It was on this day 11 years ago that baseball's first November game ended in heartbreaking fashion for the Diamondbacks, as they lost the fifth game of the 2001 World Series due to closer Byung-Hyun Kim blowing a ninth-inning lead for the second straight game. The loss to the Yankees put the D'Backs down 3-2 in the Series, but the Snakes recovered to win the last two games (with Luis Gonzalez providing some ninth-inning magic of his own in Game Seven) to capture the franchise's first World Series championship.
Here's the latest from the desert…
- Aaron Hill would love to discuss signing a long-term extension with the D'Backs, the second baseman tells MLB.com's Steve Gilbert. Hill has hit .304/.364/.517 in 810 PAs for Arizona since being dealt from the Blue Jays in August 2011 and signed a two-year, $11MM deal with the Snakes that runs through the end of the 2013 season.
- D'Backs president and CEO Derrick Hall addressed a number of topics in a chat with fans on MLB.com, including how the team is looking to add to the left side of its infield and will be "managing the abundance of players we have" in the outfield. The D'Backs have already made one major trade involving an outfielder, sending Chris Young to the A's and acquiring Cliff Pennington and Heath Bell. Hall also discussed the team's international scouting in Japan and the possibility of third base coach Matt Williams leaving to take a managerial job.
- The Rangers acquired catcher Konrad Schmidt on a waiver claim from the D'Backs, tweets Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest. Schmidt, 28, appeared in four games for Arizona in 2010 and four more last season, amassing 17 total Major League plate appearances. The catcher has a .291/.345/.434 line in 2234 career minor league PAs.
Dbacks should offer 4/48 to keep hill and i still dont understand why they got bell linstrom would be better and cheaper if they pocked up his option
I think Hill could be had for less than 4/48. He’s worth that but no way AZ throws that kind of dough at him. I think they will offer something more along the lines of 2/18, maybe 3/27 and hope he bites. Otherwise, he’s getting traded at the deadline.
I knew Hill was the type of guy that just needed a change in scenery. I’m a Toronto fan and I could just see it. Hill and Arizona are a GOOD fit. A top notch 2B are hard to come by.
I REALLY wanted Hill to come to Detroit… was having a bad year and would have been cheap. Then he put up last year and it made me even more so jealous.
The D’backs really need to lock him up. That’s a good park for him to play in and he could be their second baseman for a while yet.
Byung-Hyun Kim… Blast from the past, and I always found him intriguing…
Bittersweet feeling seeing Hill succeed in another uniform. Was one of my faves back when he first came up. Nearly 2 years of being the worst hitter…really needed a fresh start and now he’s thriving again. Good for him
Should have a Gold glove too.
Darwin Barney was far and away the best fielding second baseman in the NL.
Darwin Barney 3.6 dWAR, Aaron Hill 0.2 dWAR. It’s not even close.
The Marlins are still paying approx. 9 million of Heath’s Contract. Lindstrom had a 2.5 million option, so a salary dump of Chris Young’s contract and a Heath Bell’s 12 million dollar contract means the diamondbacks ultimately saved money although Heath Bell is $500,000 more expensive, he is worth the potential upgrade.