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Things to know about key Diamondbacks players

Jordan Spurgeon

(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

ARLINGTON – There are many reasons why the Diamondback are shocking the world by making the 2023 World Series.

Nationally, there is some east coast bias (Arizona played its first nationally televised regular season game in five years this season). So many national pundits haven’t seen this team play.

Many people may not know much about this team, other than the fact they lost 110 games two years ago and only won 84 this year.

Here are some things to know about some of the players on this team. Both on and off the field.

Corbin Carroll

Diamondbacks’ Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Hazen recently told Arizona Sports’ Wolf and Luke that Carroll is his “Devin Booker.” High praise that’s earned for the NL rookie of the year favorite.

Carroll is a reserved person when talking to the media and about himself. Tommy Pham told me at media day that the first time he saw Carroll truly smile was in September when a girl was yelling his name in the outfield. Pham told Carroll that he should shout back nicely, or else he would. That made Carroll laugh and smile.

The All-Star outfielder is the franchise guy. Many general managers would select the 23-year-old as as the guy they’d build a franchise around.

Alek Thomas

At media day, more people were lined up to meet with him than any other player to begin with. For good reason too, he has some of the most clutch home runs this postseason for the snakes.

But, did you know that his dad Allen Thomas has a championship ring from the 2005 Chicago White Sox? He was the strength and conditioning coach for the team for 28 years.

Alek Thomas says the Diamondbacks ring will be “bigger and cooler.” Maybe we’ll see them side by side one day?

Thomas is also the resident Gen Z expert who teaches the veterans about “cool” music and trends.

Ketel Marte

The 2023 NLCS MVP. Has a 16 game postseason hit streak. That’s the NL record and most games for any player to ever start their playoff career with. The all-time record is 17 by Derek Jeter. Game 2 could be a big day for Marte.

Marte is a staple in this organization. He’s been here since 2016. So he’s seen playoff action once before this year. He’s also seen tons of losing.

He is the highest paid player on the roster this year, making just north of $11 million. 

I asked him about his “playoff resurgence” yesterday. He says he’s just been waiting for this moment and now that it’s here, he’s leaving everything out there. It shows.

If you attend a game and watch the field closely during pregame warmups, you’ll see Marte having more fun than anyone. 

Paul Sewald

Acquired at the trade deadline to sure up the closer spot, the 33-year-old Paul Sewald has done just that. The bullpen is lights out this postseason, he’s a big reason why. Multiple players describe him as the “fun uncle” on the team. 

At media day, while rocking a “Snakes Alive” t-shirt, he joked to me that he’s glad to be a millennial after learning so much from his Gen Z teammates.

His victory fist pumps are in an elite class. Can only imagine what it’ll look like if he closes out a World Series title…

Zac Gallen

The ace. The guy who will finish Top-3 in the NL CY Young race this year. 

While Gallen hasn’t been the best version of himself this postseason, he still sets the tone for the pitching staff.

His press conferences ooze with confidence and calmness each and every time.

His social media presence can get fiery. After beating his hometown Phillies, Gallen left the fans with one more thing to ponder on… spring training tickets.

“I just figured, if they want to talk junk to me, I’ll say one back,” Gallen said. “And I feel like, being from there, I knew how to hit them the hardest.”

Andrew Saalfrank & Brandon Pfaadt

I’m lumping these two rookies together because they are really close to each other.

I waited near their tables to speak with both of them first at media day. As soon as Pfaadt sat down, a reporter asked him about the photo of him on twitter from Game 7 of the NLCS, supposedly reading the Bible. Saalfrank looked at and chuckled with Pfaadt immediately.

Apparently it was just a notebook he was reading. They knew that question would come up many times. Saalfrank told me they had some bets going on how many times that would be brought up, but didn’t tell me the over/under.

