ese "jokes"."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Diamondbacks Farm TeamsGameday ThreadsDiamondbacks NewsDiamondbacks Game ReportsFang FoodSnake EDTShareTweetShareShareSnake Bytes 4/9: Walker vs. RangersgetTVArizona Diamondbacks News[D’backs.com] Inbox: What’s D-backs’ plan for Duplantier? - How long can we expect Jon Duplantier to hang around? When will Jake Lamb be back? Will Mike Hazen look outside the organization for a replacement while Lamb and Steven Souza Jr. are out of commission? Why wasn’t Adam Jones credited with a double on Saturday when his foot came off the bag? Steve Gilbert has the answers you want![AZ Central] Arizona Diamondbacks’ Adam Jones escaped free agency perils; others weren’t so lucky - Here we are now roughly ten games into the regular season Shohei Ohtani Jersey , yet Craig Kimbrel and Dallas Keuchel remain unsigned. Just what exactly is to blame for this still debated. Players argue team owners are not fielding competitive teams and are hoarding revenues. Like minded general managers may be reluctant to give a nine figure contract to a player who just turned thirty for fear of being strapped with an albatross contract. Another factor to consider is the qualifying offer system and the penalties teams face for signing free agents who rejected a QO. I’d be shocked if there aren’t significant changes made to the Collective Bargaining Agreement the next time it is negotiated.[Arizona Sports] By the numbers: D-backs enjoy strong week at the plate, on the mound - The Arizona Diamondbacks are 4th in MLB for runs scored at 61, but have also allowed the 3rd most amount of runs at 67. Not hardly what most of us would have assumed the split to be at the beginning of the season. Arizona at the plate has been a pleasant surprise, but hopefully Sunday’s 1-0 loss to the Red Sox is not a forecast of offensive struggles. Will the real Arizona Diamondbacks please stand up?Around the LeagueSign up for AZ Snake Pit FanPulse!Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY SportsDiamondbacks fans, let us know how you feel about the team by signing up for our weekly survey![ESPN] Power Rankings: Who has made best (and worst) first impressions? - Still some love left to be desired for the D’backs. ESPN lists them at #20. They had the most ground to cover in the Yahoo Sports poll climbing up ten spots to #20. Definitely an overreaction on their part week 1. Still not even in the top 20 on MLB.com. CBS Sports places the snakes at #21. Their best finish is #19 per The Athletic. [Bleacher Report] Donald Trump Cancels Deal Allowing MLB Teams to Sign Cuban Players - Leaving politics out of this discussion and strictly posting this to inform our readers. Seriously, just trust me. The deal would have allowed MLB teams to sign Cuban players under rules similar to signing players from Japan and South Korea. It was seen as a step in a positive direction in ending the well documented human smuggling of players from Cuba just to play in the United States. The current administration has informed the league that any payment to the Cuban Baseball Federation [MLB teams would be required to post for a player] would be considered a payment to the Cuban government, and therefore would not be allowed.[CBS Sports] Orioles’ Chris Davis, with 47 consecutive hitless at-bats Brandon Phillips Jersey , breaks MLB record for ineffectiveness at the plate - This would now be the third day in a row we’ve covered Orioles first baseman Chris Davis, but golly he did it. He has now gone hitless in 47 straight at bats, a new MLB record for a position player. He shouldn’t hang his head low, though. Craig Counsell is 5th on the list with 0-for-45 stretch in 2011 and seems to be doing just fine now.[The Athletic] ‘It’s almost like a part of you dies’: Retired players on hard choices and life after baseball - Hands down the best article I’ve ever read on The Athletic. I wish that somehow Brittany Ghiroli would have reached Brandon Webb for this story [not assuming that she didn’t try]. Baseball romanticizes the long, drawn out retirement tours of the Derek Jeters, Trevor Hoffmans, and Ichiro Suzukis. But what about those guys who just seem to fall off the map until you read years later on MLB Trade Rumors they’ve finally retired? Nobody ever cares to document those stories. For every David Peralta who was able to reinvent himself in independent ball there is a thousand other players who never made it back. HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. woke up in Japan to news he had been named National League Rookie of the Year.Acuna was a runaway choice for the award over Washington outfielder Juan Soto in a contest between 20-year-olds.“I’m just flattered Barry Larkin Jersey , I’m so honored,” Acuna said through a translator. “My career is just starting. There are so many things I need to do to be a better player. I’ll take advice from anyone who will help me improve.”Acuna received 27 first-place votes and three seconds for 144 points. Soto got two firsts and 89 points, and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler was next with one first and 28 points.Both Acuna and Soto are in Japan with a major league All-Star team.Acuna started the season at Triple-A and made his debut on April 25, the youngest player in the majors then at 20 years, 128 days at the time. The Venezuelan hit .293 with 26 homers, 64 RBIs and 16 steals with a .917 OPS. He set a Braves record with eight leadoff homers this season and tied a franchise mark by homering in five straight games from Aug. 11-14.Soto debuted on May 20 at 19 years, 207 days, although in a quirk the Dominican is credited with a home run from five days before his debut — he went deep on June 18 against the New York Yankees in the completion of the May 15 suspended game. Soto hit .292 with 22 homers Chris Sabo Jersey , 70 RBIs and a .923 OPS. He was two shy of Tony Conigliaro’s big league record for home runs by a teenager.Acuna paid tribute to his fellow nominee before Tuesday’s Game 4 of the exhibition series in Hiroshima.“It’s always fun to play with Soto,” Acuna said. “I also really enjoy watching him play. We are having a great opportunity to play together here. We enjoy and inspire each other to be better players.”Shohei Ohtani was an overwhelming pick for American League honors despite an elbow injury that stymied his move from Japan to the major leagues and likely will prevent him from pitching next year.Ohtani was 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA and 63 strikeouts over 51 2/3 innings in 10 starts. As a designated hitter, he batted .285 with 22 homers and 61 RBIs and a .925 OPS in 367 plate appearances.Acuna also had high praise for Ohtani, who played five seasons with Japan’s Nippon Ham Fighters before moving to the Angels.“He is incredible,” Acuna said. “He can pitch and hit at a high level. So I want to congratulate him on receiving this award.”