Arizona Diamondbacks Daily Clips │ October 24, 2014 Daily Clips October 24, 2014 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/10/23/after-leaving- LOCAL nationals-bryan-minniti-joins-diamondbacks-as-assistant-general- D-backs hire assistant GM Minniti from Nationals manager/ By Steve Gilbert / MLB.com http://m.mlb.com/news/article/99409108/arizona- Diamondbacks hire Bryan Minniti as assistant GM diamondbacks-hire-bryan-minniti-from-washington-nationals By Bryan Kilpatrick / SB Nation http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2014/10/23/7055175/bryan- Ex-Nationals executive Bryan Minniti joins Arizona minniti-hired-diamondbacks-assistant-general-manager Diamondbacks as assistant general manager By Nick Piecoro / azcentral sports D-backs prospect Drury testing his potential http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2 By Don Ketchum / MLB.com 014/10/23/ex-nationals-executive-bryan-minniti-joins-arizona- http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/99326220/d-backs- diamondbacks-assistant-general-manager/17817269/ prospect-brandon-drury-testing-potential-in-afl Drury adds depth to second base RENO ACES By Mark Brown / The Examiner (Phoenix) http://www.examiner.com/article/drury-adds-depth-to-second- MOBILE BAYBEARS base VISALIA RAWHIDE Arizona Diamondbacks name Bryan Minniti assistant general manager KANE COUNTY COUGARS By Arizona Sports Druley: Rolling toward bowling season http://arizonasports.com/42/1777188/Arizona- By Kevin Druley / The Kane County Chronicle Diamondbacks-name-Bryan-Minniti-assistant-general-manager http://www.kcchronicle.com/2014/10/24/druley-rolling- toward-bowling-season/aprpcs7/ Diamondbacks looking toward the future in Arizona Fall League HILLSBORO HOPS By Thomas Mitchell / Cronkite News http://cronkitenewsonline.com/2014/10/with-prospects-in- MISSOULA OSPREY the-arizona-fall-league-diamondbacks-look-toward-the-future/ NATIONAL How great was the effect of injuries on Arizona Diamondbacks' 2014 results? MLB NEWS By Arizona Sports October 24, 2014 • MLB.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1776467/How-great-was-the- http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news_ind effect-of-injuries-on-Arizona-Diamondbacks-2014-results ex.jsp NATIONAL ASSOCIATED PRESS Bryan Minniti, former Nationals assistant GM, hired by October 24, 2014 • Sports.yahoo.com Diamondbacks http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/morenews By James Wagner / The Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals- MLB TRANSACTIONS journal/wp/2014/10/23/bryan-minniti-former-nationals- October 24, 2014 • MLB.com assistant-gm-hired-by-diamondbacks/ http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions Minniti joins D-backs, Zimmermann keeps improving By Dan Kolko / MASN http://www.masnsports.com/nationals- pastime/2014/10/minniti-joins-dbacks-zimmermann-keeps- improving.html After leaving Nationals, Bryan Minniti joins Diamondbacks as assistant general manager By DJ Short / NBC Sports 1 Arizona Diamondbacks Daily Clips │ October 24, 2014 LOCAL Minniti, who left the Nationals shortly after they were eliminated D-backs hire assistant GM Minniti from Nationals from the postseason earlier this month, said Thursday it was By Steve Gilbert / MLB.com "time for a change and a new opportunity." http://m.mlb.com/news/article/99409108/arizona- diamondbacks-hire-bryan-minniti-from-washington-nationals "It's an exciting group of people," Minniti said of the Diamondbacks. "I've heard great things about the organization The D-backs continued filling out their baseball operations and the culture, and I'm looking forward to the chance to work department Thursday by hiring Bryan Minniti as assistant general with Tony (La Russa) and Dave and De Jon (Watson)." manager and Mike Russell as special assistant to senior vice president of baseball operations. Minniti, 34, earned a bachelor of science degree with a double major in mathematics and statistics from the University of Minniti spent the previous five seasons with the Nationals Pittsburgh, but he said he doesn't consider himself an "analytics assisting GM Mike Rizzo. Minniti specialized in rules guy." compliance, transactions, budgeting and contract negotiations. Still, he helped the Nationals overhaul their analytics Before joining the Nationals, Minniti spent nine seasons in the department, and Stewart said he wants Minniti to be among Pirates' baseball operations department, rising to the position of those overseeing the Diamondbacks' foray into that world. director of baseball operations. Minniti said a key there is to find the best way to convey information to the club's decision-makers. Russell had been a member of the Tigers' Major League scouting staff since 2002, primarily responsible for scouting National "If you have the people who can do it and the people who can League East teams and players. explain it," he said, "it's got a chance to make a positive impact in your decision