ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

D-backs’ Derrick Hall in favor of Opening Day on foreign soil

Mar 27, 2014, 4:53 PM | Updated: 4:53 pm

Follow @Vincemarotta...

LISTEN: Derrick Hall, D-backs President and CEO

The season-opening trip to Australia is in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ rear view mirror. The club is back in the states preparing for their American Opening Day against the San Francisco Giants Monday at Chase Field.

While Australia was a fantastic host to the D-backs, the results Down Under weren’t exactly what anybody was looking for. Team Australia shut out the Diamondbacks in an exhibition game and then the big, bad Los Angeles Dodgers swept a two-game series that counts in the standings.

Despite the 0-2 start and the difficulties presented by interrupting spring training to play games in a country 15 hours away, one team official was a fan of the experience.

“I like it, I really do,” Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall told Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “I think it was very worthwhile for baseball. If you had been over there and seen the acceptance and embrace of our sport, I think it’s very important that we expand internationally like the NFL has been doing and the NBA has been doing — it’s important for all of us to expand our market reach.

“If we’re going to have a true World Series one day, it’s important that we get people participating and watching our sport. The World Baseball Classic has been a nice step. We don’t have baseball in the Olympics, so I think the more that we can go out and pitch our sport and expand our personal brand, I’m all for it.”

According to Hall, there was one downside to the trip — the D-backs losing two home games at Chase Field.

“It’s not unusual. They’ll take a small to mid-market club, like ourselves, and then they’ll take a larger market club like the Dodgers, and they’ll ask for the small-to-mid to give up the two, and often times three home games, because Major League Baseball can pay you back for those and make those whole.

“It’s a lot more costly if they had to pay the Dodgers the expense of them losing a home game versus us.”

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Arizona Diamondbacks

Lourdes Gurriel Jr....

Alex Weiner

Diamondbacks keep good times rolling with 14-run inning, Opening Day rout of Rockies

What the Diamondbacks accomplished in the third inning against the Rockies on Thursday night was completely new for those in the ballpark. 

6 hours ago

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. flips his bat during Arizona Diamondbacks' 2024 Opening Day...

Arizona Sports

Diamondbacks score 14 runs in a single inning to beat Rockies on Opening Day

The Arizona Diamondbacks set franchise marks with 13 hits and 14 runs in the third inning of their 2024 Opening Day game against the Rockies.

9 hours ago

Blaze Alexander...

Alex Weiner

Blaze Alexander did all he could to make Diamondbacks’ Opening Day roster

Diamondbacks infielder Blaze Alexander put together a spring that made it too difficult for the team to send him back to the minor leagues.

12 hours ago

Ketel Marte celebrates...

Tyler Drake

Ketel Marte to lead off Arizona Diamondbacks’ Opening Day lineup

The Arizona Diamondbacks' Opening Day lineup is set ahead of their matchup against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.

16 hours ago

Jordan Montgomery throws a pitch...

Tyler Drake

Hall: Diamondbacks’ addition of Jordan Montgomery ‘made a lot of sense’

The Diamondbacks' addition of Jordan Montgomery puts a bow on a rotation that should be in the conversation for the top spot across MLB.

17 hours ago

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno...

Arizona Sports

Roundtable picks: One Diamondbacks young player to watch in 2024

Which Arizona Diamondbacks player should continue an upward trend in 2024? Gabriel Moreno, Brandon Pfaadt and Alek Thomas are possibilities.

18 hours ago

D-backs’ Derrick Hall in favor of Opening Day on foreign soil