SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Before the D-backs take the field for their first full-squad workout of the spring on Friday morning, Torey Lovullo will address his new team. It's something that the first-year manager has been thinking about for quite some time.
"It's the first time that I'll be in front of these guys as a group formally, and I've been thinking about it since the day I was hired," Lovullo said. "It was actually one of the questions that [general manager] Mike Hazen asked me in my interview. I've had a lot of time to think about that, and I still haven't put it all down on a piece of paper yet. I have it in my head right now. I'll probably do that at some point tonight or early tomorrow morning."
The gist of the message will be that the team is a family, and one that is expected to go out and compete hard every game.
Despite a lack of on-field success last year, the D-backs were a tight-knit group, with a lot of the players having come up through the Minor Leagues together.

"Their unity has really jumped out at me," Lovullo said. "I'm going to preach to these guys that we are a big family, and they're already one step ahead of me with that, and that's clear to me."
Lovullo said that each drill will have a time limit attached to it, and that the players will be expected to operate and get it right within that time frame.
The goal is crisp workouts that will reduce time standing around, as well as drills that don't last all day.
"We're going to look to be a fundamentally-sound team, and there are several fundamentals we're going to cover during the course of Spring Training," Lovullo said. "We're not looking to reinvent the wheel and invent plays. We're just going to be consistent and practice the plays that come up the most."
Lovullo said all position players are expected to be in camp Friday. Outfielder David Peralta will need to miss a few days next week to deal with some citizenship issues.