Navarro, 31 in February, spent a few hours with the D-backs in 2005, when he was acquired in the Jan. 11 deal that sent Randy Johnson to the New York Yankees for principals Javier Vazquez and Brad Halsey. The D-backs flipped Navarro to the Dodgers the same say in a package with two other minor leaguers for outfielder Shawn Green.

│

6

Navarro is a career .255 hitter with 66 homers in 11 major league seasons. He's thrown out 28 percent of potential base-stealers, right at league average. Castillo has 21 home runs and 60 RBI as the Cubs' primary catcher the last two seasons, but he appears to be available because the Cubs' acquired Montero in a deal and also signed free agent and Jon Lester favorite David Ross as a backup. Castillo is in his first year of arbitration eligibility this winter. Even after trading Didi Gregorius, the D-backs are deep in the middle infield with Chris Owings, Nick Ahmed, Aaron Hill and Cliff Pennington, but Punto provides an extra layer of protection in the event of a trade or if the D-backs decided Ahmed would be better served to open the 2015 season in the minor leagues. Owings is expected to start, likely at second base, but if Aaron Hill takes that spot Owings could move to shortstop, where he has spent most of his minor league career. Punto, 37, has played for six teams in his 14 major league seasons and spent last season in Oakland, where D-backs manager Chip Hale was the bench coach. Punto hit .207 with two home runs and 14 RBI in 73 games with the A's last season, where he played primarily second base. He has started 299 games at second base, 282 at shortstop and 273 at third base during a career spent largely in Minnesota but that also included stops in St. Louis, Boston and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Because of a 2015 option that vested because of his tome on the A's roster last season, Punto is to be paid $2.75 million this season. The D-backs will pay none of that.

The Pulse: 2001 World Series was fans' favorite Randy Johnson Diamondbacks moment By ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1796887/The-Pulse-2001-World-Series-was-fans-favorite-Randy-Johnson-Diamondbacks-moment Every day, ArizonaSports.com asks readers a question. It's the Sanderson Ford Poll Question of the Day, and it can be found midway down the right side of our home page. Tuesday, we asked what your favorite Randy Johnson Diamondbacks moment was. A total of 841 votes were submitted, and 68 percent of voters chose the 2001 World Series as their favorite moment. Johnson went 3-0 with a 1.04 ERA and 19 strikeouts in two starts and one relief appearance against the New York Yankees in the D-backs' first and only World Series victory. He and fellow starting pitcher Curt Schilling were named co-MVPs of the seven-game series. The second most votes went to this incident from 2001: Poor bird.

On May 18, 2004, history was made, as Johnson pitched a perfect game against the Atlanta Braves. The moment earned the third most votes. Four percent of the vote went to Johnson's 20-strikeout game against the Cincinnati Reds on May 8, 2001. A few voters believed neither of the four moments mentioned above qualified as their favorite during his time in Arizona.

Report: Arizona Diamondbacks agree to contract with IF Nick Punto By ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1796756/Report-Arizona-Diamondbacks-agree-to-contract-with-IF-Nick-Punto The Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly added some infield depth. ----

Jon Heyman ✔ @JonHeymanCBS nick punto agrees to deal with #diamondbacks ---- The 37-year-old appeared in 73 games for the Oakland A's last season, batting .207 with two home runs and 14 RBI while stealing three bases. A career .245 hitter, Punto is primarly a second baseman, but has also played at third base, shortstop, first base and all three outfield positions. A veteran of 14 MLB seasons, he has also played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Former Arizona Diamondbacks great Randy Johnson elected to MLB Hall of Fame By ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1796476/Former-Arizona-Diamondbacks-great-Randy-Johnson-elected-to-MLB-Hall-of-Fame It was announced Tuesday that Randy Johnson, who pitched for the Diamondbacks from 1999-2004 and then again from 2007-08, will be part of the 2015 MLB Hall of Fame class. Johnson earned 97.3 percent of the vote. He is joined by Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio. Johnson's 22-year career saw him pitch for six different teams, though he experienced arguably his most success in Arizona. With the Diamondbacks, Johnson won four NL Cy Young Awards as well as his only World Series championship. If Johnson chooses to be enshrined wearing a D-backs hat, he will be the first player to do so. For more on Johnson, you can check out a ranking of his top five D-backs moments here as well as a look at his Arizona career, By the Numbers, here.

│

7

Kept Promise Helped Colangelo Land Big Unit By Eric Sorenson / Sports360AZ.com http://www.sports360az.com/2015/01/kept-promise-helped-colangelo-land-big-unit/ Without Jerry Colangelo there would be no Arizona Diamondbacks. No Randy Johnson. No 2001 World Series Championship. It’s no wonder the man who wooed “The Big Unit” to the new-born franchise back in 1999 smiled like a proud father when it was announced Tuesday afternoon Johnson was a member of the 2015 National Baseball Hall of Fame class. Colangelo took some time Wednesday morning to talk about how their unique friendship and was born well over 15 years ago. “We related to one another,” Colangelo told Sports360AZ.com in a phone interview. “There was a trust between players and myself because the various roles in sports that I had played…we hit it off well. I had great respect for him. As strong as of a competitor as I’ve ever seen in sports…I couldn’t be more proud of him.” At the time Johnson signed, the Diamondbacks were in the infancy of their existence just coming off their first full season. A year which they nearly lost 100 games (97) under manager Buck Showalter. Colangelo shrewdly used one of his pro franchises at the time to ultimately help benefit the other. “His agents called me and said Randy was building a home in Phoenix and Randy wanted Suns season tickets..on the floor,” he explained. “We were just getting started as a baseball franchise and were still a couple of years away from reality. I accommodated him but I told his agent, ‘now you owe me something.'” Colangelo continued. “A couple of years go by and now he’s a free agent so I called the agent and said, ‘here’s what I would like. I want to be the first one in to meet with him and his family and his agents, but also the last one out.’ In other words, two bites of the apple.” Four consecutive Cy Young Awards and a World Series Championship and co-series MVP later it’s safe to say the decision worked out just fine for both parties. “Randy was the premiere free-agent out there and many of the skeptics said it was too big a contract, he was too old, he wasn’t going to last,” he lamented. “He proved everyone so wrong it was unbelievable.”

Duncan hired as Dbacks short-season manager By Damien Alameda / Tucson News Now http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/27787501/duncan-hired-as-dbacks-short-season-manager

HILLSBORO, OR - The defending Northwest League champion Hillsboro Hops (@HillsboroHops) will be managed in 2015 by former major league outfielder Shelley Duncan. The third-year franchise's coaching staff will include 1990 N.L. Cy Young Award-winner Doug Drabek, who returns to Hillsboro for his third year as Hops pitching coach; and Javier Colina, who spent 14 years as a minor-league infielder, including parts of four years at Triple-A. Hillsboro native and former major leaguer Ben Petrick will be with the Hops for his third year as consultant. The announcements were made Wednesday by Hillsboro's parent club, the Arizona Diamondbacks. "I've heard nothing but amazing things about the team, about the organization, the city, the whole atmosphere up there," said new Hops Manager Shelley Duncan. "I'm extremely excited about getting the opportunity to manage, and to do it up in the Northwest, in the Portland area, is great. My wife Elyse and I came to Portland for the Triple-A All-Star Game in 2009, and we've loved it ever since." Duncan played at the University of Arizona and was drafted by the Yankees in the second round in 2001. Six years later, he made his major league debut with New York, appearing in 34 games, hitting .257 with seven home runs, and going 2-for-4 in the Yankees' four-game Division Series loss to Cleveland. He spent parts of seven seasons in the major leagues-three with the Yankees (2007-09), three with Cleveland (2010-12) and one with Tampa Bay (2013), totaling 330 games. This will be his first season as manager. While with the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2009, Duncan came to Portland to play in the Triple-A All-Star Game. He also participated in the Triple-A Home Run Derby, advancing to the finals. "We look forward to adding Shelley Duncan's major-league experience and his especially his postseason experience with the Yankees to our staff," said Hops General Manager K.L. Wombacher. "Doug Drabek is one of the best pitching coaches at any level, and we're really fortunate to get him back. And Javier Colina and Ben Petrick have a wealth of baseball experience and knowledge they will bring to our young players." Drabek enters his sixth year with the Diamondbacks, and his third with Hillsboro. Last season, his championship-winning pitching staff had the lowest ERA in the Northwest League (3.64). He spent 13 seasons in the major leagues, mostly with the Pirates and Astros, going 22-6 with a 2.76 ERA in his Cy Young-winning season with the 1990 Pirates. In the postseason, Drabek was at his best, logging a 2.05 ERA in seven playoff starts. Colina's professional playing career was spent mostly in the Rockies and White Sox organizations. He hit .271 in more than 5,000 at-bats, seeing his last action as a player in 2012. This will be his second year in the Diamondbacks organization, having spent 2014 as the hitting instructor for the D-backs' affiliate in the Rookie-level Arizona League. Petrick, a lifelong Hillsboro resident, returns to the Hops' coaching staff for his third year. A second-round draft selection of the Colorado Rockies out of Glencoe High School in 1995,

│

8

he spent parts of five seasons in the major leagues with the Rockies and Detroit Tigers. J.R. House, the Hops' title-winning manager in 2014, has been promoted to Visalia, the D-backs' affiliate in the Advanced-A California League. Hitting coach Mark Grace has been elevated to the parent Diamondbacks' big-league staff, where he will serve as assistant hitting instructor. The Hillsboro Hops open the 2015 season on Thursday, June 18 in Spokane. Opening Night at Ron Tonkin Field in Hillsboro will be Tuesday, June 23 against South Division-rival Salem-Keizer. Season tickets, mini-plans and flex plans are now available at www.hillsborohops.com, or by calling 503-640-0887.

D-backs Offer Exclusive Spring Training Presale To Tucson Residents By Damien Alameda / Tucson News Now http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/27787579/d-backs-offer-exclusive-spring-training-presale-to-tucson-residents PHOENIX – The Arizona Diamondbacks announced today that Tucson residents will receive 50 percent off all 2015 Spring Training games at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick which are purchased during an exclusive one-day offer this Friday, Jan. 9. The offer, which is available at dbacks.com/spring, will take place from 10:00AM (MT) until midnight on Friday. The promotional code 15PIMA must be used in conjunction with a Pima County zip code when purchasing the tickets online. The promotion is good for up to eight tickets per account in select sections. Tickets for all 20 D-backs Spring Training home games at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick go on sale to the general public on Saturday, January 10. Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, a shared Spring Training complex between the D-backs and Colorado Rockies, exceeded 300,000 fans in 2014 for the fourth consecutive season and is the only Spring Training venue to do so in Major League Baseball. In addition, the D-backs set a single-game attendance record in 2014 with 12,871 fans on March 16 versus Milwaukee. Pitchers and catchers will report to Salt River Fields on Feb. 19 with their first workout on Feb. 20. Position players will report on Feb. 24 with the first full-squad workout on Feb. 25. Workouts are open to the public, and fans may park in the Desert Lot on the north side of the complex, which is best accessed via 90th Street off of Via de Ventura. The D-backs open their 18th Spring Training on March 3 at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick with an exhibition game against Arizona State University as part of an annual Collegiate Series. The collegiate series will take place each year for the next six seasons and the D-backs will rotate opponents between Arizona's three Division I NCAA baseball programs - ASU, University of Arizona and Grand Canyon University (GCU). For more information, and to purchase tickets for Spring Training, visit dbacks.com/spring.

Duncan leaving UA for shot to manage in minors

By Greg Hansen / Arizona Daily Star http://tucson.com/duncan-leaving-ua-for-shot-to-manage-in-minors/article_98880f56-938c-11e4-bfb3-1b973d0ffa16.html Shelley Duncan, the UA’s career home run leader, will be leaving his position as an Arizona undergraduate baseball coach to become manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Rookie League team in Hillsboro, Ore. Check back in 10 years: Duncan has the personality and acumen to be a big-league manager. Duncan, a CDO grad who retired from baseball last summer, will hold his annual Tucson Youth Baseball Association camp Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kino Sports Complex. Among those who will serve as instructors are Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy and Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler. Information: tucsonyouthbaseballassociation.org.

2008 Tucson Sidewinders By James S. Wood / Arizona Daily Star http://tucson.com/sidewinders-p/image_c5fc6389-a32a-5a22-8e54-38374d420132.html Tucson fans got a firsthand look at Randy Johnson when he began the 2008 season with a rehabilitation start for the Sidewinders against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox on opening night at Tucson Electric Park.

