Diamondbacks, Brad Ziegler avoid arbitration - MLB

It’s the Friday before Christmas so all of you are having your office Christmas parites. I used to have office Christmas parties. We’d have cocktails and chase women around desks and photocopy our rear ends and everything. Hi, I’m Craig, and I haven’t worked in an office since 1968!

Anyway, what I’m saying is, it’s a slow news day. So slow that I’m taking note of the fact that the Diamondbacks and Brad Ziegler avoided arbitration by agreeing to a two-year, $9.5 million contract extension today. That buys out his first year of free agency as well. Good deal for a guy who has posted a 2.35 ERA over the last two seasons and will likely remain quite useful for the Snakes.

After the signing they all went back to having cocktails and chasin women around desks and photocopying their rear ends and stuff.

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee Thursday fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time.

The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined.

Hoskins hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs last season for the reigning National League champions.

He was backing up to play a chopper on Thursday when the ball popped out of his glove. Sooner after, he fell to the ground and began clutching his left knee. Teammates gathered around him before he was taken off of the field.

Hoskins, a free agent at the end of the season who turned 30 last week, hit six homers in Philadelphia’s playoff run last season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.

The injury was another blow for the Phillies, who will be without top pitching prospect Andrew Painter for another few weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right elbow. And slugger Bryce Harper isn’t expected back until around the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery in November.