A letter from Mike Hazen

[Chris_Sanders]

Dear Season Ticket Holders,

A day like today isn’t what we envisioned when 2020 started and there are no excuses, despite the challenging circumstances of this year. We simply have not played well enough and sometimes we are required to make long-term decisions and pivot quickly when things don’t go as we had planned. Our motivation for today’s trades was positioning ourselves to be better in 2021.

In acquiring Caleb Smith and Travis Bergen, we added a left-handed starter and reliever who we highly value and have had an eye on for some time. We also traded for infielder/outfielder Josh VanMeter and outfielder Stuart Fairchild who we think are two good hitters to add to our already talented core of young position players. Finally, we were able to add several prospects to our farm system, which is regarded as one of the best in the league.

But our goal is not to have the best farm system. We need our prospects to come up and help us win a World Series or be utilized as options to trade and improve our big league team. We want to keep our fan favorites and those drafted and developed here, but given the way this year went, we were not in a position to do that right now.

None of the trades we made today were easy. Archie Bradley, Andrew Chafin and Robbie Ray have long histories with us and will be missed, as will Starling Marte. We hope that you get as excited about the next wave of young D-backs players like Daulton Varsho, Corbin Carroll, Alek Thomas and Kristian Robinson as you were about these other young men. We need to blend all these players together so that when they get here, it leads to victories.

We started this season with every expectation of making the playoffs so today is certainly disappointing. But we are well positioned to improve even further during the offseason and put a team on the field in 2021 that competes hard every day and makes you proud.

Sincerely,

Mike Hazen
Executive Vice President & General Manager
Arizona Diamondbacks

 

[1Sun]

Dear Season Ticket Holders,

A day like today isn’t what we envisioned when 2020 started and there are no excuses, despite the challenging circumstances of this year. We simply have not played well enough and sometimes we are required to make long-term decisions and pivot quickly when things don’t go as we had planned. Our motivation for today’s trades was positioning ourselves to be better in 2021.

In acquiring Caleb Smith and Travis Bergen, we added a left-handed starter and reliever who we highly value and have had an eye on for some time. We also traded for infielder/outfielder Josh VanMeter and outfielder Stuart Fairchild who we think are two good hitters to add to our already talented core of young position players. Finally, we were able to add several prospects to our farm system, which is regarded as one of the best in the league.

But our goal is not to have the best farm system. We need our prospects to come up and help us win a World Series or be utilized as options to trade and improve our big league team. We want to keep our fan favorites and those drafted and developed here, but given the way this year went, we were not in a position to do that right now.

None of the trades we made today were easy. Archie Bradley, Andrew Chafin and Robbie Ray have long histories with us and will be missed, as will Starling Marte. We hope that you get as excited about the next wave of young D-backs players like Daulton Varsho, Corbin Carroll, Alek Thomas and Kristian Robinson as you were about these other young men. We need to blend all these players together so that when they get here, it leads to victories.

We started this season with every expectation of making the playoffs so today is certainly disappointing. But we are well positioned to improve even further during the offseason and put a team on the field in 2021 that competes hard every day and makes you proud.

Sincerely,

Mike Hazen
Executive Vice President & General Manager
Arizona Diamondbacks

If Carroll, Thomas and Robinson are part of our next core, why did Hazen trade for two outfielders today?

 

[AZ Native]

We could do a lot worse than Mike Hazen.

 

[GatorAZ]

If Carroll, Thomas and Robinson are part of our next core, why did Hazen trade for two outfielders today?

Peralta and Calhoun won’t be in here when our 2023-24’ guys are up.

 

[AZ Native]

We could do a lot worse than Mike Hazen.

He's going to go on to a team that appreciates his talents. We will have another Dave Stewart in his place.

 

[1Sun]

Peralta and Calhoun won’t be in here when our 2023-24’ guys are up.

True, but those 2023-24 guys will comprise our entire starting outfield, which means we just traded our Closer for the dreaded "organizational depth"...

 

[BC867]

We could do a lot worse than Mike Hazen.

We could do a lot worse. We could do a lot worse.

Somehow, I don't find solace in that.

How about, we could do a lot better. We could do a lot better.

I know it's a play on words. But I'm looking for better, not less worse.

Starting with the manager. If Hazen continues to condone Lovullo's
chaotic decisions, lack of giving young talent a chance and interviews
that put you to sleep, it's on Hazen.

And all of the moves like bringing Starling in and dumping him in the
same season only highlight the incompetence of our Front Office.

They were either wrong in bringing him in or wrong in getting rid of him.
You can't condone both.

 

[AZCrazy]

Not worried about either guy. They're the best we've had in 15 + years. One crumbly 30 game season doesn't matter at all. The only problem we face long term is in baseball's weak assed lack of a salary cap. We can't afford to keep our good players. NY and LA can.

Bye, Greinke. See ya, Corbin. So long, Goldschmidt. Adios, Martinez.............

 

[overseascardfan]

We could do a lot worse. We could do a lot worse.

Somehow, I don't find solace in that.

How about, we could do a lot better. We could do a lot better.

I know it's a play on words. But I'm looking for better, not less worse.

Starting with the manager. If Hazen continues to condone Lovullo's
chaotic decisions, lack of giving young talent a chance and interviews
that put you to sleep, it's on Hazen.

And all of the moves like bringing Starling in and dumping him in the
same season only highlight the incompetence of our Front Office.

They were either wrong in bringing him in or wrong in getting rid of him.
You can't condone both.