D-backs Baseball Academy Continues Through January By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski / Nearby News (PDF attached)

Frye Awarded $5K Grant from D-backs By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski / Nearby News (PDF attached)

Big Unit showing more sides since retirement New Hall of Famer embraces photography, visits war zones, opens up By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/105859066/hall-of-famer-randy-johnson-showing-more-sides-since-retirement NEW YORK -- The many facets of Randy Johnson were on display Wednesday as the Class of 2015 was introduced by the National Baseball Hall of Fame during a media conference. Photographer, USO volunteer, new special assistant with the D-backs, former left-handed pitcher for six teams -- Arizona twice -- and now utterly eloquent. "I was really naïve about all of this," Johnson said during a post-conference scrum. "I had a real nice press conference with the media in Arizona yesterday. And if you New York people can believe it, I was really funny. They were laughing. As I told them: 22 years and the expectations that came along with it as I came into my own, I enjoyed moments. And I wish I would have shared more moments outwardly. I guess that just wasn't me." But this is where Johnson, at 51, is now. He'll be inducted into the Hall on July 26 in Cooperstown, N.Y., along with fellow pitchers John Smoltz and Pedro Martinez and the multi-

│

9

positioned, 3,060-hit lifetime member of the Astros, Craig Biggio. It's the largest class elected by eligible members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America since 1955 when Joe DiMaggio highlighted that quartet. Consider this Johnson's reintroduction to the sport he dominated for more than two decades, winning 303 games, striking out an all-time second-best 4,875 batters, pitching a perfect game, capturing five Cy Young Awards and co-sharing the 2001 World Series MVP with D-backs teammate Curt Schilling. Johnson may be most identified for his eight years and two stints with the D-backs, who on Tuesday made him a front-office member and said they would retire his No. 51 this season or next in the wake of the Big Unit's election with 97.3 percent of the vote. But Johnson also was brought up by the Expos, played 10 years with the Mariners, went 10-1 with a 1.28 ERA in 11 late-season 1998 starts for the Astros, won 34 games (17 and 17) in two seasons for the Yankees and recorded his 300th career win in 2009 with the hometown Giants. He grew up in nearby Livermore, Calif. It's not clear at this point whether any of those logos will appear on Johnson's plaque, but what he made clear Wednesday was that after all those years competing at the highest levels of Major League Baseball, he needed a break. "When I retired from San Francisco, I didn't cut my ties from baseball because baseball has meant too much to me," he explained. "I was in constant contact with Derrick Hall, the president of the D-backs, various teammates and players and all that, but really after 26 years of doing anything, you need a little bit of time with your family and basically a little bit of time to do the things you want to do." A photo journalism major at USC, Johnson set out all over the world shooting pictures of places he longed to see, going to Africa and hitting the road with musician friends. He took seven tours with the USO, visiting military camps in some of the hottest war spots in the Middle East. "It took me out of this surreal world that I lived in," he said. The 6-foot-10 Johnson made a large target during visits to Germany where wounded soldiers are transported before they are sent back to the U.S., to Afghanistan where he dodged an incoming mortar attack, to South Korea where he stood on the border of North Korea in the Demilitarized Zone, to Bahrain "where kids slightly older than my oldest child were carrying M-16s." "If that's not going to be eye-opening to you, nothing will be in life," Johnson said. "It puts things into perspective." And so, like several other players who were somewhat recalcitrant during their on-field careers, Johnson has returned a little older and much wiser. Ryne Sandberg and Eddie Murray are two others who became chatterboxes since their elections to the Hall. Both maintained they tried to make themselves inaccessible to the media during their playing days because they didn't want to expend the energy needed to attain and maintain a level of acute proficiency.

And so it now seems to be the case with the sometimes and onetime irascible Johnson, who's not afraid to share his opinions anymore. Asked who he thought should be in the Hall of Fame, Johnson didn't hesitate, saying former Mariners teammate Edgar Martinez "because he's the best hitter I ever saw; he's the first player on the ballot that would get my vote." Johnson's viewpoint evidently has changed. "When I was slightly removed from baseball, I was involved with real moments I could share with [fans] who would come up to me and say, 'Hey, I saw you pitch in Seattle, early in the Kingdome,'" he said. "And that meant a lot. But more importantly, it means a lot what you're doing, just giving back. I'm just trying to get across what I was occupied with. I wasn't on a deserted island. I was just enjoying life." And now, he says, he'll try to help the D-backs "in some capacity," just like Luis Gonzalez has already, working in the community alongside Hall and filling in on television broadcasts when necessary. Gonzalez, whose walk-off base hit against Yankees closer Mariano Rivera ended Game 7 of the 2001 World Series in Arizona's favor, is the only D-backs player to have his number retired. Gonzo wore No. 20 and sometime soon, Johnson's No. 51 will join those digits on the facade of the right-field upper stands of Chase Field. It's a whole new life. "I'm very excited about that," Johnson said about working with the D-backs. "I'll still do my travel and my photography. But the Hall of Fame and who's on the ballot was the furthest thing from my mind. I didn't even know how it all worked and how the wheels were spinning. Now being thrown into the fire, I'll probably pay a little more attention. Now being part of this [Hall of Fame] family, I'll watch how things operate."

Day after vote, 'old goats' talk Hall of Fame, honor By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/105762364/day-after-vote-old-goats-talk-hall-of-fame-honor NEW YORK -- For the Class of 2015, the next stop is Cooperstown, N.Y. Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio were officially introduced by the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the latest inductees during a Wednesday news conference at the Waldorf Astoria. Martinez called the trio of first-ballot pitchers and the 24th member of the 3,000-hit club a "bunch of old goats." All of them will be inducted four hours to the north in the tiny hamlet nestled on the banks of Lake Otsego on July 26. Smoltz has been there before. "Last year, working for MLB Network was the greatest feeling," said Smoltz, who was on hand this past July when Braves manager Bobby Cox and Atlanta rotation mates Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine were among the six people inducted. "I've been to great sporting events: the Super Bowl, Final Four, you

│

10

name it. Nothing topped last year. It was the greatest event I've ever been a part of." And that's saying something since Smoltz played in the World Series five times with the Braves, helping to defeat the Indians in a six-game series in 1995 and losing a classic Game 7 in '91, 1-0, in 10 innings to the Twins and Jack Morris, who pitched a complete game. Smoltz was not the other pitcher of record after pitching 7 1/3 shutout innings of his own. Between now and the summer, each player will have his individual orientation tour of the red-brick museum on Main Street, and they will determine what, if any, team logo will appear on his plaque. For Biggio and Smoltz, there is no decision. Biggio played his entire 20-year career with the Astros, amassing 3,060 hits, including a record 668 doubles as a right-handed hitter. Smoltz pitched the first 20 of his 21 seasons with the Braves, finishing about evenly with 15 starts for St. Louis and Boston in 2009. For Johnson and Martinez, the choice is difficult. Martinez is most identified for his seven years with the Red Sox, although he came up with the Dodgers, was traded to the Expos, signed as a free agent with the Mets and finished in 2009 with the Phillies, losing Game 6 of the World Series in the Bronx to the Yankees and Andy Pettitte in his finale. Johnson may be most identified for his eight years in two stints with the D-backs, who made him an executive vice president and said they would retire his No. 51 this season in the wake of the Big Unit's election with 97.3 percent of the vote from eligible members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America on Tuesday. But Johnson also was brought up by the Expos, played 10 years with the Mariners, went 10-1 with a 1.28 ERA in 11 late-season starts for the Astros in 1998, won 34 games (17 and 17) in two seasons for the Yankees and recorded his 300th career win in 2009 with the Giants. Both pitchers could take the route chosen last year by Maddux and Tony La Russa, who both went into the Hall with no logo on their plaques, because they didn't want to offend any of the organizations they worked for. Maddux pitched 23 seasons for four teams, playing 11 years with Smoltz on the Braves and 10 in two stints with the Cubs. La Russa managed 33 years for the White Sox, A's and Cardinals, making the playoffs with all three teams and winning six pennants and three World Series titles between Oakland and St. Louis. Thus far, Johnson has not committed, but they all will be asked for their input. "Right now, I'm just celebrating the 22 years that I played and being inducted in the Hall of Fame," said Johnson, who pitched a perfect game, was co-MVP of the 2001 World Series and won four of his five Cy Young Awards with the D-backs. "That's out of my control. It's more of a Hall of Fame decision. I'll cross that bridge in the next couple of days, from what I understand." Unlike Smoltz, Johnson said he hasn't been to Cooperstown since 1985, when he pitched for Class A Jamestown as a 21-year-old in the New York-Penn League and visited the museum.

"I'm sure it's a little bit bigger now," Johnson said. "Obviously being mentored by some Hall of Fame players during my 22-year career and meeting Hall of Fame players along the way, I'm very excited to be on the stage and be in their presence. I'm now in one of the greatest fraternities of all sports." Biggio, who grew up on Long Island, said he hasn't been back to Cooperstown since he was a little boy, although his wife and youngest son have since toured the museum. "I don't really remember a lot about it," he said. "My youngest son went up with my wife and played in a Little League World Series thing, and they shared their experience. [Hall president] Jeff [Idelson] took them [in the archives] under the Hall of Fame and showed them some stuff we have in there. They wouldn't shut up when they got home about all the things that they'd seen and the plaques and some of the people they heard about. I'm looking forward to getting back there and seeing all the history again and being part of that. It's crazy. We're part of history now." Martinez has been to the museum several times and actually pitched in the Hall of Fame Game last year at Doubleday Field, a stone's throw down Main Street from the museum. Martinez is the first player to play in Cooperstown one year and then be inducted the next. "When I first got a chance to go, I was an Expo, a young Expo," said Martinez, the second native of the Dominican Republic set to be inducted, joining Juan Marichal. "I always was a guy who likes to search and learn and see history. I got glued to everything I saw in Cooperstown. My eyes were glued to every statue, every plaque from everybody. I couldn't help but to look at the gloves we used back then. I couldn't imagine how they could catch a ball hit off a bat that fast. "It was a tremendous experience. I went looking for Marichal's plaque, and I got a lot more. I'm extremely honored to be going back and being part of it and being looked at as an old goat. That's what we became: We're a bunch of old goats now." Aside from his experience last year, Smoltz played with the Braves in what was then an annual exhibition game between Major League teams that for years was staged on Monday, a day after the induction. "We came through here when they used to do that, and it was a blur [of a trip]," he said. "[Last year] was seeing my teammates that I knew, seeing my manager who I basically played for my whole career, and I had a smile on for five hours. It was such a surreal feeling. This was something that I felt for the first time: 'What if?' Everyone kind of assumes the three of us together and links us together. Everyone assumes we got six inches off the plate [from the umpires] -- I didn't, by the way. "Having seen it come around full circle, I never said anything to Tommy or Greg after that day. I never asked them what it was like, where they stayed, none of that stuff. I pretty much kept this process as pure as possible. Finding out that I'm going to go there on July 26 is probably the only way it could have topped last year."

Popular infielder McDonald calls it a career

│

11

Listed at 5-foot-9, defensive-minded player enjoyed 16 years in bigs with eight teams By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/105823936/popular-infielder-john-mcdonald-calls-it-a-career ANAHEIM -- John McDonald, who willed his way through a 16-year career with eight different teams as a backup infielder, has decided to retire from the game at age 40. News of his decision spread Wednesday, when four teams -- the Indians, Blue Jays, D-backs and Angels -- offered up congratulations through their individual Twitter accounts. McDonald was that popular. He was only 5-foot-9, never had much power, didn't possess great arm strength and couldn't even run that fast, but he established himself as an ideal backup infielder thanks to lightning-quick hands, a slick glove, unmatched work ethic and innate smarts. He was a favorite in every clubhouse, popular among beat reporters all over the country and was cheered at almost every ballpark he returned to as a visitor. McDonald played in 1,100 games from 1999-2014, spending seven years each with the Indians and Blue Jays. He backed up Omar Vizquel in Cleveland, played on four teams in 2013 -- Pirates, Indians, Phillies, Red Sox -- and also made stops with the D-backs, Tigers and, lastly, Angels. ----

Cleveland Indians ✔ @Indians Congrats to John McDonald on his retirement from baseball. Job well done to one of the game's all-time good guys. ---- The Connecticut product won a job with the Angels in Spring Training -- after agreeing to his first Minor League contract -- and spent the entire regular season on their active roster, primarily serving as a late-game defensive replacement for third baseman David Freese. McDonald always felt the game would be the one to retire him. "I never really thought it was up to me to retire," McDonald said as the 2014 season was winding down. "I always thought the 30 teams would retire me when they decide I'm no longer worthy of one of those spots." ----

Angels ✔ @Angels Congrats to John McDonald on his retirement from baseball. Job well done to one of the all-time good guys in the game ---- McDonald averaged only 41 starts per season, but continually found work thanks to his sharp defensive skills and winning personality. He produced a .233/.273/.323 slash line with 28 homers in 2,651 career plate appearances, but he had 15 Defensive Runs Saved in 1,376 innings at second base, and 51 Defensive Runs Saved in 4,082 innings at shortstop.

Upon turning 40 on Sept. 24, McDonald talked about how surprised he was that he even played past 30. "At some point I wanted five years service time, and then seven and a half would've been great, 10 would've been great," he said. "And then, as I kept on playing, I was like, 'Man, I'm only a couple years away from 40. It'd be nice to still be playing the game at 40.' Sitting here now, it's a nice little sense of accomplishment." ----

Blue Jays-Official ✔ @BlueJays Congrats to John McDonald on his retirement from baseball. Job well done to one of the all-time good guys in the game ---- Along the way, McDonald feels he proved something. "There's a lot of reasons that go into why you keep someone like me around," he said, "which I think bodes well for the next guy who's in my shoes." McDonald is married with two children, Jacqueline and Anthony, whom he'll now spend a lot more time with -- unless another team scoops him up as a coach. He sensed the end was near on Sept. 28, during the regular-season finale at Safeco Field. ----

Arizona Diamondbacks ✔ @Dbacks Congrats to John McDonald on his retirement from baseball. Job well done to one of the all-time good guys in the game ---- McDonald entered in the fifth inning and laced an RBI double in the ninth, ensuring that the Angels would go an entire season without getting shut out on the road. McDonald kept the ball and fought back tears after the game. "It's a good feeling to get one more hit," McDonald said, just before learning that he wouldn't crack the Angels' postseason roster. "It might have more meaning later."