Back in May, neither of these guys would’ve been a thought for a potential postseason roster. Pfaadt went on to go back and forth between the big leagues and AAA. Saalfrank joined the big league club in September, not allowing a single run. Now these two are arguably the two most important pitchers on the staff…

Merrill Kelly

Merill Kelly will start Game 2 for Arizona. He was the best road pitcher in baseball this year. He lived up to that in Game 6 against the Phillies.

Before joining the Diamondbacks in 2019, Kelly pitched four years in Korea. He also pitched big-time games for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic this spring. He’s well-travelled, which is something he loves. Oh and he’s a Sun Devil as well.

“I would be lying if I said I envisioned myself playing in Korea for four years and traveling to play baseball this much,” Kelly said. “But it’s all prepared me for this moment with this team. Everything has worked out the way it was supposed to for me.”

He told Japanese reporters next to me that his favorite pitchers to watch were all the guys on the Japanse World Baseball Classic team this year. He admires the way they pitch, with movement and pinpoint execution.

Tommy Pham

Referred to as the “uncle that’s trying to mess with you.” Tommy Pham is 35-years-old and has been around the league for awhile.

Teammates new and old have endless stories about Pham. Many say he’s the guy they want to have their back in a fight. He agrees because he trains for it.

In the NLCS he experienced a whirlwind of emotions. He was pinch-hit for in Game 4. Sat in Game 5. Then reinserted into the lineup in Game 6, hitting a home run to get the offense rolling against Phillies starter Aaron Nola.

His veteran prescence is not to be taken lightly on this team.

He’s also not a fan of the music played by his teammates. 

“Their music selection is terrible… terrible, terrible,” he said while walking away to head to workouts.

Geraldo Perdomo

If you’ve seen any video clips of the four champagne/beer showers the last month, chances are you’ve seen Perdomo pouring his teammates and media people with all of it. That’s his personality.

Everyone in that clubhouse describes the first time All-Star as a fun guy to be around. He keeps things light. He’s also in charge of the aux at almost all times. His group’s World Series batting practice session was littered with his music. Keeps the hips loose and he and his teammates happy.

Perdomo just turned 24 on October 22. He provides the spark this team needs in many different ways. Home runs. Solid defense. Music. Laughter. Energy. He’s the kind of player any World Series champion needs to have.

Evan Longoria

Signing him may have been the best move of the offseason in Arizona. His numbers are nothing special, but he means everything to this team.

“On day one I brought him into my office to give him free reign to do anything he needed to do to lead,” Torey Lovollo said during media day. “He’s done that every day… he’s the perfect guy to say what needs to be said when I’m not the one who should say it… I also made sure to tell him he’s still a heck of a ballplayer.”

Alek Thomas called him the “cool uncle.” Teammates agree. He’s laid back. He’s a dad.

Like Pham and Merrill Kelly, he’s not the biggest fan of his Gen Z teammates’ music. But he puts up with it because it keeps him young and engaged.

He also knows how to take a beer shower…

It’s not his first World Series rodeo. He was here 15 years ago with the Tampa Bay Rays. He joked that he thought he needed to bat 1.000 back then. Now, he knows what truly needs to be done.

Kevin Ginkel

What a crazy last few years for Kevin Ginkel. In 2019, he looked like the closer of the future behind Archie Bradley.

Then 2020 hits and he looked nothing like himself. Same in 2021, 2022, and even parts of 2023. He even spent time in AAA in June.

Torey Lovullo says being too tough when inuries occured led to Ginkel’s rough last few years. Now he’s healthy and matured and is the guy in the eight inning for the snakes.

“You just got Ginked,” is a phrase being thrown out on social media after every clutch eighth inning by the 29-year-old reliever. His teammtes love that phrase.

Ginkel is also giving Sewald’s fist bumps a run for their money…

Game 1 is tonight at 5:07 p.m locally in Arizona. The Diamondbacks look to get ahead in Arlington.

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Jordan Spurgeon enjoys covering sports all across the state and telling feature stories that impact people.

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