Spring Training Notes, Quotes, and Tweets: Day 1

The Diamondbacks began a new era today at Salt River Fields under new manager Chip Hale when pitchers and catchers reported today.

Expectations are certainly going to be lower, but baseball deals is finally here, and I couldn’t be more excited. Here are today’s notes and tweets from Day 1 in Scottsdale. This is something we hope to have every day.

More from Venom Strikes

• Happy Thanksgiving Diamondbacks Fans! We have lots to be thankful for!
• The perfect holiday gifts for the Arizona Diamondbacks fan
• Diamondbacks make some BIG 40-man roster Moves
• About time! Diamondbacks to now provide housing for Minor League players
• What is the Rule 5 Draft? How does it impact Diamondbacks?

Notes and Quotes

•  Hale opened up camp by addressing the media and had a lot of important things to say including how excited he is for this season. Players have been working out for weeks which should make fans excited.

• He says he wants to start from ground zero with the fundamentals “For us, the way you teach is to go back and start from ground zero,” first-year manager Chip Hale said. “When a team loses 98 games, it’s not hard to get their attention. We like to go on what guys have done in the past, but if a guy jumps out to us, he could find himself on the team.”
• Fundamentals is something Hale has emphasized since day 1, and it’s probably the best place to start.

• If there is one word that describes what everybody should expect from this spring, it’s fierce competition, which is always a good thing.

• Twelve to fourteen pitchers will compete for three rotation spots. Josh Collmenter and Jeremy Hellecksion are the only locks.

• Eight catchers are going to be in camp, and Hale says that they all have a chance to make the roster.

• Relievers Addison Reed and Matt Stites will be behind the other relievers after feeling sore during side throwing sessions.

• Shortstop Chris Owings will likely miss the first 8-10 Cactus League teams because the Diamondbacks want to be careful with his left shoulder. He had surgery on it this season.

• The Diamondbacks will look at Daniel Hudson as a starter initially.

• The teams workout on Friday will begin at 10 am EST.

• I’m excited to see Yasmany Tomas.

Social Media Wall