Perseverant Johnny Mac leaves legacy in retirement After 16-year MLB career, McDonald remembered fondly by all By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/105845610/anthony-castrovince-perseverant-john-mcdonald-leaves-fond-legacy-in-retirement The inside joke was that John McDonald didn't want to upstage Tuesday's Hall of Fame announcement. And so it was Wednesday afternoon that four Major League clubs simultaneously used their official Twitter accounts to spread the news of McDonald's official retirement from the big leagues. Think about that. Four clubs -- the Indians, D-backs, Angels and Blue Jays -- felt fond enough about this scrappy little journeyman utility guy that they all wanted some part of his goodbye.

│

12

And sure, it was just a tweet. And sure, John McDonald's retirement is no seismic announcement. But guys like Johnny Mac are what many of us love about this game. Guys generously listed at 5-foot-9, 185 pounds. Guys who use their great glove and their pleasant personality to survive in a brutally competitive climate, in spite of uninspiring offensive stats. Guys who bounce from team to team and yet leave a lasting mark with the many men and women behind the scenes. ----

Arizona Diamondbacks ✔ @Dbacks Congrats to John McDonald on his retirement from baseball. Job well done to one of the all-time good guys in the game ---- There's no Hall of Fame for guys like Johnny Mac, but I, for one, emitted an audible, "Wow!" when I called up his Baseball Reference page Wednesday and realized he participated in 16 big-league seasons. That's survival. That's impressive. "I went 16 years without ever getting released!" he told me proudly. "That's awesome. I don't know how that happened." Actually, here's how it happened: McDonald learned, quickly, that while being one of the last guys on a roster does mean your job is under constant threat from others in the organization, it shouldn't preclude you from being a good and helpful teammate and dispensing whatever knowledge you can. And just because you're one of the guys who take the field, it doesn't mean you should lose sight of the value of those who don't. People noticed that. People liked Johnny Mac. And Johnny Mac kept sticking around. ----

Blue Jays-Official ✔ @BlueJays Congrats to John McDonald on his retirement from baseball. Job well done to one of the all-time good guys in the game ---- McDonald was a 12th-round Draft pick who signed with the Indians in 1996, looked around the clubhouse his first day in rookie ball at Watertown and knew this was going to be an uphill battle all the way. "There were so many kids," he said. "You're thinking, 'This kid played at Pepperdine, this kid was at North Carolina, how the heck am I going to fit into this?'" And he'd have that thought every year. Maybe the Indians would draft a shortstop in an early round. Or maybe the Angels, the final team the 40-year-old McDonald played for, would call up a hungry and talented kid like Grant Green. For a guy like Johnny Mac, there were always threats to what little, if any, job security he had. But it was a conversation with Omar Vizquel early in his big league days that helped him realize the bottom line. "We were talking about infield play," McDonald recalled. "He was teaching me things, showing me things, and I'm thinking,

'Man, this is helping me an awful lot. This guy is extremely secure in his job. He has no fear anybody is ever going to take his job.' From that moment on, I thought, 'Why can't I have that same attitude? I know I'm never going to be the same player he was or is, but why can't I have that same mentality of teaching younger players in Spring Training about their footwork or ways to become a better player?' And then, every year, I was one of those guys who ended up on the big league club. I don't think that was a coincidence. You get what you give." What McDonald gave, invariably, was his time and attention to the little people -- the security guys, the clubhouse attendants, the bat boys and, yes, the reporters who crossed his path. "Everybody who walks into those buildings wants to win a championship as much as the players and coaches do," he said. ----

Cleveland Indians ✔ @Indians

Congrats to John McDonald on his retirement from baseball. Job well done to one of the game's all-time good guys. ---- Indians PR man Bart Swain became so close to Johnny Mac that Swain asked him to be the godfather of his son. "His best friends in the game are all guys that are non-uniform," Swain said. "He treated clubbies and PR guys and traveling secretaries like they were equals. And he's one of those guys who wasn't an everyday player but was still considered a leader. That's an amazing asset to have." Not that McDonald didn't have assets on the field. There was this thing his Double-A team, the Akron Aeros, would post on the scoreboard whenever he snared a would-be hit in the hole and fired over to first or started a double play with second baseman Marco Scutaro: "You've just been Johnny Mac'd!" the scoreboard would read. "Somebody sent me a picture of that after a play I turned on Doug Mientkiewicz," McDonald said. "I showed it to him once, and he said, 'I hated that!'" McDonald would inspire similar hate in the big leagues, where his glovework was always reliable all around the infield. Ever see that 720-degree putout he made on Yangervis Solarte last season? Fun stuff. And though his .596 career OPS obviously didn't lend itself to a multitude of heroic offensive feats, Johnny Mac did have one of the more memorable home runs of recent history. Five days before Father's Day in 2010, his dad, Jack, succumbed to an eight-month battle with liver cancer. And on Father's Day, in his first game back with the Blue Jays, McDonald went deep in the ninth, thinking of his dad every step in that trip around the bases. "That was unique in a lot of ways," he said. "Having my teammates in the organization having a sense of we were all in that one together. Everybody in the organization and the people

│

13

in the stands were all kind of hoping and breathing hard to get that one over the wall for me. That was pretty special." Another special moment came in the midst of last season, when the Red Sox, for whom McDonald played all of six games in 2013, received a World Series ring from the club. His wife, Maura, a Boston native, had the honor of picking it up for him during a game at Fenway Park. It was a big thrill for the family. Donald never expected any of this. He watched the video cassette of his first big league hit, in 1999, one day recently. He saw himself give a little head nod and exhale. And he remembers what he thought after that game: "What do I do now?" His goals were modest, but McDonald kept hanging in there, year after year. And when he notched one last double in the ninth inning of the Angels' final game of the regular season, his teammates, knowing this was probably the end for the Little Infielder That Could, gave him a hearty round of applause. They appreciated what all of us should: You don't have to be a Hall of Famer to be a success in this game. Mere survival is pretty impressive on its own. Congrats, Johnny Mac. ----

Angels ✔ @Angels Congrats to John McDonald on his retirement from baseball. Job well done to one of the all-time good guys in the game ----

Davis clearly remembers homer served up to Big Unit Former Brewers lefty allowed only blast hit by Hall of Famer Johnson in 2003 By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com http://m.brewers.mlb.com/news/article/105852172/doug-davis-remembers-clearly-home-run-served-up-to-randy-johnson-in-2003 MILWAUKEE -- Former Brewers pitcher Doug Davis has a good sense of humor about his unique place in Hall of Famer Randy Johnson's career. "I'm happy I was in a position to help him out, I guess," Davis said. Johnson pitched 22 seasons in the Major Leagues, won five Cy Young Awards, struck out more batters than any left-handed pitcher in history and hit one home run -- off Davis at Miller Park on Sept. 19, 2003, when Johnson was with the D-backs. Davis still remembers it clearly. "I'm proud I was able to pitch against Randy," Davis said by telephone on Wednesday, while Johnson, Craig Biggio, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz were in New York being introduced together as the Hall of Fame's class of 2015. "I don't really know how I feel about [the Johnson home run], but it doesn't bother me. It was a 2-0 cut fastball that went from out to in, pretty much right over the plate. I think he was just as surprised as everybody else."

Davis was surprised that Johnson would swing in a 2-0 count. Johnson appeared surprised that the baseball sailed all the way to the bullpen over the left-field wall, since he sprinted out of the batter's box and around first base before settling into a trot. He'd found the perfect spot to hit a baseball out of hitter-friendly Miller Park. The D-backs' dugout erupted, but Johnson remained stone-faced. "When he touched home plate, I could tell he wanted to smile, but he didn't want to show me up out there on the mound," said Davis, who noted that Johnson threw him a diet of sliders in subsequent at-bats, unwilling to give Davis an opportunity to answer. The smile came later. Davis and Johnson played together in Arizona in 2007-08, and Johnson greeted Davis with a big smile when the two met for the first time in Spring Training. It took only a few days before the home run came up in conversation. "I was like, 'I knew that stuff was going to come up!'" Davis said. "Randy was dry and sort of quiet, but we joked about it. He never rubbed it in or anything like that. It's part of baseball. I gave up a lot of home runs to hitters, pitchers -- it didn't matter who it was." How's this for a coincidence: Davis also surrendered the first career home run of Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo's career. Gallardo, in turn, is the only pitcher ever to homer off Johnson. Davis enjoyed a long career of his own that spanned 17 professional seasons, including parts of 13 years in the Major Leagues with five teams. He was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2008 but pitched in the Majors through 2011 and professionally through '12 before retiring. Davis has remained busy as a father of four and remains golf buddies with a number of former and current Brewers, including Chris Capuano, Manny Parra, Kameron Loe and Kyle Lohse.

Warm up with the official release of spring slate By Adam Berry / MLB.com http://m.mlb.com/news/article/105805538/warm-up-with-the-official-release-of-spring-training-schedule It's been a busy offseason packed with blockbuster trades and big free-agent signings, and there are still more moves to come. But we're now less than two months away from the familiar sight of games on the field, as Major League Baseball announced the 2015 Spring Training schedule on Wednesday. The exhibition schedule in Florida will begin on March 1, with the Phillies taking on the University of Tampa at Bright House Field in Clearwater. Clubs in Arizona will begin taking the field on March 3, most notably a Bay Area showdown between the Giants and A's at the renovated HoHoKam Stadium in Mesa. All 30 teams will be on the field on March 5. That's when we should get our first real glimpse at the new-and-improved Padres and the revamped Red Sox. We'll see Joe Maddon perched at the end of the Cubs' dugout, perhaps with Jon Lester on the mound. We'll see familiar faces -- and a few new ones in different

│

14

uniforms -- as each club begins to round into form for the regular season. We'll also see a flashback to October, as the defending World Series champion Giants will face the American League champion Royals on March 22 at Surprise Stadium, and again on March 23 at Scottsdale Stadium. Amid the usual Grapefruit and Cactus League action, some teams will travel outside the sunny confines of Florida and Arizona. The Cubs and A's will play two split-squad games in Las Vegas on March 13-14. The Dodgers and Rangers will send split squads to San Antonio on March 20-21. And the split-squad Rockies and D-backs will take the field in Hermosillo, Mexico, on March 29. Several clubs have yet to announce when they will officially begin Spring Training, but the Phillies, Pirates, Reds and Indians are among those who will see their pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 18. As the regular season draws nearer, some clubs will make their way to Major League and Minor League ballparks from April 2-4 to wrap up their spring slate. The Dodgers and Angels will square off in their home parks, the Giants and A's will play back in the Bay Area, and the Astros will play their Minor League club in Corpus Christi, Texas, to name a few. That all leads up to Sunday, April 5, when the Cubs will host the Cardinals at Wrigley Field to open the 2015 regular season on ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" at 8 p.m. ET. Fourteen more games are scheduled for April 6, with eight more to come on April 7 before the first full slate of 15 regular-season games on April 8.

Hall vote epitomizes the essence of election By Mike Bauman / MLB.com http://m.mlb.com/news/article/105906792/mike-bauman-hall-vote-epitomizes-the-essence-of-election The Hall of Fame voting process is not broken. It is simply more difficult than it used to be. There was considerable gnashing of teeth two years ago when the voters elected no one. It was unfair, it was unjust, it was maybe even un-American. It wasn't much fun, either. Elections are generally not held with the expectation that no one will win. But we are on ground that seems much solid today, as the voters in the 2015 Hall of Fame election, eligible members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, most of the same individuals who elected no one in 2013, elected four completely deserving candidates; Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio. Being one of the voters in this process for more than two decades, I may not be completely impartial in this judgment. But I thought the outcome of this election made perfect sense, at least in some ways. Let us examine that premise in three categories of results in this election.

1. In the cases of the four players who were elected, there shouldn't be any serious dissension about any of these Cooperstown-bound individuals. And the voters didn't exhibit any first-ballot hesitation. The three newcomers to the ballot were all received on the basis of merit, rather than their status as rookies in the Hall voting process. This is the toughest Hall to enter in North American professional sports. In any given year, there will always be viable candidates who aren't elected. This is the nature of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The election of four candidates for the first time in 60 years shows that the election process, while still very difficult, has not lapsed into the impossible. 2. Two candidates, who had Hall-worthy credentials but who have been damaged by rumors of performance-enhancing substance usage, finished with a majority of votes, but not the 75 percent necessary for induction. Rumors shouldn't be enough to disqualify a candidate, which is why Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell get my vote on an annual basis. In the absence of factual evidence, the presumption of innocence should still apply. Piazza gained considerable support from last year to this year. Both of these candidacies should eventually prevail. 3. Then we have four more players associated with the use of performance-enhancers, including one admission of usage. Two of the most prominent performers of their era, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds, continue to receive less than 40 percent of the vote for their third straight year on the ballot. Mark McGwire is down to 10 percent of the vote and Sammy Sosa narrowly retains ballot eligibility at 6.6 percent. But this is where the difficulty enters, no matter which side of the argument a voter chooses to take. These candidates all have Hall of Fame credentials. So these cases require a voter to make not a baseball choice, not a statistical choice, not even an advanced analytics choice. These cases require a moral choice. These cases require the voters to at least contemplate the rules of this election, which include this prominent passage: "Voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played." Integrity, sportsmanship, character; I don't find that there is any room in there for steroid use. But there are people for whom I have great professional respect who vote the other side of this issue. These sorts of disagreements are what make elections, and horse races, and in a larger way, democracies. Voting in this election remains a rare privilege and a solemn obligation. It is now a more complex undertaking than it once was, but that doesn't mean it is no longer a workable process. We all have candidates who we wish would receive more votes. There will always be arguments that the Hall is not inclusive enough. That is the nature of every Hall of Fame election. But

│

15

this year's election illustrated that the underlying process still makes sense and still remains viable.