I think Hazen got directive from KK to shed salary in preparation for the possibility of a loss of the 2021 season. Burns and Gambo made a point today that Marte's $12.5M option wouldn't have been an issue pre COVID but the unknown with the 2021 season, KK may not be able to maintain a payroll north of $100M. Hopefully, this is the year we see Sarver & Kendrick sell. Hopefully, its to some big pocket owners.

 

[Yuma]

Maybe I am the only one who did not think trades went far enough. I think next season teams with high salaries will be very disadvantaged. It doesn't look like an end to Carona is in sight. If they have to play with even reduced fans next season, it could be a bloodbath! Not that 5 trades is anything to sniff at, but I was kinda hoping for more.

 

[DumboD]

I would also have liked to see some other veteran players traded for younger talent. Escobar, Peralta, Calhoun, and Ahmed, are all in their 30s with their best years likely behind them. The only possible young star of the starters, Ketel Marte, came into the season with us expecting more power, but he lost it. And Christian Walker as a solid replacement for Goldschmidt was overhyped. So Hazen is asking us to be patient while while some younger players develop on a team that at least "competes hard every day." I think he needs to acquire a couple of free agents in the off-season that will give us reasons to be a more optimistic, because on paper, we look like we'll be at the bottom of the NL West. The Dodgers and the Padres look like they will be winners for years to come. Hazen has a tough job.

 

[1Sun]

I would also have liked to see some other veteran players traded for younger talent. Escobar, Peralta, Calhoun, and Ahmed, are all in their 30s with their best years likely behind them. The only possible young star of the starters, Ketel Marte, came into the season with us expecting more power, but he lost it. And Christian Walker as a solid replacement for Goldschmidt was overhyped. So Hazen is asking us to be patient while while some younger players develop on a team that at least "competes hard every day." I think he needs to acquire a couple of free agents in the off-season that will give us reasons to be a more optimistic, because on paper, we look like we'll be at the bottom of the NL West. The Dodgers and the Padres look like they will be winners for years to come. Hazen has a tough job.

Unfortunately, as awful as the team has been, Escobar, Calhoun and Ahmed have virtually zero trade value right now (and Calhoun is on a short term, team friendly deal, anyway). Peralta is the only one of those four I think might have been able to net something in return, but they need to keep at least a couple of veterans around who can be positive influences on the younger guys, and Peralta's professional approach is helpful in that regard. I don't know what has happened to Escobar, but he has fallen off a cliff this year. And Ahmed looks more and more like he took the money and ran, thereby making him a negative influence on the younger guys (if they even could have pulled an Andrew-Chafin-like trade to get rid of him, I would have considered that addition by subtraction).

 

[AZCB34]

Maybe I am the only one who did not think trades went far enough. I think next season teams with high salaries will be very disadvantaged. It doesn't look like an end to Carona is in sight. If they have to play with even reduced fans next season, it could be a bloodbath! Not that 5 trades is anything to sniff at, but I was kinda hoping for more.

I suspect Hazen may have been having more conversations but the offers weren't what he wanted

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Got the same exact letter but addressed "Dear D-backs fans," instead since we don't have season tix.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Azjose86]

Arizona teams for ever rebuilding.

 

[Ronin]

Nick Ahmed.....boy is he upset.

 

[Dback Jon]

Nick Ahmed.....boy is he upset.

Nick - try not going 2-18 in last 5 games, including two game ending strikeouts with the bases loaded first.

 

[BC867]

Hopefully, this is the year we see Sarver & Kendrick sell. Hopefully, its to some big pocket owners.

When you wish upon a star . . .

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[BC867]

... don't know what has happened to Escobar, but he has fallen off a cliff this year.

I'd bet that it's the same thing that has Lamb hitting worse than most pitchers . . .

Torey's proclamation (that I've posted before) that he wants players (speaking about
Lamb) who hit the ball into the air.

Lovullo has the ability to lead a winner . . . or create a loser. And we see the results.

And how it has now decimated the roster.

 

[AZCB34]

Nick Ahmed.....boy is he upset.

Please explain

 

[BC867]

Please explain

My guess would be that he didn't like being left behind in the fire sale.

But Nick has regressed. Even sometimes in the field.

He has no basis for being disappointed.

 

[swagron]

Nick - try not going 2-18 in last 5 games, including two game ending strikeouts with the bases loaded first.

Exactly. This dude has no credibility as he is part of the problem.

 

[1Sun]

Exactly. This dude has no credibility as he is part of the problem.

A HUGE part of the problem...to the point I would argue Nick Ahmed is a cancer...

 

[BC867]

I never liked settling on Ahmed as our SS. I posted that at the time.
Even when his hitting went from horrible to marginal.

I would much rather have seen Ketel stay with his natural position of
SS. It would have been much easier to find a second baseman.

SS to 2B and, now, talk about CF again. Sometimes! That is showing
disrespect for a player. Especially one who has turned into a star.

And, by moving our second best RBI man last season (Ketel) to
leadoff. And then moving him to second in the lineup. And now
he is not an RBI producer, on a team that scores 1 run per game.

I'll say it again. Torey Lovullo has the shortest attention span of any
manager in the Majors. BADD -- Baseball Attention Deficit Disorder.

Oh, this was about Ahmed. The few guys Torey tends to stick with
are the ones who underperform. Like he did with Lamb.

 

[DumboD]

Still hate thinking about our deal to send SS Dansby Swanson to Atlanta for SP Shelby Miller......Miller is and was a total bust as Swanson gets better every year....