Welcome to the Diamondbacks, Tyler Bortnick....

quote:

Originally posted by jemaz:
The news is just breaking. It won't be long before he makes it to Phoenix. It will be a lot of fun to root for him as a member of the home-town team.

From MLB trade rumors:


Rays Acquire Ryan Roberts From Diamondbacks
By Dan Mennella [July 24, 2012 at 10:21pm CST]
The Rays have acquired utility infielder Ryan Roberts from the Diamondbacks in exchange for minor league second baseman Tyler Bortnick, the clubs announced.

Roberts, 32 in September, was designated for assignment earlier today in what was a procedural move to clear space on Arizona's 40-man roster. The right-handed hitter owns a .250/.330/.398 career batting line in 1,288 plate appearances, most of which came with the Snakes. He enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2011, when he mashed 19 homers and became something of a cult hero for his all-out style of play and trademark tattoos.

Bortnick, 25, was a 16th-round pick of the Rays in 2009 and has posted a career minor league batting line of .289/.396/.431 in 1,773 plate appearances, none above the Double-A level.

jemaz - you guys are quick out there in Arizona! Thanks for posting and doubt I'll get much sleep this evening. I never drink this late but tonight is an exception

People in Arizona will love Tyler. Let me know when you are in town, especially for spring training. Let Tyler know if he ever needs any help here also to let me know.

quote:

Originally posted by jemaz:
People in Arizona will love Tyler. Let me know when you are in town, especially for spring training. Let Tyler know if he ever needs any help here also to let me know.

Thank you very much jemaz! Love Arizona in the springtime!

Our heads are all spinning right now. His name was in the lineup until about 1 hour before gametime and the manager called him in and told him the farm director called and told them to take him out of the lineup to avoid injury since his name was in trade talks.

Who knows what this actually means. What he knows is that he is just one level below his goal. We can't believe he is 25 years old already. The time has flown by. 1,773 minor league plate appearances is a lot especialy when you add in another 1000 from four years of college and summer leagues. He has enjoyed every at bat however.

congrats to Tyler.. CD i hope there are a lot of fun trips to Arizona ahead for you!

Dan,

This is awesome.So happy for Tyler and all of your family.Love to see a hard working grinder get what he has worked for.He deserves all the accolades.I am smiling hearing this.

Congrats, I hope this is a positive. No longer a Biscuit. keep us posted

In Reno, Tyler will be teammates with Charles Brewer, a promising young pitcher out of UCLA and Chaparral High School here in Scottsdale where my four kids all graduated (home of Paul Konerko and Ike Davis, too). I have been involved with Charles and baseball since he was 9 years old. His Dad is one of my very best friends. Tyler will be with a LOT of other very good players and prospects and should fit in like a glove.

Here is the press release from the Diamondbacks. They obviously think very highly of him.

D-backs Press Release
07/24/2012 11:21 PM EST
D-backs acquire Bortnick from Rays in exchange for Ryan Roberts
PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks announced they have acquired infielder Tyler Bortnick from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for infielder Ryan Roberts, according to D-backs’ Executive Vice President & General Manager Kevin Towers.

Bortnick, 25, hit .253 (88-for-348) with 18 doubles, 8 triples, 4 home runs and 48 RBI in 95 games with Double-A Montgomery in 2012. He was 23-for-26 in stolen base attempts with the Biscuits and is tied for fourth in the Southern League in steals and triples.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound right-hander was named to both the Florida State League mid-and postseason All-Star Teams last season, hitting .306 (145-for-474) with 34 doubles, 7 triples, 4 home runs, 70 RBI and 43 stolen bases. He ranked among the FSL leaders in on-base percentage (1st, .428), stolen bases (1st), runs scored (2nd, 96), doubles (5th), triples (T-6th) and average (8th).

Bortnick, who was selected in the 16th round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, is a career .289 (428-for-1,479) hitter with 104 doubles, 21 triples, 21 home runs and 131 stolen bases in 417 Minor League games in the Rays’ organization. He will be assigned to Triple-A Reno.

Roberts, 31, was designated for assignment earlier today. He batted .252 (63-for-250) with 9 doubles, 6 home runs and 33 RBI in 82 games with the D-backs in 2012.

Roberts appeared in 372 games over 4 seasons with the D-backs and hit .254 (281-for-1,105) with 34 homers and 133 RBI. He signed with the D-backs as a Minor League free agent on Nov. 6, 2008.

Dan- This is GREAT news. Congrats to the whole family

quote:

Originally posted by deldad:
Congrats, I hope this is a positive. No longer a Biscuit. keep us posted

Good point. Look, I'm as supersticious as the next guy so I have no idea if this is positive or not. The one positive I know for sure is he is one level closer to his goal this evening than he was yesterday evening.

The Diamondback's Mike Bell (son of Buddy) called him and told him he would be in the lineup tomorrow evening. One other positive is that all AAA games are live-streamed and I have a hunch we will be watching

Thanks everyone for the good wishes!

jemaz - Tyler and Charles have faced each other many times in the pros. He is one heck of a player. He also faced Trevor Bauer earlier this year. It looks like a fine organization like Tampa - many fine young players!

CD - gonna miss seeing him in the Rays uniform, but so darn glad for him!!