D-backs sign infielder Nick Punto By Associated Press http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12133105/arizona-diamondbacks-sign-nick-punto-minor-league-contract PHOENIX -- Infielder Nick Punto has agreed to a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks that includes an invitation to spring training. Arizona announced the deal Wednesday. If the Diamondbacks add Punto to their 40-man roster, they will have to pay him only the major league minimum of $507,500 -- or a prorated share if he's added after Opening Day. Punto is guaranteed $2.75 million from the Oakland Athletics, who released him in December. Punto has played for six clubs in parts of 14 major league seasons. He has a career .243 batting average. Last season, he appeared in 73 games with the A's, hitting .207. Punto spent time with Philadelphia, Minnesota, St. Louis, Boston, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland.

Baseball's Hall of Fame in midst of unlikely growth spurt By Joe Lemire / USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/01/07/hall-of-fame-2015-pedro-martinez-randy-johnson-john-smoltz-craig-biggio/21398237/ NEW YORK - Pedro Martinez revealed that, as an 18-year-old minor leaguer, he spent the last $250 he had saved to buy a ball autographed by Reggie Jackson. Randy Johnson spoke with reverence about talking shop in the Yankees clubhouse with Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford. These are but two examples of the respect the new class of Baseball Hall of Famers — pitchers Johnson, Martinez and John Smoltz, as well as versatile position player Craig Biggio — have for the bygone legends of their game. Of course, after concurrently dominating the sport for the better part of two decades apiece, there's also tremendous appreciation for each other. "What a class to go in," Martinez said, before addressing his fellow electees on the dais at the Waldorf-Astoria in Midtown Manhattan: "Don't forget, you guys, you have give me an autograph before you leave." As early as summer 2004, commissioner Bud Selig declared that baseball was in a "golden age," though it is now understood as one inflated by and conflated with the Steroid Era. Many of the record-breaking statistics from the late 1990s and early 2000s require a bit of recalibration. In light of various bits of evidence, a few confessions and a whole lot of (at times unwarranted) suspicion, the Baseball Writers Association of American — the electorate charged with deciding players' Hall of Fame fates — now holds candidates to

increasing amounts of scrutiny, both with regard to statistics and their legitimacy. Though the writers failed to vote in any player two years ago, they just voted in four for the first time in 60 years. It's been just as long since they had selected seven over two years, which includes last year's induction of pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine and slugger Frank Thomas. The writers have never elected 10 in a three-year span. Yet on next year's ballot, Ken Griffey Jr. is a first-ballot lock while Mike Piazza was just 28 votes short this year and closer Trevor Hoffman is another strong first-time candidate Additionally, among players currently eligible, Tim Raines and Jeff Bagwell both reached 55% this year, while pitchers Mike Mussina and Curt Schilling have vocal minority support. Vladimir Guerrero, Ivan Rodriguez, Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Scott Rolen and Andruw Jones all become eligible in 2017 or '18. This list doesn't even include many of their peers with historically great numbers — Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Rafael Palmeiro and Sammy Sosa, among others — whose suspicion of steroid use was too overwhelming. In other words, despite all the fan handwringing and Internet scorn pillorying writers' ballots, the Hall is growing rapidly through the enshrinement of players who starred in the '90s and '00s without the inclusion of many of the era's top statistical performers. There seem to be so many deserving candidates falling short each year that the BBWAA has asked the Hall of Fame to consider a proposal to allow writers to vote for up to 12 candidates each year instead of 10. "I'm not saying how people should vote, but you'd think there would be the people that are here and obviously several more that were on that ballot all deserving," Johnson said. "I don't really know how the whole political voting kind of thing goes, but I know this is something that I never imagined." After all, Johnson noted, Cooperstown enshrinement isn't on any player's mind in the early stages of their careers. "You don't play to go to the Hall of Fame," he said. Martinez said that he visited the Hall for the first time as a young Expo and was entranced by everything he saw, from countryman Juan Marichal's plaque to the antique gloves players used a century ago. "I've always been the guy who likes to search, to learn, to see history," Martinez said. "I got glued to everything I saw in Cooperstown." That was back before Martinez won his three Cy Youngs and five ERA titles; before Johnson won 303 games or struck out 4,875 batters, second-most all-time; before Smoltz won 213 games and saved 154 others; and before Biggio racked up 3,060 hits and 668 doubles, fifth in history, while making All-Star games as both a catcher and second baseman. The odds are against all players back then. At this post-election press conference each year, Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson

│

16

likes to remind everyone that only about 1% of the roughly 18,500 major leaguers are inducted into the Hall. A rush from the 'Golden Era' The writers are on track, however, to send a disproportionately high number of ballplayers into the Hall from the '90s and '00s. Given the distance of time, there seems to be a maturing perspective that, even though a lot of the record-breaking statistics were distorted by performance-enhancing drugs, there also may have been an abnormally large number of great players. Those obviously fueled by PEDs are being excluded. Those inducted, on the other hand, are in only after extremely rigorous vetting, and there's no reason for them to apologize for playing in the era they did. "Who knows what the best era is," Smoltz said, before extolling the offensive explosion that happened during his career — and yet five starting pitchers from that time period were successful enough to be elected in the past two years after only one starter, Bert Blyleven, had been elected over the previous 14 years. As Biggio marveled, the importance of Tuesday's vote dawning on him, "We're part of history now." And the players of his era may come to be known as some of the best. Perhaps the Steroid Era and a golden age of great players are not mutually exclusive but, rather, can coexist in the halls of Cooperstown.

Curt Schilling says he lost Hall of Fame votes because he's a Republican By Mike Oz / Yahoo! Sports http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/curt-schilling-says-he-lost-hall-of-fame-votes-because-he-s-a-republican-192514435.html Curt Schilling doesn't believe in evolution, but he apparently believes this: Some Hall of Fame voters didn't put a checkmark next to his name because he's an outspoken Republican. Well, that's certainly one theory, Curt, isn't it? There's a legitimate reason to wonder why Schilling didn't get anywhere near the support from voters that John Smoltz did. Their numbers aren't that different, except for Smoltz's save total. Smoltz was elected on his first ballot, earning 82.9 percent of the vote. Schilling, meanwhile, got 39.2 percent on his third ballot. The JAWS Hall of Fame evaluation method, however, says Schilling is better than Smoltz, 64.5 vs. 54.2 on the JAWS scale. Schilling appeared Wednesday on Boston radio station WEEI, telling the Dennis and Callahan show that he thinks his political leanings certainly didn't help. Asked why Smoltz did so much better than him on the ballot, Schilling said: "The fact that [the Braves] won 14 straight pennants. I think his 'Swiss Army knife versatility,' which is what somebody said yesterday. I think he got a lot of accolades for that. I think he got a lot of recognition for that. He's a Hall of Famer. The other big thing is, I think he's a Democrat. I know that as a Republican that there's some people that really don't like that.”

Lest you think Schilling was just joking or being goofy, he was asked in a follow-up whether he thought he would have gotten at least 100 more votes if weren't an "outspoken Republican." His response: “Absolutely. When human beings do something, anything, there's bias and prejudice,” Schilling said. “Listen, nine percent of the voters did not vote for Pedro. There's something wrong with the process and some of the people in the process when that happens. I don't think that it kept me out or anything like that but I do know there are guys who probably will never vote for me because of the things I said or did. That's the way it works.” Schilling is outspoken about this beliefs — any ol' belief really, not just politics — but he did publicly endorse George W. Bush during the 2004 election against John Kerry. But let's be real: the logjammed Hall of Fame ballot, which was deep with starting pitchers, had more to do with Schilling's vote total than anything about him personally. We're not going to sit here and say Hall of Fame voters don't have odd agendas. There's the guy who thought Pedro Martinez was a "punk," for example. But picking on someone's politics seems iffy. Even though it might not always seem like it, our nation is pretty evenly split, thus the pool of American baseball players is the same. Has there been a problem of Republican players getting Hall of Fame votes before? Not that we've heard of. Tom Glavine's a Republican, maybe just not as outspoken about it. Nolan Ryan is. Many athletes are, just like many citizens of this country. Not voting for Schilling because he's a Republican would be like giving him a sympathy vote because he recently beat cancer — in this conversation, neither matters. UPDATE: Schilling said Wednesday afternoon on Twitter that was just joking. @MoRings42 Listen to the interview, then shut your pie hole. It was said in jest you dink. — Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) January 7, 2015 @h20gony Listen to it, said in jest and laughed about. But folks get butthurt on things they want to, so they can yell like 12 year olds. — Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) January 7, 2015

Diamondbacks To Sign Nick Punto By Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/ 12:10pm: Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports that it’s a minor league contract with an invite to big league camp (Twitter link). 11:49am: The Diamondbacks have agreed to terms with veteran utilityman Nick Punto, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (Twitter link). He is represented by agent Jeff Caulfield.

│

17

Punto, who turned 37 in November, hit just .207/.296/.293 in 224 plate appearances for the Athletics last season after signing a one-year, $2.75MM contract. Nonetheless, Punto received enough playing time in Oakland and stayed healthy enough that he had a $2.75MM option vest for the 2015 season. However, Oakland ultimately elected to release Punto in December when they needed to clear a 40-man roster spot. He’ll still be paid the $2.75MM from the A’s, but it’s unclear at this time if his contract is a Major League or minor legaue deal. Though Punto has never hit much outside of a solid 2006 season with Minnesota and a small sample of 166 plate appearances with the 2011 Cardinals, he’s historically been a very capable defender at second base, third base and shortstop. His defense has slipped a bit as he’s aged, but the switch-hitter is likely still capable of backing up the D-Backs at three infield spots. Of course, the same could be said about the much younger Cliff Pennington. It’s possible that the D-Backs will look to flip Pennington and his $3.275MM salary to a team with an infield need, but Punto could also merely be a depth piece that will come to camp and compete for a job.

The greatest generation The pitchers of the Selig Era were the best in baseball history By Joe Posnanski / NBCSports.com http://sportsworld.nbcsports.com/the-greatest-generation/ Let’s talk about the greatest era for starting pitchers in baseball history. Well, before we do that, let’s begin with a few things you probably know about the Bud Selig Era, which, for our purposes, we will say was between 1994-2004: 1. More runs were scored in that period than at any time in baseball history. This had a lot to do with expansion – more teams means more runs – but it also was because of a wave of offense not seen in baseball since the 1930s, when there were many fewer teams and a shorter schedule. 2. More home runs were hit during that stretch than at any time in baseball history. Before 1994, there had only been one season – that crazy, juiced-ball season in 1987 – when teams averaged a homer per game. Between 1994-2004, teams averaged at least one homer per game every single season. 3. Before 1994, a total of 18 players had 50-plus homers in a season – that’s in the long history of baseball – and nobody had hit more than 61 in a season. From 1994-2004, another 18 players hit 50-plus homers, and players hit 63, 64, 65, 66, 70 and 73 home runs in single years. 4. For thirty seasons – 1964-93 – the major-league ERA was 3.74. From 1994-2004, the major league ERA was 4.49. None of this is surprising. You already know that the Selig Era – that turbulent time with labor strife and small strike zones and hitters wearing body armor, that turbulent time without drug testing or humidors or excessive defensive shifts – was famous for offense, for home runs, for unbearably long 11-9 games, usually played in Baltimore. You already know that the most distinctive features of the Selig Era were Barry Bonds home runs that landed in the Bay, and Sammy Sosa kisses to heaven, and

Mark McGwire’s titanic batting practice home runs played to enormous crowds. You know the era. Right? John Gardner, the former Secretary of Health, once said this: “History never looks like history when you are living through it.” And it turns out the Selig Era was about pitching all along. * * * Here’s a funny thing about baseball pitchers: Most people will tell you the truly great ones pitched 100 years ago. This concept would be ridiculous for any other kind of player in any other sport. The greatest NFL quarterback obviously didn’t play 100 years ago – there was no NFL. The greatest NBA point guard obviously didn’t play 100 years ago – there was no NBA. The 100-meter world record was 10.6; that is now not fast enough to qualify a runner for the U.S. Olympic trials. The Olympic 100-meter freestyle was 1:00.4. That is now significantly slower than the national record for 11-12 year old girls. The best college basketball player in America was probably George Levis, a forward who stood less than 6 feet tall and averaged 9 points per game for Wisconsin. The best college football player was probably Harvard’s Eddie Mahan. He weighed 165 pounds, played halfback, defensive back and kicker (he also played some offensive and defensive line) and as an amateur pitcher, he also once threw a shutout against the Boston Red Sox in an exhibition game. Point being – it was a different time in sports. The world keeps spinning. Athletes keep getting stronger, faster, taller, bigger. And yet, if you ask a representative group of baseball fans to name the best pitcher ever, you’re probably going get somebody from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Let’s put it this way: here were the Top 5 pitcher on Baseball Reference’s Elo Rather just two weeks ago (the Elo Rater is a system that allows fans to rank players; it often changes): 1. Walter Johnson 2. Christy Mathewson 3. Lefty Grove 4. Grover Cleveland (Pete) Alexander 5. Cy Young Of these, only Grove was too young to pitch 100 years ago. He didn’t start his career until 1925. For his 2001 Baseball Abstract, Bill James ranked the 100 greatest players in baseball history. Here were the Top 5 pitchers: 1. Walter Johnson

