SnakePit Round Table: No saving daylight here

Mar 20, 2023 - 3:00 AM

Who replaces Mark Melancon and Corbin Martin in the bullpen?

DBacksEurope: On opening Day Vargas and Frias.

Ben: I think Carlos Vargas and Luis Frias have done the most to distinguish themselves within the current reliever pool

Makakilo: Cole Sulser and either Jeurys Familia or Luis Frias. A few spring training statistics through 18 March follow:

Justin: Sulser and Frias. Maybe Familia. Basically what Kilo said.

Spencer: I think two of Sulser, Familia and Frias benefit the most. In that order probably too.

Wesley: I agree, t’ll likely be two out of the trio of Susler, Familia, and Frias.

Is the fifth starter’s picture any clearer now?

ISH95: If it’s not Pfaadt at this point, I just don’t know what else he needs to do. And if it isn’t, the only realistic reason would be service time manipulation in my opinion.

Update: I stand by what I said following his assignment to minor league camp

DBacksEurope: You guys know I’ve been on the Pfaadt bandwagon before Spring Training started so I keep on saying Brandon Pfaadt.

Makakilo: If spring training results are a window into the season, Brandon Pfaadt will join the rotation. The following table, from a previous roundtable, was updated with spring training data through 19 March.

Addendum: On Sunday, Brandon Pfaadt was reassigned to minor league camp. Not sure which of the other three will be the fifth starter.

Justin: Yeah, I am with the others. Pfaadt has earned it.

Spencer: I really want it to be Pfaadt or Jameson. I still think it will be Henry though.

Well, Pfaadt just got reassigned. C’mon Jameson.

Wesley: With Pfaadt sent down, I’d prefer thar it be Jameson or Nelson, but it’ll likely be Tommy Henry. I’m okay with that, although I’m very disappointed.

Bally Sports has now filed for bankruptcy. Ideally, what do you want to see happen with broadcast rights?

ISH95: Ideally? MLB puts them into the public domain out of the goodness of their hearts, allowing free and open baseball for all. Realistically, I’m hoping for a much less exclusive local broadcast rights deal, allowing for all games to be streamed on MLB.tv with no black outs.

DBacksEurope: Whatever is necessary so you don’t have blackouts. If you buy a streaming service you’d expect it to give you the whole package but we have some weird stuff here as well so you won’t hear me criticising the American cable network services!

Makakilo: What I hope to see is Diamondbacks games streamed online with no blackouts for anyone. Every team that owns their streaming rights can walk away from joining an entertainment bundle that customers don’t really need and step into the information/entertainment-on-demand age of the future.

Justin: I like Kilo’s idea. I am not sure I would want to pay 25$ a month for Dbacks games (or whatever it would be) in an mlb.tv style format. I would if I could cancel/go back to it at any time. If I am honest, there are weeks and months where I have minimal interest and then there are others I am watching almost every night.

Spencer: Streamable without blackouts, no matter what throughout the world. Whether that’s via MLB.tv or the MLB Network website, or AppleTV+, I don’t care. My worst case scenario is that another team’s TV deal prevents me from watching the team because I fall in their cable provider’s jurisdiction…

Wesley: I’d like to see it available streaming with no blackout restrictions BUT I’d like to see it put on a free over-the-air TV station. That’s very unlikely, but I think that’s one of the things the team can do to grow the fanbase throughout the state. I don’t know if I would have been as much of a fan of the D’Backs in the first place if that wasn’t an option growing up.

Does the injury to Edwin Diaz affect how you feel about the WBC?

ISH95: No.

DBacksEurope: No. Edwin Diaz is not a Diamondback so that is one, but I have also grown past the point of getting upset because a player on a team that I support gets injured for whatever reason, though I am sure most Mets fans, Buck Showalter and their GM are probably furious.

Makakilo: A study showed that injuries are most common in the first month of each season, then taper off as the season progresses. The WBC is a lot like the first month of the season, so injuries can be expected.

I feel angst that Edwin Diaz is one of the best relief closers in the Majors. My angst is lessened because he will be back, his joy is boundless, and his optimism endless. I know he will be back because he is under contract through 2025, followed by two player-option seasons, followed by one team-option season.

Justin: No.

Spencer: Not in the least. It’s a great tournament and would be even better if more pitchers were willing to risk themselves to play the game they supposedly love. Since it is an MLB event though, I do think it’s extremely sketch that NYM will not pay Diaz’ salary for the injury. Their player, their salary.

