ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
UPDATED: MARCH 18, 2023 AT 1:16 PM
Manager Torey Lovullo #17 of the Arizona Diamondbacks speaks to the media for the duration of the Spring Education Cactus League Media Day at Arizona Biltmore on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Images by way of Getty Photos)
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo is watching every single single play in the Globe Baseball Classic to monitor his players representing their nations.
He told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo that the organization would by no means block a player participating, but he dug deeper on the element of collaboration in between clubs and the national teams.
“We saw that Ketel (Marte) had played center field and (Dominican Republic common manager) Nelson Cruz and (manager) Rodney Linares graciously accepted the telephone contact,” Lovullo mentioned. “I explained to them that it wasn’t what we wanted Ketel to do. He hadn’t played the outfield in more than a year, we hadn’t educated him or grilled him in that position.
“I asked them if they wouldn’t thoughts placing him back at second base and circled back to it a couple occasions to make certain that the message was loud and clear. Rodney decided that the contact was was completely timed. He accepted it and he got him into second base.”
It is a tricky balance, as national teams are attempting to win a tournament that implies so substantially to lots of players and fans.
Group USA captain Mike Trout known as it the most entertaining encounter he’s had on a baseball field Wednesday at Chase Field. Various Dominican players mentioned in a video that winning the WBC would imply a lot more than a Globe Series.
However, it is spring education and clubs are gearing up for Opening Day in much less than two weeks.
Group USA manager Mark DeRosa spoke about the balance of managing a pitching employees to win although adhering to companion club demands just after a loss to Mexico in group play at Chase Field. He noted it is his duty to not jeopardize any MLB team’s season.
That mentioned, D-backs common manager Mike Hazen known as the WBC an amazing encounter for his players.
“I feel Alek Thomas playing in that game the other evening at Chase Field with 50,000 folks there … I feel Merrill going out there representing Group USA on a distinctive stage — a single that does not get developed all the time in the National League West or in any key league standard season game — I feel it tends to make a large distinction,” Hazen told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke on Wednesday.
“It’s an encounter they wouldn’t get otherwise, I feel it is only optimistic for them to get to see that stuff. The subsequent time you get to see it, you see it in the playoffs.”
Hazen noted that Zac Gallen, Corbin Carroll and Jordan Lawlar attended the USA-Mexico game to encounter the packed and enthusiastic Chase Field atmosphere.
Injuries and the WBC came to the forefront on Wednesday with Puerto Rico and New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz — fresh off signing an extension — suffering a possible season-ending patella tear in his knee although celebrating a win more than the Dominican Republic.
Lovullo mentioned he was sorry to see it occur, but threat of injury is present every single time players take the field.
He pointed to D-backs reliever Corbin Martin suffering a lat tear in spring education this week as an instance that something can occur.
“Make certain you are in shape, make certain that points are okay, and if they’re not, that is when we would intervene,” Lovullo mentioned. “But we felt like all the athletes that we sent off are prepared to go, prepared to compete at a higher level.”
Thomas and Group Mexico earned a spot in the semifinals against Japan just after defeating Puerto Rico on Friday.
Kelly and Group USA reached the quarterfinals and a matchup with Venezuela set for Saturday at four p.m. The winner will take on Cuba in the semifinals.