│

18

2. Satchel Paige 3. Lefty Grove 4. Pete Alexander 5. Cy Young Satchel Paige began his pitching career around the same time as Lefty Grove. Why is it like this? In what other category of American life does anyone believe that the very best happened a century or so ago? Music, maybe? Politics? Why have baseball fans so stubbornly clung to this preposterous illusion that pitchers from an era when they made 40 or 50 starts a year, when baseballs were dead, when black players were banned, when hitters swung fat tree branches were the best ever? There are a couple of obvious answers. One answer is the numbers. Deadball Era pitchers used heavy, muddy, dirty baseballs (balls were not constantly replaced like they are now), and they spit on those balls a lot, and hitters were at a crazy disadvantage. Because of this, pitchers of the time put up numbers that are simply unimaginable now: – Cy Young won 511 games. That’s lunacy. Nobody’s touching that record. – Walter Johnson had a sub-2.00 ERA every year from 1910-16 – seven years in a row. And the Big Train AVERAGED 355 innings per year; last year’s league leader, David Price, threw 248 innings. – Pete Alexander won 30 games in three consecutive seasons; in one of those seasons he had 16 shutouts. Pedro Martinez had seventeen shutouts in his entire career. And so on. The numbers from that time were so overwhelming that players in the last 100 years cannot compete with them. But there’s another thing … nostalgia. Baseball drips with nostalgia; we baseball fans so desperately want the game to be timeless, a game frozen on the space-time continuum so that we can close our eyes and imagine Clayton Kershaw facing the Bambino or Mike Trout hitting against the Big Train. We baseball fans irksomely wax about the enduring magic of 90 feet, the perfect distance between bases, a ground ball to short was an out in 1915, and it’s an out today. And that’s all well and good, but pitchers were playing a vastly different game 100 years ago in countless ways – conditions, training, instruction, travel, openness to the world – and the wistfulness for those pitchers and their unmatchable numbers can make us miss the obvious: Nobody in 1915 would have hit Bob Gibson. Are you kidding me? Could you even imagine Bob Gibson going out there on the mound against those guys choking up on 45-ounce bats? Nobody would stand a chance. Tom Seaver? Sandy Koufax? Juan Marichal? How do you think players in 1915 would have dealt with Juan Marchial’s leg kick and ever-shifting fastball? What do you think Steve Carlton’s exploding slider would have done to those hitters’ early 20th century minds? It would be like showing them an iPhone.

Do you remember the “Saturday Night Live” skit where Michael Jordan went back in time to play basketball with those guys in the 1950s? Yeah, it probably would be something like that. No, the greatest starting pitchers in baseball history didn’t pitch 100 years ago, and it’s time for us to stop saying that. Those pitchers were marvelous for their time, but the greatest pitchers in baseball history, well, we were all lucky enough to see them. They were the starting pitchers of the Selig Era. * * * How did it happen? In the last two years, FIVE pitchers – Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine last year; Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz on Tuesday – were first-ballot selections to the Baseball Hall of Fame. That’s the most of any era; only 15 pitchers in baseball history have been voted in their first year. And that list of five doesn’t even include Roger Clemens, who might have been the best of the bunch, or Mariano Rivera, who will enter the Hall moments after he is put on the ballot. How did it happen? It was an era so tilted to offense that Congress held hearings; and yet it will be remembered as the Renaissance for baseball starting pitchers. Maybe it comes down to the cliche: Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Pitchers faced a ridiculous challenge in the Selig Era. They had to deal with strike zones the size of keychains, ballparks with fences moving in like the garbage compactor in Star Wars, batters wearing enough body armor to be knights, anti-gravity baseballs. They had to deal with so much, and one of the wonderful things about being human is that the best of us respond to impossible conditions. Greg Maddux responded with unparalleled control, pitches that juked and jived, and a savant-like mind for pitching. Teammates tell story after story about Maddux’s almost supernatural ability to predict what would happen next. “He will foul off two pitches to the right side then hit a grounder through the hole between short and third,” Maddux would mutter when watching one of his teammates was hitting, and it would happen. Randy Johnson was a force of nature. The first time I saw him pitch was in 1987, when he was pitching for Class AA Jacksonville. The pregame notes made a big deal about him being the tallest professional pitcher in baseball history at 6-foot-10 … and there was something circus-like about him. World’s Tallest Pitcher. He towered over the mound, and he threw ridiculously hard, but he couldn’t throw strikes, and the whole geometry of things seemed off. He walked 128 batters in just 140 innings that year, hit nine more, threw 12 wild pitches; the next year in Indianapolis he had TWENTY balks. There had never been a pitcher quite like him, and so there was no telling how it would work out. He was called up to Montreal in 1988 and lost his first four decisions, and the Expos shipped him off to Seattle for three-time strikeout leader Mark Langston. Had the Expos held on to him for a few more years, they might have had a 1994 pitching

│

19

staff with Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez. Of course, even then, the season still would have ended in a strike and the team would have ended in Florida. Randy Johnson unwound slowly; he did not have his breakout year until he was 29 when he went 19-8 with a 3.24 ERA and finished second in the Cy Young balloting. He was about to begin the greatest decade of left-handed pitching since Lefty Grove. And it was just as the Selig Era was beginning. Johnson dealt with all that offensive power with power of his own – high fastballs and hard sliders that plummeted out of sight at the last instant. Johnson used to say the harder he threw his slider, the harder it dived to the ground … so he threw his sliders HARD, especially with two strikes. Because of that, he was probably the greatest strikeout pitcher in baseball history. He struck out 4,875 batters, and while that was 850 fewer than Nolan Ryan, Johnson did it in many fewer innings. Johnson’s 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings is a strikeout higher than Ryan’s rate and the highest among baseball starters. He overpowered. Right-handers were overmatched but lefties were simply helpless. They hit .199 against the Big Unit over his career. Pedro Martinez overpowered in a different way. His father, Paulino, had been a sinkerball pitcher back in the days when it was hard for a Dominican pitcher to get noticed by the Major Leagues. His sons Ramon and Pedro became pitchers themselves. They used to pitch oranges and doll heads for practice; this is how much baseball means on the island. Ramon was the older brother and the first phenom in the family; he was a 6-foot-4 beanpole and at 22 he won 20 games, led the league in complete games and finished second in the Cy Young voting. Pedro was pitching in Great Falls, Montana, then. He was a much shorter version of his older brother – he threw hard, and he overpowered hitters right away, but he was listed at 5-foot-10, 135 pounds (he has somehow grown in inch since then). Tommy Lasorda rather famously thought Pedro was too short to be a great starting pitcher, and Pedro only made three starts for the Dodgers before he was shipped off to Montreal for Delino DeShields. Pedro’s greatness was some combination of Johnson and Maddux. He had a mid-90s fastball, a nasty breaking pitch and one of the great changeups in baseball history … so he had the terrific arsenal of pitches. He had an instinctive knack for pitching, like Maddux. And then, on top of that, there was his own special Pedro flavor. He was passionate. He was funny. He was angry. He was boiling water. It’s fair to say that a lot of people didn’t like Pedro Martinez, thought he was a headhunter and a punk and other things. Reggie Sanders, one of the nicer men in the game, once charged Martinez for hitting him five outs away from throwing a perfect game. Martinez had already come close to hitting him twice before. “It was just a normal day,” Martinez chirped after the game; his greatest superpower might have been his power to irritate people.

All of those things – the great stuff, the beautiful mind, the talent for inciting – made Pedro Martinez all but invincible at his height. His 1999 season, inning for inning, might be the best ever for a pitcher. Then, by some measurements, his 2000 season was even better that 1999. And that means his THIRD best season was when he went 17-8 with a 1.90 ERA and a .932 WHIP in 1997 for Montreal. Or it was when he went 20-4 with a 2.26 ERA, a .923 WHIP and a six-to-one strikeout to walk ratio. Or it could have been 2003 when the American League hit 2,500 home runs, but only seven of them off Pedro. He was bigger than life. One teammate when he was in Boston said of him: “Sometimes I watch him, and I feel sorry for hitters.” Kansas City’s Mike Sweeney once told me, “I had a dream that I was facing Pedro Martinez. He struck me out in my own dream.” Pedro Martinez used his legend the way gunslingers in the Wild West did. The fourth pitcher on the Selig Era Mount Rushmore is probably not Smoltz or Glavine, even though they were both first-ballot Hall of Famers. It’s probably not Curt Schilling or Mike Mussina, though the two have Hall of Fame cases as good as Smoltz and Glove. No, the fourth Beatle is Roger Clemens, who might have been the best pitcher of the incredible group. Clemens dominated the Selig Era with sheer competitive rage. So much of his legacy has been clouded with steroid accusations but baseball has never seen a pitcher like him. He was part Nolan Ryan, part Bob Gibson, part Roberto Duran, part Cool Hand Luke. He threw fastballs that seemed to jump up to your eyes, and he threw split-fingered fastballs that fell into trap doors. And you were never quite sure which was which. All the while, he glared. It’s hard to break Clemens down with numbers because many people discount everything he did based on the steroid accusations he fought with the same dark-eyed hunger that he had displayed on the mound. But Clemens won SEVEN Cy Young Awards – his first at age 23, his last at 41. In truth, he could have won three or four more. He led the league in: – Wins four times. – Win-loss percentage three times. – ERA seven times. – Strikeouts five times. – Wins above replacements seven times. – Shutouts six times. – Fielding Independent Pitching (an effort to separate pitching from defense) nine times. He withered hitters with his power, his control and, more than anything, his will. Clemens always looked angry. He hit Mike Piazza in the batting helmet with a pitch and later threw a jagged broken bat in his direction. He threw inside all his life. He played as if on fire – this was probably truer than you would think as,

│

20

please forgive the image, it was reported in Joe Torre’s “The Yankee Years” that he had a hot liniment rubbed on his testicles before games until he was “snorting like a bull.” And that was how the four greats did it, how they beat the Selig Era: Maddux with brains; Johnson with brawn; Martinez with style and Clemens with bull-like rage. No group of starting pitchers dominated their time like those four did. * * * It’s only right to list off my ten best pitchers in baseball history since I was dubious that the greatest pitchers of Deadball were really the best of all time. This list will probably be even more mocked, but if I had to choose my Top 10 pitchers when looking over their entire careers (hurting short career guys like Pedro Martinez and Sandy Koufax) it would look something like this: 1. Roger Clemens 2. Walter Johnson 3. Satchel Paige 4. Greg Maddux 5. Randy Johnson 6. Lefty Grove 7. Cy Young 8. Tom Seaver 9. Bob Gibson 10. Pedro Martinez Which leads to the question: If Roger Clemens won seven Cy Youngs, how many Roger Clemens would Cy Young win?

Curt Schilling believes he didn’t make the Hall of Fame because he’s a Republican By Craig Calcaterra / NBCSports.com http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/07/curt-schilling-believes-he-didnt-make-the-hall-of-fame-because-hes-a-republican/ Curt Schilling: wonderful pitcher. But a guy who probably needs to stop, you know, saying things. The latest thing he said was that he didn’t get the Hall of Fame votes John Smoltz got because the voters are biased against him because he’s a Republican. Here he is on WEEI today, trying to get his head around John Smoltz’s support: “I think he got in because of [Greg] Maddux and [Tom] Glavine. I think the fact that they won 14 straight pennants. I think his ‘Swiss army knife versatility,’ which somebody said yesterday, I

think he got a lot of accolades for that, I think he got a lot of recognition for that. He’s a Hall of Famer,” Schilling said. “And I think the other big thing is that I think he’s a Democrat and so I know that, as a Republican, that there’s some people that really don’t like that.” Actually, Smoltz is not a Democrat. He has been reported to be “an avowed Republican,” and has been courted for political office in the past by the Republican party. Here are Smoltz’s political contribution records. Note the little “Rs” next to the candidates’ names. Oh, and Smoltz once compared gay marriage to beastiality, which tends not to be a pinko-liberal stance. So, shockingly, Curt Schilling is full of crap about something. I know that may be hard to accept, so if you need a minute to gather yourself, please, take it. UPDATE: Schilling is tweeting now that he was just kidding about that, but go listen to the interview (relevant part starts at the 6:45 mark). While, yes, the hosts laughed when he said it, there is no suggestion that he was just joking. And then, immediately after that, he goes into a non-joking thing about how the media is biased against people like him, suggesting that he does in fact have a persecution complex about all of this.