making." Recently inducted into the Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame, Russell got his start as an area supervisor for the Giants in The Diamondbacks also officially announced the hiring of Mike 1988. He also has worked for the Blue Jays and Marlins during Russell as a special assistant to Watson, the team's senior vice his long career, and four of the teams he worked for reached the president of baseball operations. Russell's title also includes World Series. "coordinator of professional scouting." The D-backs' baseball operations department has undergone a "He's a great source of information," Stewart said. "I think he's a significant overhaul over the past year, beginning in May when great evaluator when it comes to talent, which is what we need Tony La Russa was hired to the newly created position of chief on that side, but even more importantly we need good baseball officer. information, and I believe he will provide that." GM Kevin Towers saw his duties shifted and eventually left the Drury adds depth to second base organization with Dave Stewart being hired to replace him and By Mark Brown / The Examiner (Phoenix) De Jon Watson named senior vice president of baseball http://www.examiner.com/article/drury-adds-depth-to-second- operations. base Ex-Nationals executive Bryan Minniti joins Arizona The traffic jam around second base just became a bit more Diamondbacks as assistant general manager congested. By Nick Piecoro / azcentral sports http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2 That’s because Brandan Drury, a third baseman by trade, has 014/10/23/ex-nationals-executive-bryan-minniti-joins-arizona- been instructed by the Diamondbacks’ organization to bush up diamondbacks-assistant-general-manager/17817269/ on play around the keystone sack. The Diamondbacks made another addition to their front office At his point, it appears the Diamondbacks are looking to take on Thursday, hiring Bryan Minniti as their new assistant general out an insurance policy on Chris Owings, who many believe will manager. Minniti had been in the same position with the open the 2015 season as manager Chip Hale’s second baseman. Washington Nationals the previous five seasons before surprisingly resigning earlier this month. Yet, Owings went through a frustrating season this past summer and appeared in 91 games with 310 plate appearance. Beating Diamondbacks General Manager Dave Stewart said Minniti's out Didi Gregorius for the starting shortstop job in spring skillset will complement his own, particularly as it relates to training, Owings ended up spending most of the second-half of Minniti's ability to handle the administrative side of a baseball the season nursing a bruised shoulder. operations department. With Aaron Hill (.244 in 133 games, 10 home runs, 60 RBIs last "I won't say it's a weakness for me, but it's a part of my job that I season) in the twilight of his career and signed for the next two don't necessarily want to embrace on a day-to-day basis," Stewart years at $12 million each year, the experiment begins to find his said. "He picks me up in that area and is very knowledgeable in heir. that area. People in the industry say he's one of the best in the business at that position." 2 Arizona Diamondbacks Daily Clips │ October 24, 2014 In the first thought, Owings would move to second and This plethora of ability could also mean possible deals to pick up Gregorius becomes the every-day shortstop. That would leave a front line pitcher of two. That part of the equation gets Jake Lamb, Hill and Drury all as third base prospects. Plus, toss underway in mid-November. That’s when baseball’s general in utility infielder Cliff Pennington, who enters an arbitration- managers gather in Phoenix in their annual GM meetings and eligible contract year and is not a free agent until 2016, to battle Diamondbacks’ GM Dave Stewart can start playing his hand. for playing time along shortstop Nick Ahmed, who appeared in 25 games with the Diamondbacks and hit .200 (14-for-70). ACCOLADES All of which gives the Diamondbacks additional depth with Diamondbacks’ catching prospect Peter O’Brien, playing for the Drury. Salt River Rafters, was nominated as position Player-of-the- Week in the Arizona Fall League for Week One. Coming over to Arizona with Martin Prado from Atlanta as part of the Justin Upton deal on Jan. 24, 2013, Drury put up better The award went to Surprise outfielder Jesse Winker of the numbers in the Diamondbacks’ organization. Starting the 2014 Cincinnati Reds’ organization. For the week, Winker went 5-for- season at Advanced-A Visalia, Drury hit an even .300 in 107 11, four runs scored, two doubles, one home run and knocked in games (19 home runs, 81 RBIs) before a promotion to Double- seven runs. AA Mobile. He finished the season with the BayBears and recorded a .295 average with 14 RBIs in 29 games. STANDINGS AND MORE With the desire to get a closer look, the Diamondbacks named In games through Wednesday Oct.