Wesley: Doesn’t change a thing. He could have been injured a bunch of different ways that don’t involve the WBC or playing baseball at all. Remember John Smoltz ironing his clothes while wearing them? Joel Zumaya injuring himself playing Guitar Hero? Or hell, less than a month ago when Joe Musgrove dropped a weight on his foot? Are we going to ban players from ironing clothes, playing video games, or from working out in a weight room? Of course not!

Would you like MLB to implement a mercy rule like the WBC?

ISH95: I honestly didn’t hate it as much as I thought I would. The Canada/GB game was getting pretty boring by the time they called it, not to mention overly long. If anything, it’s too generous? Sorry, I know this is sacrilegious.

DBacksEurope: No. At the WBC and in European competition the mercy rule is implemented because there is a huge difference between the level of competitiveness of teams and that 7th reliever on your team is a “do not open unless there is an emergency in your emergency situation” i.e. ineptitude. In MLB there is obviously a difference in competition as well but every team should and can field a (somewhat) competitive team. I am sure that a team that is pounding on the other could make some kind of a verbal agreement to mercy rule each other to avoid some arms. You don’t want that kind of stuff to happen in MLB.

Makakilo: Without a mercy rule, position players sometimes pitch. When position players pitch, it can be fun and entertaining. It’s a rare moment when the players put aside the game outcome, and just compete for the love of baseball.

Justin: I like Kilo’s interesting take on this one. Some of the lopsided games are just tedious at some point. Like an 18-2 final, just get it over with, for instance. Like that Simpsons meme where the character is saying, “stop stop, hes already dead!” I will put myself 80-20 in favor of no mercy rule, though.

Spencer: No. Ties yes. Mercy rule no.

Wesley: The mercy rules make sense in the context of the WBC, where you have a vast disparity in talent level, and the players are limited in how much they can play. It can make just as much sense in Minor League Baseball too.

I am not advocate for either mercy rules or ties in Major League games, because doesn’t make any sense.. A manager and his team always have the option of ending the game by forfeiting. Ties don’t belong in a MLB game either. I think they have a place in the Minor league ball, but I think the only situation where it makes sense in MLB is extra inning games that have gone on for longer than 3-4 extra innings.

How do you feel about Daylight Savings Time - or the lack thereof, for AZ residents?

DBacksEurope: I hate it! Or is it the other one I hate? I don’t know. I hate either summer time or winter time as we call it and it has to go away but just like the European Union: I have no idea which one I actually prefer. I advise you guys to stick to what you got and not go there.

Makakilo: There is a bond between Hawaii and Arizona because neither state has Daylight Savings Time. Two good decisions are better than one.

ISH95: Changing the clocks can exacerbate existing mental illness, increase cardiovascular events, and eliminating it could save 1.19 billion in damages related to car accidents. Finally, it was created to “create” more daylight when society needed sunlight to function. We have since harnessed the power of the sun in the palm of our hand, so we really don’t need to worry about that anymore.

All that to say abolish time changes and leave AZ three hours behind the east coast

Wesley: Yeah I’ve never had to deal with daylight savings time, other than the annoyance it’d cause pushing late night television back even later.

Justin: I agree with what ISH said. It’s obsolete. This time of year and in, what October? (I would have to look….November) I know firstworldproblems but there will be games or tv shows I want to watch and realize it’s an hour into it or not on for another hour.

DBacksEurope: Just to be clear: that isn’t how DST should work, Wes & Justin. A show at 10 pm will be broadcasted at 10 pm no matter what. They wouldn’t change the start time to either 9 pm or 11 pm. Or maybe they would in Arizona, but in Europe they don’t.

Spencer: It’s really annoying trying to figure out when I can call friends and family… Wish we’d stop with it altogether. Indiana and their certain counties that don’t do it is worse though… Makes driving through that state an utter nightmare certain times of the year.

Wesley: That’s how it works from an Arizonans’ perspective DBE lol

DBacksEurope: Ok, Wes, all fine then hahaha

Wesley: I think it’s good to have that explanation there though since there are a lot of misunderstandings about how it works. Side note: Time zones are completely arbitrary and only exist as a manufactured human concept. When you talk to someone who’s on the other side of the planet and is technically ‘in the future’, the artificiality of it becomes very apparent.

Justin: For instance, the WBC games are 7pmet. A few weeks ago that would be 5pm here. Now it is 4pm.