CHICAGO — It had been nearly a decade since Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo sat in the stands in a minor league stadium.
But on Friday night, there he was; one of 7,177 in attendance at Four Winds Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, watching the High-A South Bend Cubs take on the Quad City River Bandits.
After the Diamondbacks’ 5-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Friday afternoon, Lovullo made the roughly two-hour trek to South Bend to see his son, Nick Lovullo, in action as South Bend’s manager. It was Torey’s first time seeing Nick manage an affiliated minor league game.
“I was just the dad [on Friday],” Torey said. “I sunk into my seat, had some Dippin’ Dots, had a lemonade and just watched the baseball game that my son happened to be managing. It was a really, really proud dad moment.”
After the game, Torey visited Nick in the manager’s office. Torey sat in the guest chair, Nick in the manager’s chair. “That was very awkward,” Torey said.
Last year, Nick managed the Arizona Complex League Cubs. Torey attended as many of Nick’s complex league games as he could on the backfields of Cactus League facilities. This experience was different, though. South Bend’s stadium is made to look like a mini-Wrigley Field. It had mascots, concessions and a decent-sized crowd.
Of course, while Torey was intent on just enjoying the experience — he had five family members with him in the stands — he could not help but put on his managerial hat from his seat just above the home dugout.
Before each pitch, just as he would in a Diamondbacks game, Torey looked at the opposing manager in the visiting dugout, then the third base coach, then the hitter, then the outfielders.
Before long, he had picked off Quad City’s signs.
“It was their manager’s fault,” Torey said. “In a matter of eight pitches, he called four throw-overs. By the third throw-over, I had it, and the fourth one confirmed it.”
Torey passed on his intel to Nick after the game. “If guys wanna steal some bases, this is what you look for,” he told him.
The night at the ballpark concluded with a postgame fireworks show. It brought Torey back to his time as a journeyman major leaguer. He spent considerable time in the minors during his playing career.
“It’s all the things you don’t remember,” Torey said. “It’s the two mascots trying to get the crowd engaged. It’s the postgame tennis ball throw into the buckets to win prizes. It’s just great minor league stuff that you don’t really see that often anymore.
“I always learned to appreciate that when I was in the minor leagues. I spent 11 years in player development, so I know what that level is all about. It’s just nice to go back there and see it again.”
Torey said that this was his first time sitting in the stands at a minor league park since 2016. At the time, he was the Boston Red Sox’ bench coach and Nick was an infield prospect in the Red Sox’ system. As often as he could, Torey would drive up from Boston to Lowell, Massachusetts, where Nick was playing for the Red Sox’ short-season affiliate.
Brent Strom on working with Paul Skenes, other NL All-Stars
For Diamondbacks pitching coach Brent Strom, serving as the National League pitching coach at the All-Star Game was an opportunity to learn from the best.
“I told [Cristopher] Sanchez of the [Philadelphia] Phillies that I wasn’t going to get him in the game unless he showed me his changeup grip,” Strom said. “Which he did.”
Strom said that he was particularly impressed with the preparation of Pittsburgh Pirates rookie starter Paul Skenes, who started the game for the NL.
“He’s very single focused and has a plan and follows his plan,” Strom said. “I think a lot of it has to do with his two years at Air Force, where he’s very disciplined. I think that carried over and shows.”
Before the game, Strom gave Skenes his scouting report of the first six American League hitters. He also encouraged Skenes to get his fastball in to lefties such as the New York Yankees’ Juan Soto and the Baltimore Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson, something Skenes appeared to be struggling with during warmups.
When asked what the future holds for Skenes, Strom understandably said that he was not ready to elevate Skenes to the top of his Mount Rushmore. “Longevity is a key thing,” he said.
But suffice it to say that, like the rest of the baseball world, he is bullish on what Skenes can become.
“A year ago, he’s pitching in the College World Series,” Strom said. “It’s crazy to think you’re starting an All-Star game after that.
“He has a chance to be special.”
Eugenio Suárez reaches 10 years service time
Earlier this week, Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez officially reached 10 years of major league service. According to the Major League Baseball Players Association, less than 10 percent of players in MLB history have accomplished the feat.
In addition to the respect from peers and coaches that comes with reaching the elusive 10-year mark, players’ pensions fully vest after 10 years, giving them a steady stream of income after their playing years are over.
“It’s such a great accomplishment,” Lovullo said of Súarez. “Not a lot of players have done it. I think there’s 1,000 players. There’s 1,000 people in the world that have played 10 years in Major League Baseball; it’s a little bit over that.
“It speaks volumes about his work ethic, his consistency, his ability to prepare, his ability to stay healthy. It’s who he is. He’s just a very tough player that wants to go out there and win, and it’s added up into 10 wonderful years.”
Torey Lovullo talks upcoming trade deadline
With the trade deadline approaching on July 30, the Diamondbacks are ramping up their discussions with opposing teams. While Lovullo is not ultimately in charge, he has had conversations with front officials about what approach he feels they should take.
Lovullo said that he always wants to buy at the deadline, but that is particularly true this year, when he feels that his team has yet to play its best baseball.
“We’re going to be in a good spot in this race,” Lovullo said he told general manager Mike Hazen. “So, strongly consider those words when you’re thinking about what to do or what not to do.
“We want to go out and contend. We want to win. We got in by one game last year and we know that it could take an extra player or two. He’s going to do the best job possible. We trust him.”
With the Diamondbacks effectively tied with the New York Mets for the third wild card spot heading into play on Sunday, all indications now are that the Diamondbacks will be buyers.
Top photo: Rob Schumacher/The Republic
