Arizona Diamondbacks: The team optioned Koyie Hill to Triple-A Tucson on
Saturday, officially establishing young Chris Snyder as the
Diamondbacks' No. 1 catcher.
Veteran Kelly Stinnett will be Snyder's backup. The Diamondbacks
purchased Stinnett's contract from Tucson.
"You work hard to get to your goal," Snyder said. "For
probably everybody here, since we started playing baseball, this
has been our ultimate goal. Now it's just try to make the best of
it and run with it."
Hill and Snyder both made the big league club out of spring
training because manager Bob Melvin said both had shown enough
ability to play at that level.
Melvin said he had thought that Hill would emerge as the No. 1
catcher because of the hitting ability he had shown in the minors.
Snyder, though, earned the majority of starts because of his
superior defense, beginning with a stretch when the Diamondbacks
weren't hitting.
"It was more important that I got a well-called game, and
defense was more important at the time," Melvin said. "It just
kind of snowballed into where I felt I was getting a better game
back there from Snyder."
Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Right-hander Rob Bell walked eight
of 10 batters Saturday in his second extended spring training game
since being placed on the 15-day disabled list because of personal
and psychological issues.
Bell went on the disabled list May 14, four days after he
pitched against the Chicago White Sox. He faced one batter and
walked him on five pitches, including two that reached the
backstop.
In Saturday's game against New York Yankees minor leaguers, Bell
threw just 16 of 53 pitches for strikes. Three of his first eight
pitches went over the catcher's head to the backstop.
"I don't know. I'm searching for answers myself," Bell said.
Bell was coming off an encouraging performance Monday, when he
allowed two hits and threw 20 of 35 pitches for strikes. He walked
three, including two on close 3-2 pitches, in the game against
Toronto minor leaguers.
"I felt more comfortable on the mound today than I did the
other day," Bell said. "I honestly did. I just couldn't get it
going in the right direction or keep it going in the right
direction. The frustrating part is I throw a good pitch and then
throw 10 bad ones."