D-backs’ President and CEO expects Didi Gregorius to play every day

Arizona Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall told Arizona Sports 620’s Doug & Wolf on Thursday afternoon that he expected rookie Didi Gregorius to be the team’s everyday shortstop going forward.

The comment came as no surprise, considering the 23-year-old is leading Major League rookies who have at least 50 at-bats in batting average, with a .348 mark, and on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS), with a .960.

“Didi has proven that he’s an everyday shortstop defensively, for sure,” Hall said. “So far, he’s proven that he’s an everyday shortstop at the plate, but we know at some point the book’s going to be out on him and (things) are going to change a little bit.”

After referencing the inevitable adjustments pitchers will make in their approach to pitching to Gregorius, Hall went on to suggest some basic standards that could keep the Diamondbacks’ offseason trade acquisition at his post.

“If Didi Gregorius is a .265-.275 hitter and occasionally flashes the power that he has, shows the excitement and enthusiasm that he has every day, the speed on the base paths, the chance and willingness to take an extra base, and (play) the defense that he plays, which is just stellar, I’m going to take that.

“This guy, right now, is playing like an All-Star shortstop,” Hall concluded. “If the All-Star Game were today, Didi’s got to be dressing up.”