Also will miss my opportunities to see you in Spring Training down here. Your a good man, and so is Tyler. Good luck!!

Dan:

This is a major positive. The Diamondbacks are clearing up a major log jam in the infield right now (they released Geoff Blum just the other day and are very likely to trade Stephen Drew in the off season). Willie Bloomquist is playing great, but getting old. And, of course, Roberts (six years older than Tyler) is now gone. There will be important chances in the near future for a multi-talented guy like Tyler.

A couple of things to keep in mind:

The GM is Kevin Towers, who is known for bringing in great young players with ability and heart like Tyler, who then flourish. Based on comments earlier today, he clearly engineered this deal from start to finish -- and he did it for a reason.

Mike Bell, also a very important guy, is director of player development. He will be important in getting Tyler ready for duty in the Major Leagues. It is very significant that he is in Reno (and also a teammate of Trevor Bauer as a totally unrelated aside).

quote:

Originally posted by jemaz:
Dan:

This is a major positive. The Diamondbacks are clearing up a major log jam in the infield right now (they released Geoff Blum just the other day and are very likely to trade Stephen Drew in the off season). Willie Bloomquist is playing great, but getting old. And, of course, Roberts (six years older than Tyler) is now gone. There will be important chances in the near future for a multi-talented guy like Tyler.

A couple of things to keep in mind:

The GM is Kevin Towers, who is known for bringing in great young players with ability and heart like Tyler, who then flourish. Based on comments earlier today, he clearly engineered this deal from start to finish -- and he did it for a reason.

Mike Bell, also a very important guy, is director of player development. He will be important in getting Tyler ready for duty in the Major Leagues. It is very significant that he is in Reno (and also a teammate of Trevor Bauer as a totally unrelated aside).

You're giving me goose bumps! The other day against the Diamondbacks AA team, Tyler smashed the ball all over the place with no luck. Should have been 5-5 and ended up 0-4 and was mildly dejected after the game. One of the Diamondback's coaches approached him after the game and told him to keep his chin up and said he was a good player. That picked him up and as it turns out was a "positive" omen of things to come.

Backstop 17, perhaps we will meet again at the World Series one of these days

Congratulations CD...Just hearing it right now during the live broadcast! Heart is the one thing that's not measured in the stats and only felt when you see someone play the game.I feel Tyler has it.

I have to check if the Reno Aces ( Reno, NV is where we actually lived before moving to AZ) have any games down here in Tucson against the AAA Padres.

Any which way and as what Jemaz has outlined, I hope this opens up a way to see him at Chase Field one of these days!

I saw this trade on Twitter earlier today and was wondering how quickly it would be updated on here? I'd have to say this is a Win-Win for Tyler and the Arizona D-Backs. Congrats CD, and best wishes to your son!

Thanks Ryanrod23 and bsbl247!

We'll see how all this turns out. I told him what I always tell him. Go out and be yourself. Don't try and do anymore than that.

Dan I am thrilled for Tyler and your family. Congrats!

quote:

Originally posted by Coach_May:
Dan I am thrilled for Tyler and your family. Congrats!

Thank you Kenny! Doubt I'll go to bed this evening even though tomorrow is a work day

Great move for Tyler. We have a pretty good second baseman but he is getting old. In fact we need a SS and 2nd baseman in the very near future. Great position to be in.

Congrats!!!

Thanks Doughnutman - they told Tyler he'll play 3rd, short, and second i.e., a utility player. If that leads to an opportunity at the next level, then that would be great. Thanks everyone for the good wishes!

Wow, big excitement! Congratulations to you all!

The Aces have a great park. A nice place to watch and to play baseball.

Congratulations! I too, was hoping to see Tyler in a Rays uni, but this looks like a great opportunity for him in Arizona. We will be following and cheering for him. Hopefully it works out for both teams, as I'm sure you've followed our offensive production this year.

CD,

Congrats and best of luck to Tyler. I've just become a Diamondbacks watcher.

CD, congrats to Tyler. as a fellow Ohio dad and a relativly newbie here, I began following Tyler just this summer, did some back ground on him and his journey as well. I have Shown my 2014 all i can find on Tyler and his journey. that as average sized player, with heart, effort and no small amount of talent can make it if he gives effort and heart to being better each day. Jeremy (my 2014) has made Tyler one of his inspirations in how to be a better player. thanks for sharing with us his story to date and much success to him in future. 2014 will be live streaming reno games now

Awesome! And congrats!

Congrats CD to Tyler. I was in Reno earlier this year and caught an Aces game... top notch ballpark and lots of fan support. Just a jaunt up the hill to Lake Tahoe. And hopefully he won't be there too long.

.

C-O-N-G-R-A-T-U-L-A-T-I-O-N-S TYLER!




.

How exciting for your son and family!

Congrats CD all the best to Tyler

WOW! Just saw this! Congratulations to the entire Bortnick family, but especially Tyler! Awesome news!

Best of luck to Tyler, he's knocking on the door. I hope this move turns out to be a great one for him.

Great news! Congratulations!

Wow, look at this stadium. Cleveland Dad, the story keeps getting better.

fantastic news!!

Congratulations to Tyler (and CD)...the ladder just got one rung shorter!

Congratulations to Tyler and the Bortnick family.

CD,

Absolutely nothing other than 100% positive thoughts.

100%

Go Tyler Go!