The Diamondbacks will open up Cactus League play against their complex rivals in the Colorado Rockies tomorrow.
Tomorrow, the Diamondbacks will play against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields in the first of their Cactus League games. Games have a different vibe than drills and practice, even if the squad has been working hard for the past week or so to be ready.
“I believe they’re prepared to move on from the majority of the morning’s activities and labor. It becomes a little boring. I know that they must be eager to see another outfit as they step onto the field. It was a long day spent making sure we had everything ready so we could play Game 1 tomorrow. Tomorrow on a baseball field, we get to witness everything that we’ve been discussing during the offseason—the meetings, the practices, and everything else—all in one package, and I’m extremely thrilled about that.”
The excitement surrounding the team is different as the 2024 season approaches. Over the past week, a large number of supporters have flocked to Salt River Fields to see the D-backs practice. For Lovullo, the thrill of game day is much the same.
“I’m really, really excited to be near the fans, walk down these steps, go outdoors, and hear the music and crowd. Perhaps things will be a little different tomorrow. The announcer will undoubtedly say something like, “National League Champion, Arizona Diamondbacks.”It will be particularly memorable for me to hear that in public for the first time.”
Instead of starting this game as planned, Eduardo Rodriguez will now toss on the back field. Tommy Henry will replace him tomorrow at Salt River Fields against the Rockies. This spring, Henry is among the contenders vying for the fifth starting spot.
The D-backs will line up behind Henry as their starting infield. For the first week of games, Lovullo says he will get them two at-bats and four innings on the field. They intend to extend them to three ABs the following week. When his batters go on rival pitchers from a different team, Lovullo wants to see something like this from them.
It all comes down to the hitter’s approach to the plate and bat path. What are their points of balance? Is the front foot planted firmly? Have they returned their hands? Are they correctly serving in the strike zone? Do they maintain control throughout their swing? Are they demonstrating the fundamentals of hitting and counting? Do they have the ability to score two points? I’m just getting more focused on that. I’m familiar with our players already, so I’d like to see some of the modifications, if any, that they made.”
Lovullo will start outfield on Saturday, as was announced yesterday. For a spring training game, Major League Baseball mandates that teams field a minimum of representative players. According to Lovullo, the requirement is met by achieving a predetermined number of innings, or at-bats, with no discussions. The D-backs will stagger their players early in Cactus League games in order to meet the required criterion, as they have 17 such qualified players.
Salt River Fields will host the spring opening tomorrow, and the D-backs will be the club assigned to travel. Pitch one will start at 1:10 PM MST.
