│ Diamondbacks' Peter O'Brien could be the answer By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2 015/01/20/arizona-diamondbacks-peter-obrien-catcher- Watch Mobile Councilwoman Bess Rich say exactly why mlb/22072885/ she voted against transferring funds for Hank Aaron Stadium upgrades Sign up now for Prescott Valley Little League! By Kelli Dugan / Mobile Press-Register By Prescott Valley Tribune http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/01/watch_m http://pvtrib.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2& obile_councilwoman_bess.html ArticleID=62478 Hank Aaron Stadium is still worth the investment: opinion Queen Creek High School wins $5,000 grant from Arizona By Mike Brantley / Mobile Press-Register Diamondbacks http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/01/hank_aaron_st By Arizona News Zap adium_is_still_wo.html http://arizona.newszap.com/eastvalley/137770-114/queen- creek-high-school-wins-5000-grant-from-arizona-diamondbacks Behind the Big Leagues: An Interview with Robby Hammock By Nick Danger / TravestyTribune.com http://travestytribune.sportsblog.com/posts/1660567/behind_t Prospect Watch: Top 10 right-handed pitchers he_big_leagues__an_interview_with_robby_hammock.html Nats' Giolito leads list, followed by Mets' Syndergaard, Pirates' Glasnow $464,000 now available for Hank Aaron upgrades By Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com By Rebekah Hoeger / FOX 10 - Mobile http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/106833046/prospect- http://www.fox10tv.com/story/27896903/464000-now- watch-top-10-right-handed-pitchers available-for-hank-aaron-upgrades The market for James Shields How is the free-agent right-hander, in the third week of January, still unemployed? By Jayson Stark | ESPN.com http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12199140/how-free- agent-right-hander-james-shields-unemployed 30 things to look for before spring training By David Schoenfield / ESPN.com http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/54646/30- things-to-look-for-before-spring-training The Next Wave: The Do-Nothing GM MLB NEWS By Brian Kenny / Sports On Earth January 21, 2015 • MLB.com http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/106868922/mlb- http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news_ind offseason-do-nothing-gm-front-office ex.jsp “A lot of teams jumping back in” on James Shields ASSOCIATED PRESS By Drew Silva / NBCSports.com January 21, 2015 • Sports.yahoo.com http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/20/a-lot-of-teams- http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/morenews jumping-back-in-on-james-shields/ MLB TRANSACTIONS American baseballers being courted to play cricket January 21, 2015 • MLB.com By News.com.au http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions http://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/american-baseballers- being-courted-to-play-cricket/story-fndpt0dy-1227191744058 1 │ "He has to iron everything out," Hale said. "(In the fall league), Diamondbacks' Peter O'Brien could be the answer we saw a huge jump in his ability to frame. We saw his throwing By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic — we were really shocked how good he threw. It's just not as http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2 consistent as it has to be to be an everyday catcher, but you see 015/01/20/arizona-diamondbacks-peter-obrien-catcher- that he can do it." mlb/22072885/ Rival scouts' opinions vary. One says O'Brien needs to move off For the better part of a decade, the Diamondbacks haven't had catcher. Another compares him with White Sox catcher Tyler to worry much about with their catching situation. Since Chris Flowers, generally considered a subpar defender. A third scout Snyder emerged as the everyday guy in 2007 and after Miguel calls O'Brien's defense "not abysmal, but not desirable at all." Montero overtook him in 2009, the Diamondbacks have, more years than not, rated in the top half of the league in offensive Of course, even if O'Brien is a below-average defender, it would production from the position. be forgiven if he hits the way he has in his minor league career. In 1,058 professional at-bats, he has a career .267/.319/.534 line They go into 2015 with no such assurances. With Montero with 66 homers and 72 doubles. In 287-at-bats in Double-A last traded to the Chicago Cubs, the Diamondbacks have two season, he hit 24 homers. apparently light-hitting, glove-first types — last year's backup Tuffy Gosewisch and Rule 5 pick Oscar Hernandez. And though some scouts were wary of his low walk total, he showed a more patient approach in the fall league, drawing 17 But neither represents