Diamondbacks will retire Randy Johnson's number this year By SI.com http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/01/06/randy-johnson-hall-fame-arizona-diamondbacks-retire-number The Arizona Diamondbacks will retire Randy Johnson's No. 51 this year, team CEO Derrick Hall told reporters Tuesday. Johnson, who was announced as a 2015 inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday, was also named a special assistant to the team's president and CEO. Johnson played eight seasons with the Diamondbacks, from 1999 to 2004 and again from 2007 to 2008. He had a 118-62 record with 2,077 strikeouts in 233 games for Arizona. He and Curt Schilling helped lead the Diamondbacks to a World Series championship in 2001. Johnson threw a perfect game at the age of 40 on May 18, 2004, the only perfect game in franchise history. Only one other Diamondbacks player has had his number retired by the franchise. The team retired Luis Gonzalez's No. 20 in 2010.

Arizona Diamondbacks All-Time Team: The Outfield By Tony Fischer / SI.com http://heatwaved.com/2015/01/07/arizona-diamondbacks-time-team-outfield/ In their relatively brief franchise history the Arizona Diamondbacks have had some great players patrolling the outfield in the desert. Heatwaved selected best the of the best an assembled them into an all-time Arizona Diamondbacks team. This article focuses on an outfield that contains two members of the 2001 World Series Champions. This group has it all! Power,

│

21

clutch hitting, basestealing ability and gold glove defense are the hall marks of the Arizona Diamondbacks all time outfield. I hope you can imagine all of these players in their prime roaming the same outfield and terrorizing opposing pitchers at the plate. We hope you enjoy this list as much as we do. Luis Gonzalez – Leftfield Luis Gonzalez spent 8 years in a Diamondback uniform from 1999 to 2006. Gonzo had a monster of a season in 2001 when he hit 57 home runs and 142 RBI while batting .325. That season he provided the muscle in the middle of the line-up for a squad that went on to beat the New York Yankees in the World Series. In fact it was Luis Gonzalez who plated the game winning run for the Arizona Diamondbacks securing their first world series title. With one out and Jay Bell on third base, Gonzo blooped a single to left off Mariano Rivera completing a two run bottom of the ninth comeback win. Gonzalez had his best years in Arizona racking up 224 dingers a 774 ribbies while wearing the Diamondback pinstripes. In the short history of the franchise he is clearly the best outfielder ever to play in Arizona. Steve Finley – Centerfield Another member of the 2001 World Series champion ball club, Steve Finely patrolled centerfield in Arizona for 6 seasons. While a Diamondback, Finely had two 30 + home run seasons and was on his way to a third before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a trio of prospects at the trade deadline in 2004. Finley was a stellar fielder earning five gold gloves for his play in centerfield, three of which came as an Arizona Diamondback. For his abilities both at the plate and in the field, Steve Finely earns his spot on the HeatWaved All-Time Arizona Diamondbacks team. Justin Upton – Rightfield Upton broke into the majors as a member of the 2007 Arizona Diamondbacks at the age of 19. That year Upton played in 43 games hit .283 with 13 extra base hits (including 2 home runs). He earned a permanent spot on the club in 2008 went on the have a succesful 6 years in the Diamondback’s uni. The two-time all-star’s best season to date came in 2011 when he hit 31 home runs 88 RBI while recording a career high 6.1 WAR. Upton was traded to the Atlanta Braves prior to the 2013 season in a blockbuster deal that brought 5 players, including Martin Prado, to the Diamondbacks. After yet another offseason trade from the Braves, Justin Upton now calls San Diego home. Justin Upton may no longer be a Diamondback but during he time in Arizona his all-star caliber play earns him a spot on the all-time team.

Gerardo Parra – Bench Parra bring defense and versatility to our all-time team. He ability to play all three outfield positions is validated by the two gold gloves her earned while wearing an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform. Parra was traded to Milwaukee Brewers at the trade deadline but because of his fiery play and versatility he lives forever on our all-time Diamondbacks team.

Randy Johnson's number to be retired by D-Backs in 2015 By Ethan Finkelstein / SI.com http://fansided.com/2015/01/07/randy-johnsons-number-retired-d-backs-2015/ The Arizona Diamondbacks will retire Baseball Hall of Fame class of 2015 inductee Randy Johnson’s number during the upcoming MLB season. On Tuesday, the National Baseball Hall of Fame inducted four new members; Craig Biggio, John Smoltz, Pedro Martinez, and Randy Johnson. All of these men transcended the game and stood above the majority of their peers for quite some time. The latter, perhaps, was arguably the greatest left handed pitcher of all time. And the most dominant stretch in his brilliant career came as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. It is because of this that the team will retire Johnson’s number 51 at some point in the 2015 Major League Baseball season. During his eight years with the organization, the “Big Unit” compiled a record of 118-62, to go along with 2,077 strikeouts, and a 2.83 ERA. All three statistics are franchise records. He was an integral part of the D-Backs championship team in 2001, sharing World Series co-MVP honors with fellow starter Curt Schilling. From 1999-2002, he won four consecutive National League Cy Young Awards, matching a feat only previously accomplished by class of 2014 inductee Greg Maddux (1992-1995). In 2002, he won the NL’s pitching triple crown, leading the league in wins (24), strikeouts (334), and ERA (2.32). On May 18, 2004, Johnson became the oldest pitcher in history to complete a perfect game. It was his second no-hitter overall, with the first coming back on June 2, 1990. Johnson’s number 51 is also retired by the Seattle Mariners with whom he pitched from 1989-1998. During his time in Seattle, he accumulated a record of 130-74, with 2162 strikeouts (a franchise record), and an ERA of 3.42. He also won the 1995 American League Cy Young Award. Johnson’s legendary career is simply eye-popping in virtually every regard. Playing the overwhelming majority of his career during the most prolific offensive era in baseball history, the “Big Unit” compiled a stat line that will likely remain unmatched for a long time, even as hitting figures drop off in the waning years. Following the 2009 season, Johnson retired with a career record of 303-166, with an ERA of 3.29. His 4,875 strikeouts are the most ever by a lefty, and second only to Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan (5,714) in MLB history. He won five league Cy Young Awards; only Roger Clemens (seven) has more. His rate of 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings is tops in baseball history among qualifying pitchers. During his career, he led his league in wins once, nine times in strikeouts, and four times in ERA. His seven 300 strikeout seasons are a

│

22

major league record, one more than the aforementioned Ryan with six. The only thing left for Johnson before July’s enshrinment ceremony; which team’s emblem, Arizona or Seattle, does he wear on his plaque’s cap? We will save that debate for the fellas in Cooperstown.

Diamondbacks sign Nick Punto to minor league deal By Chris Cotillo / SB Nation http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2015/1/7/7509303/diamondbacks-sign-nick-punto-to-minor-league-deal The veteran will provide infield depth for Arizona next season. The Diamondbacks have agreed to a minor-league deal with infielder Nick Punto, according to a major-league source. The deal was first reported by CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman. Punto, 37, was released earlier in the offseason by the Athletics as part of a rebuilding process that has seen the team trade Derek Norris, Jeff Samardzija, Brandon Moss and Josh Donaldson as well as losing Jason Hammel, Luke Gregerson, Jed Lowrie and Jon Lester to free agency. Punto will receive a salary of $2.75 million from the Athletics next season as a result of a vested option based on last year's performance, with the D-Backs only paying the major-league minimum if he makes the major-league roster. Punto has shown the ability to play at second base, shortstop and third base throughout his career, so he will provide depth behind Aaron Hill, Chris Owings and Yasmani Tomas in the majors for Arizona. The team also has Cliff Pennington and Nick Ahmed available for depth, as well. In fourteen major-league seasons with the Phillies (2001-2003), Twins (2004-2010), Cardinals (2011), Red Sox (2012), Dodgers (2012-2013) and Athletics (2014), Punto is a lifetime .245/.323/.323 hitter with 19 home runs and 263 RBI. He hit .207/.296/.293 with two home runs and 14 RBI in 73 games with Oakland last year.

Reno Aces announce 2015 coaching staff By NBC 4-Reno http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/Reno-Aces-announce-2015-coaching-staff/FJY5_3kHb0uaRQzv0djVQg.cspx RENO, Nev. (MyNews4.com & KRNV) -- Phil Nevin will return for a second season as the Reno Aces manager in 2015, accompanied by a host of returners and one newcomer, the Arizona Diamondbacks announced today. The Aces’ coaching staff is rounded out by pitching coach Mike Parrott, hitting coach Greg Gross and coach Luis Urueta. Athletic Trainer Joe Metz and Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Schofield will also return to the club. Nevin, 43, was named the second manager in Reno Aces history in November of 2013. He guided the Aces to a Pacific Coast League-best 81-63 record and a berth to the Pacific Coast

League Championship Series last season. The 81 wins tied the 2012 franchise record for most wins in a season. Nevin starred at Cal-State Fullerton, leading the Titans to the 1992 College World Series where he was named the Most Outstanding Player. He was also named the Golden Spikes Award Winner and College Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America. He was drafted by the Houston Astros as the first overall selection in the 1992 amateur draft. Nevin spent 12 years in Major League Baseball, amassing over 1,200 games played. He was a National League All-Star in 2001 when he hit .306 with 41 home runs and 126 RBI. Parrott, 60, enters his 14th season as Arizona’s Triple-A pitching coach, and 19th overall with the organization. Under Parrott’s direction in 2014, the team’s 4.36 ERA was a franchise-low. Parrott was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles as the 15th overall selection in the 1973 amateur draft. He spent one season with the Orioles in 1977 and another four seasons with the Seattle Mariners. He won 14 games with the Mariners in 1979 and threw 13 complete games. Gross, 62, returns for his third season as the Aces hitting coach after spending 2010-12 as the hitting coach of the Philadelphia Phillies. Under Gross, the Aces finished 2014 among offensive league leaders in: hits (1st – 1,480), average (2nd - .293), doubles (2nd – 296), triples (2nd – 51), OBP (2nd - .359), runs (2nd – 790), total bases (3rd – 2,259) and OPS (3rd - .806). Gross served as the bench coach for the Phillies in 2001 and the hitting coach from 2002-04. He was drafted by the Houston Astros in the fourth round of the 1970 amateur draft. Gross spent 17 seasons in Major League Baseball, playing with the Astros, Cubs and Phillies. He hit .314 in his rookie campaign with the Astros, garnering The Sporting News Rookie of the Year honors and was BBWAA Rookie of the Year runner-up. Gross was a member of the 1980 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies. Urueta, 33, enters his 14th season with the Diamondbacks organization, and ninth in a coaching/coordinator role. He spent the past two seasons as the manager of the Arizona League D-backs. Urueta signed with the D-backs in 1998 as the first Colombian to play for the organization. He went on to play five Minor League seasons. Metz, 30, enters his fourth season as Athletic Trainer with Reno. He is in his seventh season with the Diamondbacks medical staff, beginning his professional career in 2009 with the Rookie-level Missoula Osprey. After a two-year stint in Missoula, Metz moved up to Athletic Trainer with the Double-A Mobile BayBears. Metz earned a bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, and received his master’s degree in sports management from Louisiana State University. Schofield, 28, returns to the Aces for his third consecutive season as the Strength and Conditioning Coach. It’s Schofield’s sixth season with the Diamondbacks organization, working his way up from Rookie-level Missoula in 2010. He earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a minor in business administration from Colorado State University in 2009. The Aces open the 2015 season Thursday, April 9 at Albuquerque, and host the Isotopes Friday, April 17 at 6:35 p.m.

│

23

in the home opener at Aces Ballpark. Ticket packages are on-sale now at www.RenoAces.com or by calling (775) 334-4700. For up-to-date news and notes throughout the offseason follow the club on Twitter (@aces) or like the team on Facebook.

Phil Nevin Returning as Aces Manager By ABC 8-Reno http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/Phil-Nevin-Returning-as-Aces-Manager-287846461.html Phil Nevin will return for a second season as the Reno Aces manager in 2015, accompanied by a host of returners and one newcomer, the Arizona Diamondbacks announced today. The Aces’ coaching staff is rounded out by pitching coach Mike Parrott, hitting coach Greg Gross and coach Luis Urueta. Athletic Trainer Joe Metz and Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Schofield will also return to the club. Nevin, 43, was named the second manager in Reno Aces history in November of 2013. He guided the Aces to a Pacific Coast League-best 81-63 record and a berth to the Pacific Coast League Championship Series last season. The 81 wins tied the 2012 franchise record for most wins in a season. Nevin starred at Cal-State Fullerton, leading the Titans to the 1992 College World Series where he was named the Most Outstanding Player. He was also named the Golden Spikes Award Winner and College Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America. He was drafted by the Houston Astros as the first overall selection in the 1992 amateur draft. Nevin spent 12 years in Major League Baseball, amassing over 1,200 games played. He was a National League All-Star in 2001 when he hit .306 with 41 home runs and 126 RBI. Parrott, 60, enters his 14th season as Arizona’s Triple-A pitching coach, and 19th overall with the organization. Under Parrott’s direction in 2014, the team’s 4.36 ERA was a franchise-low. Parrott was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles as the 15th overall selection in the 1973 amateur draft. He spent one season with the Orioles in 1977 and another four seasons with the Seattle Mariners. He won 14 games with the Mariners in 1979 and threw 13 complete games. Gross, 62, returns for his third season as the Aces hitting coach after spending 2010-12 as the hitting coach of the Philadelphia Phillies. Under Gross, the Aces finished 2014 among offensive league leaders in: hits (1st – 1,480), average (2nd - .293), doubles (2nd – 296), triples (2nd – 51), OBP (2nd - .359), runs (2nd – 790), total bases (3rd – 2,259) and OPS (3rd - .806). Gross served as the bench coach for the Phillies in 2001 and the hitting coach from 2002-04. He was drafted by the Houston Astros in the fourth round of the 1970 amateur draft. Gross spent 17 seasons in Major League Baseball, playing with the Astros, Cubs and Phillies. He hit .314 in his rookie campaign with the Astros, garnering The Sporting News Rookie of the Year honors and was BBWAA Rookie of the Year runner-up. Gross was a member of the 1980 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies. Urueta, 33, enters his 14th season with the Diamondbacks organization, and ninth in a coaching/coordinator role. He spent the past two seasons as the manager of the Arizona League D-backs. Urueta signed with the D-backs in 1998 as the first

Colombian to play for the organization. He went on to play five Minor League seasons. Metz, 30, enters his fourth season as Athletic Trainer with Reno. He is in his seventh season with the Diamondbacks medical staff, beginning his professional career in 2009 with the Rookie-level Missoula Osprey. After a two-year stint in Missoula, Metz moved up to Athletic Trainer with the Double-A Mobile BayBears. Metz earned a bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, and received his master’s degree in sports management from Louisiana State University. Schofield, 28, returns to the Aces for his third consecutive season as the Strength and Conditioning Coach. It’s Schofield’s sixth season with the Diamondbacks organization, working his way up from Rookie-level Missoula in 2010. He earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a minor in business administration from Colorado State University in 2009.

