D-backs GM Mike Hazen Speaks During the World Series

The man who is responsible for creating the team and putting all the pieces of the puzzle together that has enabled the Arizona Diamondbacks to make it to the World Series is General Manager Mike Hazen. The potential Executive of the Year Award winner hired Manager Torey Lovullo, stuck with him through the dark days of 2021, and drafted/traded/signed nearly the entire roster. The only player he didn't was Geraldo Perdomo who signed as an international free agent mere months before the D-backs hired Hazen. Now, he's fresh off of a long-term extension and spoke with the media during the World Series. The D-backs are 1-1 in it, coming off of a massive 9-1 victory.

Hazen and Lovullo have been working together for well over a decade, coming from the Boston Red Sox organization to the D-backs in the same off-season. They have survived the emotional roller coaster of the last few years, one in which Hazen is "very proud of [Lovullo and his staff] and very proud to be here."

Hazen continued to speak about Lovullo saying that "I think he's always been an incredible game manager... He does a great job in our clubhouse, relationships with our players. I think that has taken on a new level...When we went through the skid in the middle of July and August, I think that's where we really started to see him take control of some things, in the clubhouse, a little bit more aggressively...[our season] didn't sink and I think he was a big reason for that."

Hazen continued on that with "He and I were talking about it. We just weren't playing well. We were making a lot of mistakes on the bases.That wasn't what we were doing in the first three months of the season. We weren't hitting the ball at all, not hitting fastballs. There were some clear things we weren't doing.And he began to call players in, have one-on-one conversations with them, ask what's going on, why are some of these things happening.He had a team meeting at one point. We just kind of recommitted to getting back to doing some of the things we had done so well in the first three months of the season. He was relentless about that for the remainder of the season all the way through the playoffs."

Many managers would've lost their job following a season in which they lost 110 games, but Hazen knew Lovullo wasn't at fault for that. Instead, he recognized it was his fault and that it was a "roster issue...It's kind of hard to fire somebody when your overarching feeling is you didn't do your job." Hazen mentioned that Lovullo never once complained about the roster or said that he needed this or that kind of player.

Hazen is especially proud of his player-development system saying that they "do a really good job raising our players, quite frankly. We put a lot of effort into developing them all the way through from the second they get here to their families, to understanding who they are and trying to pour every ounce of energy into making them the best they can be."

Many general managers would've lost their job in addition to the manager after a tough 110-loss season, and Hazen nearly walked away from his job due to his wife's passing in 2022. However, Owner Ken Kendrick and CEO Derrick Hall have been in his corner this whole time, both professionally and personally. Speaking on Kendrick, "he very rarely, if ever, says no to me on anything that I want to do or pursue...I really appreciate the freedom to be able to do this job in a way that allows me to do it and that he allows me to do it."

Hazen has made some fantastic trades over the years. Some notable players he's acquired have been Ketel Marte, Zac Gallen, Gabriel Moreno, Lourdes Gurriel Jr, Paul Sewald, and others. Hazen could see the talent of Gallen stating that "I think when we made that move, we thought he was an impact, top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher. We've been proven right."

Another deal that brought in Moreno and Gurriel Jr. fixed two big needs that the D-backs had, behind the plate, and a right-handed outfielder. "we didn't have a lot coming behind the plate, and aright-handed-hitting outfielder was something that we needed. And that trade seemed to match up for us. Gabby has taken extraordinary strides this season. I think it's probably fairly rare to see a young catcher, specifically, someone that young at that position come along as quickly as he has. And we're not here without either one of those guys."

Hazen also brought in Ryan Thompson soon after trading for Sewald. Apparently, Hazen's front office had been pressuring him to go out and get Thompson all year and off-season. He approached the Rays about trading for him but was rebuffed. He admitted that his staff was right. "It only took me five months to not be so stubborn and actually go sign him."

As for Sewald, Hazen finally admitted that the D-backs needed a closer and not to go closer-by-committee. "I feel once we solved some of our bullpen issues, which was my fault, the team doesn't look like it did three or four months ago for that reason. Getting Paul helped push everybody forward, solidfy guys into roles, and I think as you've seen through these playoffs...Torey has a little more consistency with the decisions that he's going to be able to make and be aggressive."

Ketel Marte is putting the finishing touches on yet another stand-out campaign. He's healthy once again after a couple of years of battling injuries and not having a true position to focus on and call his own. "I think getting him some stability on the field in a position -- we tried to bounce him around sort of Chris Taylor-esque for a while. And I think that probably took away from the offense a little bit. It put him in tough spots physically because dealing with the outfield and coming into the infield.That was my idea. That didn't go the way it should have gone. So I think some of the inconsistencies were due to that."

Hazen's mother-in-law, mother, kids, and his college coach were all in Texas to watch the D-backs play. Even more of his family like his sisters, nieces, and nephews will all be on hand to watch the D-backs play on Monday in Game Three. Speaking about his boys, his family informed him that "[my sons] actually put down their phones now and again to watch the game, and everybody knows exactly what I'm talking about."

One of the reasons that Hazen was able to acquire Gallen by trading a top prospect in shortstop Jazz Chisholm Jr. was because of Geraldo Perdomo."Perdomo was different than Jazz, I think Perdomo was more of the true shortstop for us, defensive first, great on-base skills. Didn't have quite the impact Jazz has. We felt in time his power would come. He's maturing every single day.We've seen the leadership skills -- even last year when he wasn't hitting very well, he would still try to take charge on the field. Young players don't always get that opportunity when their RPS is where it was last year, but he would still do it. He still demonstrates that leadership for us.I think within that young group, where you talk about who the leaders are, that's what's emerging for us. I think that's what I'm excited about moving forward even beyond this series."

One final thought was about Merrill Kelly and how his original signing came about considering he had only pitched in Korea and the minor leagues with zero MLB experience. Hazen's scouts "pounded the table for him...they were adamant that this guy was going to be a Major League starting pitcher...we wouldn't be here without him. He's had a CY Young-caliber season."