the main reason General Manager Dave walks in 107 plate appearances to roughly triple his walk rate Stewart says he won't be seeking help from the outside. That from the minor league season. would be Peter O'Brien, the power-hitting catcher the club acquired from the New York Yankees in the Martin Prado trade The bat might be ahead of the glove, but the Diamondbacks in July. don't think the glove is too far behind. In recent weeks, the Diamondbacks have seemingly sped up "He's got some tools," Sherlock said, "and I think the fact he's O'Brien's timeline. Earlier in the offseason, they were saying he going to be behind the plate, getting consistent playing time at would likely be ready for the big leagues by midsummer. Lately, the catcher position will only help things. He's got good hands they've been saying it wouldn't be out of the question for him to and good actions and he's very determined, and that all adds up break with the team on Opening Day. to good things." Sign up now for Prescott Valley Little League! This line of thinking runs counter to that of some rival By Prescott Valley Tribune evaluators. It's not that they disagree so much with when he'll be http://pvtrib.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2& ready — it's that many don't see O'Brien ever being a capable ArticleID=62478 defender behind the plate. Citizens may sign up their children for the next season of the The Diamondbacks disagree, for a few reasons. For one, they Prescott Valley Little League in person from 10 a.m . to Noon like O'Brien's tools. Bench coach Glenn Sherlock, who serves as Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Prescott Valley Public Library, Crystal the team's catching coach, says O'Brien has good hands and Room. actions behind the plate to go with a strong arm, and the club liked the way he worked with pitchers during the Arizona Fall The cost ranges from $60 to $80 depending on the age of your League. child. "He's a great learner," Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said. Please bring a copy of your birth certificate, proof of residency, "One of the things we were really impressed with in the fall medical release form, registration form and parent/player code league was his ability to work with different pitchers and earn of ethics form (school waiver if needed). their trust. You really need to know if your pitchers like to throw to him and feel good throwing to him." This year, the Arizona Diamondbacks are providing team uniforms, to include hats, for all players! They like that he's committed to being a catcher and willing to put in the work to make it happen, including showing up to Salt In addition, if your child lives outside of the Prescott Valley River Fields early this month to work with Sherlock. Little League boundary but attends school within the boundary, he or she may play on the PV League. "He's very determined, a very hard worker," Sherlock said. "We talked in the fall and he told me he wanted to come in early, he PVLL registration already is available online. For more was going to be here, he wanted to work. That's what he's been information and to register, visit doing." prescottvalleylittleleague.weebly.com. The Diamondbacks also believe O'Brien will benefit from Queen Creek High School wins $5,000 grant from Arizona getting a chance to dedicate himself fully to the position. Diamondbacks Coming up with the Yankees, he bounced between catcher, third By Arizona News Zap base, first base and the outfield. 2 │ http://arizona.newszap.com/eastvalley/137770-114/queen- http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/106833046/prospect- creek-high-school-wins-5000-grant-from-arizona-diamondbacks watch-top-10-right-handed-pitchers Queen Creek High School’s pre-engineering program recently MLBPipeline.com's 2015 Top 100 Prospects list will be unveiled won a $5,000 grant from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, Jan. 30, on MLB.com, with the Top 50 revealed Foundation as part of their “School Challenge” program. during a one-hour show on MLB Network at 9 p.m. ET. Instructor Matt Chicci’s students were awarded one of 30 grants Leading up to that, MLBPipeline.com takes a look at baseball's from more than 400 submissions from Arizona schools around Top 10 prospects at each position. the state, representing 11 counties and 47 cities, said a press release. There are always a ton of right-handed pitchers on our Top 100 Queen Creek High School’s entry was in the list. The 2015 version is no different. All 10 on the list below are “Innovation/Technology” category, and funds will be used to in the Top 100, and then some. build a drone. QCHS will be honored and given a check on the Diamondbacks’ Chase Field this spring.