Reno Aces announce 2015 coaching staff By FOX 11-Tucson http://www.foxreno.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/reno-aces-announce-2015-coaching-staff-4388.shtml RENO, Nev. - Phil Nevin will return for a second season as the Reno Aces manager in 2015, accompanied by a host of returners and one newcomer, the Arizona Diamondbacks announced today. The Aces’ coaching staff is rounded out by pitching coach Mike Parrott, hitting coach Greg Gross and coach Luis Urueta. Athletic Trainer Joe Metz and Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Schofield will also return to the club. Nevin, 43, was named the second manager in Reno Aces history in November of 2013. He guided the Aces to a Pacific Coast League-best 81-63 record and a berth to the Pacific Coast League Championship Series last season. The 81 wins tied the 2012 franchise record for most wins in a season. Nevin starred at Cal-State Fullerton, leading the Titans to the 1992 College World Series where he was named the Most Outstanding Player. He was also named the Golden Spikes Award Winner and College Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America. He was drafted by the Houston Astros as the first overall selection in the 1992 amateur draft. Nevin spent 12 years in Major League Baseball, amassing over 1,200 games played. He was a National League All-Star in 2001 when he hit .306 with 41 home runs and 126 RBI. Parrott, 60, enters his 14th season as Arizona’s Triple-A pitching coach, and 19th overall with the organization. Under Parrott’s direction in 2014, the team’s 4.36 ERA was a franchise-low. Parrott was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles as the 15th overall selection in the 1973 amateur draft. He spent one season with the Orioles in 1977 and another four seasons with the Seattle Mariners. He won 14 games with the Mariners in 1979 and threw 13 complete games. Gross, 62, returns for his third season as the Aces hitting coach after spending 2010-12 as the hitting coach of the Philadelphia Phillies. Under Gross, the Aces finished 2014 among offensive

│

24

league leaders in: hits (1st – 1,480), average (2nd - .293), doubles (2nd – 296), triples (2nd – 51), OBP (2nd - .359), runs (2nd – 790), total bases (3rd – 2,259) and OPS (3rd - .806). Gross served as the bench coach for the Phillies in 2001 and the hitting coach from 2002-04. He was drafted by the Houston Astros in the fourth round of the 1970 amateur draft. Gross spent 17 seasons in Major League Baseball, playing with the Astros, Cubs and Phillies. He hit .314 in his rookie campaign with the Astros, garnering The Sporting News Rookie of the Year honors and was BBWAA Rookie of the Year runner-up. Gross was a member of the 1980 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies. Urueta, 33, enters his 14th season with the Diamondbacks organization, and ninth in a coaching/coordinator role. He spent the past two seasons as the manager of the Arizona League D-backs. Urueta signed with the D-backs in 1998 as the first Colombian to play for the organization. He went on to play five Minor League seasons. Metz, 30, enters his fourth season as Athletic Trainer with Reno. He is in his seventh season with the Diamondbacks medical staff, beginning his professional career in 2009 with the Rookie-level Missoula Osprey. After a two-year stint in Missoula, Metz moved up to Athletic Trainer with the Double-A Mobile BayBears. Metz earned a bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, and received his master’s degree in sports management from Louisiana State University. Schofield, 28, returns to the Aces for his third consecutive season as the Strength and Conditioning Coach. It’s Schofield’s sixth season with the Diamondbacks organization, working his way up from Rookie-level Missoula in 2010. He earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a minor in business administration from Colorado State University in 2009. The Aces open the 2015 season Thursday, April 9 at Albuquerque, and host the Isotopes Friday, April 17 at 6:35 p.m. in the home opener at Aces Ballpark. Ticket packages are on-sale now at RenoAces.com or by calling (775) 334-4700. For up-to-date news and notes throughout the offseason follow the club on Twitter (@aces) or like the team on Facebook.

Mobile BayBears, Arizona Diamondbacks announce BayBears' coaching staff for 2015 By Tommy Hicks / Mobile Press-Register http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/01/mobile_baybears_arizona_diamon_1.html MOBILE, Alabama -- The Arizona Diamondbacks, the parent organizations for the Southern League's Class AA Mobile BayBears, announced the members of the BayBears' coaching staff for the 2015 season on Wednesday. Robby Hammock, manager at Class A Advanced Visalia last season, will replace Andy Green as the BayBears' manager and Jason Camillia, the hitting coach in Visalia last year, will now hold the same spot in Mobile. Wellington Cepeda has been retain ed as the BayBears' pitching coach.

Mike Bell, the Diamondbacks' director of player development, made the announcement. "Based on what I have heard from everyone in Visalia and from Mike Bell, Robby is outstanding and we're looking forward to having him here in Mobile,'' BayBears' general manager Chris Morgan said. "Everything we have heard has all been very positive. "We're happy to have the staff set and know who is coming in. Of course, we'll certainly miss Andy -- he did such a good job for us the last two seasons.'' Last season, Hammock, in his third year as a coach with the Diamondbacks' organization and second as a manager, led the Rawhide to an overall 75-65 record and wild card berth into the California League Playoffs. The team fell one win short of winning the league title. Hammock began coaching in 2012, serving as hitting coach in the Arizona League. In 2013 he received his first managerial role as skipper for the Rookie Advanced Missoula Osprey. As a player with the Diamondbacks (2003-11), the Macon, Ga. native hit .254 (122-for-481) with 30 doubles, 12 home runs and 48 RBI in 182 games. On May 18, 2004 he caught Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson's perfect game against the Atlanta Braves. Hammock was selected by the D-backs in the 23rd round of the 1998 draft from the University of Georgia. Camilli enters his fourth year in the Diamondbacks' organization and first with the BayBears. Before joining Visalia as hitting coach last season, Camilli served in the same role with Single-A South Bend in 2013 and short season Yakima in 2012. Camilli joined the D-backs' coaching staff after having served as a hitting coach in the Nationals' organization from 2005-08. Cepeda returns as the BayBears. The 2014 season was his first with the team and he helped guide five pitchers to their first-ever appearance at the Triple-A level. Under his tutelage, a total of four pitchers who started with the BayBears last year made their Major League debut with the Diamondbacks before the season ended. This will be Cepeda's 12th year as a coach with the Diamondbacks. Green, who was the BayBears' manager the past two seasons, won back-to-back Southern League Manager of the Year honors. He was promoted this offseason to serve as third base coach for the Diamondbacks. Mobile, which won the Southern League crown in 2012 (under manager Turner Ward) and 2013 (under Green), produced a 79-58 overall record last season and won the South Division first-half championship. The BayBears lost the South Division title series and did not get a chance to defend its Southern League championship. The BayBears' season begins on the road April 9, with a five-game series against the Birmingham Barons. Mobile will return to Hank Aaron Stadium for the BayBears' home-opener against the Biloxi Shuckers on April 15.

Robby Hammock named new BayBears manager

│

25

By FOX 10-Mobile http://fox10tv.com/2015/01/07/robby-hammock-named-new-baybears-manager/ MOBILE, Ala. (WALA)– The Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) named the organization’s 2015 Player Development staff, as announced by D-backs Director of Player Development, Mike Bell. Robby Hammock will be the new manager for the Mobile BayBears (@Mobile_BayBears). Last season in his third year as a coach with the D-backs organization and second as a manager, Hammock led the Visalia Rawhide (Class A-Advanced affiliate for the Diamondbacks) to an overall 75-65 record and Wild Card berth into the California League Playoffs. The club fell just one victory shy of capturing the 2014 California League Championship. Also new to the BayBears is Hitting Coach Jason Camilli who served in the same role in Visalia, along-side Hammock last season. Returning to Mobile and serving as the BayBears Pitching Coach for the second straight year will be Wellington Cepeda. Former BayBears manager Andy Green, who won back-to-back Southern League Manager of the Year honors in in 2013 & 2014, was promoted this off-season to the D-backs Third Base Coach. Hammock started coaching in 2012, serving as Hitting Coach of the Arizona League D-backs and then in 2013 served in his first managerial role as skipper for the Rookie Advanced Missoula Osprey in 2013. Over six seasons with the D-backs from 2003-11, the Macon, Georgia native hit .254 (122-for-481) with 30 doubles, 12 home runs and 48 RBI in 182 games. On May 18, 2004 he caught Hall of Fame LHP Randy Johnson’s perfect game against the Atlanta Braves. Hammock was selected by the D-backs in the 23rd round of the 1998 First-Year Player Draft from the University of Georgia. Camilli enters his fourth year in the Diamondbacks organization and first with the BayBears. Before joining Visalia as Hitting Coach last season, Camilli served in the same role with Single-A South Bend in 2013 and Short Season Yakima in 2012. Camilli joined the D-backs coaching staff after having served as a Hitting Coach in the Nationals’ organization from 2005-08. Cepeda returns as the BayBears Pitching Coach where in 2014, his first year with Mobile, he helped guide five pitchers to their first ever appearance at the Triple-A level. Under his tutelage, a total of four pitchers who started with the BayBears last year made their Major League debut with the Diamondbacks before the season ended. 2015 will be Cepeda’s 12th year as a coach with the D-backs. The BayBears season begins on the road April 9, with a five game series against the Birmingham Barons and Mobile will return to Hank Aaron Stadium for the BayBears home-opener against the Biloxi Shuckers on April 15. For more information on the BayBears, or for more information on purchasing tickets, call 251-479-BEAR (2327) or visit the official team website at http://www.MobileBayBears.com. You can also “Like” the Mobile BayBears on Facebook and follow

the team on both Instagram and Twitter using the handle @Mobile_BayBears.

Former Cub Grudzielanek to manage 2015 Kane County Cougars By Kane County Chronicle http://www.kcchronicle.com/2015/01/07/former-cub-grudzielanek-to-manage-2015-kane-county-cougars/a22pfob/ GENEVA – Despite switching parent teams from the Cubs to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Kane County Cougars will retain a strong connection to the Cubs for the 2015 season. The Cougars, in conjunction with the Diamondbacks, announced Wednesday that former Cubs infielder Mark Grudzielanek will be the team's manager in 2015, the 25th anniversary season of the Cougars franchise. Grudzielanek was named the 16th manager in franchise history. Grudzielanek, 44, enjoyed a 15-year playing career in the Major Leagues that included an All-Star selection in 1996 and a Gold Glove Award a decade later as a second baseman in 2006. In 1,802 big league games, Grudzielanek batted .289 with 90 home runs, 640 RBI and 2,040 hits. His 54 doubles in 1997 were a Major League best that season. Grudzielanek was an 11th round selection by the Montreal Expos in the 1991 draft and he played with the Expos (1995-1998), Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2002), Cubs (2003-2004), St. Louis Cardinals (2005), Kansas City Royals (2006-2008) and Cleveland Indians (2010). As a minor leaguer, Grudzielanek spent the 1992 season in the Midwest League for the now-defunct Rockford Expos. Doug Bochtler will serve as Cougars pitching coach in 2015. This will be Bochtler’s fifth season with the Diamondbacks organization. Bochtler was pitching coach at Class-A South Bend last season with the team’s pitching ERA of 3.49 ranking fourth in the Midwest League. Bochtler pitched in the Major Leagues from 1995-2000, going 9-18 with a 4.57 ERA and 215 strikeouts in 220 games. Vince Harrison was named Cougars hitting coach. This will be Harrison’s second season as a coach with the Diamondbacks after beginning his coaching career with Rookie-Advanced Missoula last season. Harrison spent a portion of five minor league seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets and Miami Marlins organizations. The Cougars’ field staff also includes athletic trainer Rafael Freitas and strength and conditioning coach Sean Light. Freitas remains in the Midwest League after serving as South Bend’s athletic trainer last season, while Light spent 2014 with Short-A Hillsboro. Scott Anderson rounds out the field staff, with the 2015 season being his sixth year with the Cougars as clubhouse manager.

│

26

Last season, the Diamondbacks minor league affiliates went a combined 473-365 (.564), with the second-best winning percentage behind Texas (.565). The affiliates tied a club mark with five teams in the postseason. Opening Night at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark is set for Thursday, April 9 when the Cougars host Cedar Rapids at 6:30 p.m. The Cougars are looking to defend the Midwest League championship after winning the league title during a historic 2014 campaign that broke numerous franchise records. Last fall, the Cougars were recognized by Minor League Baseball as the “Best Team” in the Minor League Baseball (“MiLBY”) awards.

Ex-big leaguer Mather named Osprey manager By Bill Speltz / The Missoulian http://missoulian.com/sports/osprey/ex-big-leaguer-mather-named-osprey-manager/article_e4dee358-7a59-5125-bf57-49a0c693e00d.html It wasn’t long ago Joe Mather was roaming the outfield for the Chicago Cubs. This summer the Sandpoint, Idaho, native, who played his last Major League game in the Windy City in 2012, will be running the show for the Missoula Osprey. Mather was officially named manager on Wednesday. "He brings a lot of energy," said Matt Ellis, who has directed the day-to-day operations of the Osprey since 2001. "He's very organized and detail-oriented. He has the traits that have made really successful managers for us in the past. "I know he’s just excited about the new side of his career. In talking to people with the organization they’re really high on Joe. I love it when my manager talks about winning and asks what he can do in the community and what he can do to help us." *** This summer will mark Mather's first experience as a manager on the pro level. He spent parts of four seasons in the Major Leagues as a utility player, appearing in 229 career games with the St. Louis Cardinals (2008, 2010), Atlanta Braves (2011) and Chicago Cubs (2012). He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2013 but was released after a short stint in the Grapefruit League. "Winning is very important to me and it is very important to the Diamondbacks," Mather said in a press release. "We both want to win and will do our very best to make that happen in Missoula this summer. "I am excited for June and the opportunity to put on the Osprey uniform."

The fact that Mather was in a Major League uniform as recently as the winter of 2013 should benefit him as a skipper. Ellis likes the fact that he grew up just 200 miles away. "The fact that he is originally from our region in Idaho is just a plus," Ellis said. "I fully expect to see him develop into a top Major League managerial prospect ..." *** Jeff Bajenaru will return as Osprey pitching coach and Tack Wilson will join the staff as hitting coach. This marks the first time since the 2012 Pioneer League championship team that all three Osprey coaches played at the Major League level. "Our organization is so happy to have Jeff Bajenaru back next season," Ellis said. "He is a really great coach, but just as importantly, he is a great person. A true role model for our players to learn from and look up to. "Baj really cares about Osprey baseball and everything associated with it.” The Osprey influence is evident throughout the D-backs' organization. At the Major League level, ex-Osprey manager Chip Hale (2000-01) will manage the D-backs with help from former Osprey skipper Andy Green (2012) as third base coach and former Osprey pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. (2005-06) as bullpen coach. In the Minors, former Osprey coaches Robby Hammock (Double-A Mobile BayBears) and J.R. House (Single-A Visalia Rawhide) return as managers. The Diamondbacks have the No. 1 overall pick in the June draft and Ellis is excited to see what transpires. The Osprey, one of only a few Pioneer League teams that saw a jump in attendance last season, will open on June 18 at the Helena Brewers.

January 8, 2015 • sports.yahoo.com/mlb/morenews http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/morenews January 8, 2015

Yankees prospect Ty Hensley hospitalized after a “brutal attack” 12:30 pm EST (NBC Sports)

Nationals hire Rick Ankiel as “life skills coordinator” 12:15 pm EST (NBC Sports)

Sloan Park: Cubs sell naming rights to spring-training complex 12:00 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)

The Cubs spring training facility to be named after a toilet flush valve company 11:33 am EST (NBC Sports)

Did ugly end weaken Roy Halladay's Hall of Fame chances? 11:19 am EST (Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia)

Pedro Martinez still holds a grudge against Jorge Posada because he insulted Martinez’s mother 11:03 am EST (NBC Sports)

Jimmy Rollins in a Dodgers uniform is so weird 11:01 am EST (Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia)

│

27

Josh Johnson’s new deal with the Padres is loaded with incentives 10:47 am EST (NBC Sports)

Smart Court serves up instant review for the tennis masses 10:19 am EST (Reuters)

Gaby Sanchez signs with Japanese team 10:15 am EST (NBC Sports)

Alan Trammell is fine with not making the Hall of Fame 9:53 am EST (NBC Sports)

For Baltimore sports fans, these are the good old days 8:59 am EST (Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic)

A.J. Pierzynski will fight a guy for you 8:31 am EST (NBC Sports)

Here’s one way for Jeff Bagwell to get into the Hall of Fame 7:50 am EST (NBC Sports)

Former Pirates infielder Sanchez joins Japan's Eagles 1:36 am EST (The Associated Press)

Cardinals are “exploring” trades for Cole Hamels or David Price, signing Max Scherzer 12:01 am EST (NBC Sports)

January 7, 2015

Video: Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, and John Smoltz demonstrate their signature pitches 11:28 pm EST (NBC Sports)

What the Nats' 25-man roster looks like for now 11:03 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic)

Cubs envision Jon Lester becoming their Andy Pettitte 10:38 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)

Reds and Johnny Cueto have made “no recent progress” toward a contract extension 10:14 pm EST (NBC Sports)

Jimmy Rollins eager to add another World Series ring in LA 9:28 pm EST (The Associated Press)

Video: Martinez, Johnson, Biggio, Smoltz joking around at Hall of Fame press conference 8:05 pm EST (NBC Sports)

Diamondbacks sign former A's infielder Nick Punto 7:34 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet Bay Area)

Major League Baseball roundup 7:34 pm EST (Reuters)

National Basketball Association roundup 7:31 pm EST (Reuters)

Johnson reaches Hall of Fame after finding control 7:18 pm EST (Reuters)

MLB spring training games to start on March 1 7:07 pm EST (The Associated Press)

Pedro Martinez memoir coming in May 6:57 pm EST (The Associated Press)

Matt Harrison throws for first time since May 6:42 pm EST (NBC Sports)

Adam Eaton: 'The talent is there' for White Sox 6:26 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)

Hall inductees share memories of long careers 6:17 pm EST (The Associated Press)

Schilling: Didn't get into Hall because I'm a Republican 6:00 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet New England)

Johnson agrees to $1 million deal to stay with Padres 5:37 pm EST (The Associated Press)

Braves designate Tyler Pastornicky for assignment 5:30 pm EST (NBC Sports)

5 years later, Johnson, Martinez and Smoltz 'old goats' 5:05 pm EST (The Associated Press)

Braves add Outman, finalize deals with Pierzynski, Grilli 5:02 pm EST (The Associated Press)

Cooperstown's Class of 2015 reflects diversity in game 4:48 pm EST (Reuters)

Curt Schilling believes he didn’t make the Hall of Fame because he’s a Republican 4:10 pm EST (NBC Sports)

The Braves sign Josh Outman 3:44 pm EST (NBC Sports)

Drake hoping for positive impression next week 3:17 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic)

Diamondbacks sign Nick Punto to minor league contract 2:36 pm EST (The Associated Press)

Tigers and lefty Gorzelanny agree to $1 million, 1-year deal 2:35 pm EST (The Associated Press)

John McDonald is retiring 2:24 pm EST (NBC Sports)

Mets and Parnell agree to 1-year, $3.7 million contract 2:02 pm EST (The Associated Press)

Breslow and Red Sox finalize $2 million, 1-year contract 1:54 pm EST (The Associated Press)

Three teams are reportedly interested in Ichiro 1:28 pm EST (NBC Sports)

A look at Hall of Fame snubs and next year's class 1:20 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia)

Krukow explains why he's not concerned about Hudson's surgery 12:54 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet Bay Area)

Diamondbacks sign Nick Punto 12:51 pm EST (NBC Sports)

Photo of the Day: Randy Johnson could maybe use a smaller jersey 12:30 pm EST (NBC Sports)

Bo Jackson headlines list of SoxFest guests 12:14 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)

Wright's place in Orioles bullpen to be determined 12:13 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic)

Quote of the Day: Pedro Martinez says Mets fans “settle for what they have” 12:11 pm EST (NBC Sports)

Twins sign Blaine Boyer 11:45 am EST (NBC Sports)

Here’s the letter Major League Baseball sent prosecutors vouching for Anthony Bosch 11:28 am EST (NBC Sports)

Long & short of it: Johnson, Martinez among 4 voted to Hall 11:12 am EST (The Associated Press)

Bobby Parnell, Mets avoid arbitration with one-year deal 11:02 am EST (NBC Sports)

Barry Bonds thinks he’ll get in the Hall of Fame “in time” 10:30 am EST (NBC Sports)

Video: John Smoltz reflects on what being elected to the Hall of Fame means to him 9:57 am EST (NBC Sports)

The Nats and Astros are a step closer to getting a new spring training site 9:17 am EST (NBC Sports)

Mussina's Hall of Fame chances improve 9:09 am EST (Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic)

Why should we care of a ballplayer is a mean or if he’s “a punk?” 7:36 am EST (NBC Sports)

Exclusive: Bud Selig: the baseball commissioner's exit interview 7:04 am EST (Reuters)

│

28

Hall focus next year turns to Griffey, Hoffman and Wagner 5:15 am EST (The Associated Press)

Column: Time to allow Pete Rose back in baseball? 4:02 am EST (The Associated Press)

Shaughnessy: Is the HOF voting system flawed? 1:06 am EST (Comcast SportsNet New England)

Where do things stand at second base for Nats? 1:05 am EST (Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic)

January 6, 2015

Report: Giants 'inquired' to Marlins about Haren 11:36 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet Bay Area)

AP source: Drew, Yankees closing in on $5 million deal 11:32 pm EST (The Associated Press)

Ryan: Has steroid era caused HOF to lose mystique? 11:23 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet New England)

Kerry Wood participates in Shoot the Puck at Blackhawks game 11:16 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)

New Redskins GM McCloughan played for Hagerstown Suns 11:04 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic)

Video: Craig Biggio on becoming the first Astros player to be elected to the Hall of Fame 10:59 pm EST (NBC Sports)

McAdam: Martinez the most fascinating player to cover 10:49 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet New England)

Halls door shut again to those suspected of steroid use 9:57 pm EST (The Associated Press)

Los Angeles Angels sign Cuban infielder Roberto Baldoquin 9:51 pm EST (The Associated Press)

Yankees re-sign Stephen Drew to one-year contract 9:47 pm EST (NBC Sports)

Martinez: ‘Extremely proud to know I am making history’ 8:48 pm EST (Comcast SportsNet New England)

Brandon Beachy aiming to sign with a team this week 8:29 pm EST (NBC Sports)

Biggio elected to Hall of Fame in 3rd year on ballot 8:25 pm EST (The Associated Press)

January 8, 2015 • MLB.com http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions

Last updated: Thu, January 8, 2015, 12:55 EST

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Team Player Transaction

Arizona Diamondbacks

Nick Punto

Signed to a Minor League Contract

Atlanta Braves

A.J. Pierzynski

Signed as Free Agent, ( 2015)(one-year contract)

Atlanta Braves

Tyler Pastornicky

Designated for Assignment

Atlanta Braves Josh Outman

Signed as Free Agent, ( 2015)(one-year contract)

Atlanta Braves Jason Grilli

Signed as Free Agent, ( 2015-2016; Opt 2017)(two-year contract)

Boston Red Sox Daniel Butler Designated for Assignment

Kansas City Royals

Ryan Jackson Outrighted to Minors

Los Angeles Angels

John McDonald

Retired

Minnesota Twins Blaine Boyer

Signed to a Minor League Contract

New York Mets Bobby Parnell

Signed, ( 2015)(avoids arbitration)

San Diego Padres Josh Johnson

Signed as Free Agent, ( 2015)(one-year contract)

San Diego Padres

Marcos Mateo

Signed to a Minor League Contract

San Diego Padres

Jake Goebbert

Designated for Assignment

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Team Player Transaction

Boston Red Sox Craig Breslow

Signed as Free Agent, ( 2015)(one-year contract)

Cleveland Indians Tyler Cloyd Released

Cleveland Indians Michael Roth

Signed to a Minor League Contract

Detroit Tigers

Tom Gorzelanny

Signed as Free Agent, ( 2015)(one-year contract)

Detroit Tigers

Luke Putkonen

Designated for Assignment

Monday, January 5, 2015

Team Player Transaction

Baltimore Orioles Quintin Berry

Cleared Waivers and Became a Free Agent

Boston Red Sox

Mitchell Boggs

Signed to a Minor League Contract

Boston Red Sox Jeff Bianchi

Signed to a Minor League Contract

Colorado Rockies Chris Martin Designated for Assignment

│

29

Colorado Rockies Nick Hundley

Signed as Free Agent, ( 2015-2016)(two-year contract)

New York Mets Buddy Carlyle

Signed to a Minor League Contract

New York Yankees

Slade Heathcott

Signed to a Minor League Contract

Philadelphia Phillies

Aaron Harang

Signed as Free Agent, ( 2015)(one-year contract)

Texas Rangers Adam Rosales

Signed as Free Agent, ( 2015)(one-year contract)

Texas Rangers

Juan Carlos Oviedo

Signed to a Minor League Contract

Texas Rangers Matt West Designated for Assignment