A Beginner’s Guide to the Arizona Diamondbacks
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by user Bobman024
It’s fair to say that the Diamondbacks are not currently the hottest ticket in town: that honor goes to their next-door neighbors, the Suns, who are currently stampeding towards the playoffs, with perhaps the best chance of success in franchise history [well, so I’m told by those who know more about basketball than I. Which, admittedly, is everybody including Janet Napolitano’s cat.] But there is definitely a buzz building: a number of unbiased sources have picked Arizona as National League dark-horses, with comparisons being made to the Tigers from last year.
If they live up to these expectation, the team bandwagon will get pretty full before long, so you might want to be prepared to leap on-board. Now, these aren’t your Daddy’s D-backs: gone are beloved names like Counsell and Gonzo - though you probably heard about the return of the Big Unit. In their place, we have a lean, hungry young team with players like short-stop Stephen Drew (left)…about whom you probably know nothing, so as a service, here’s a quick run-down on the anticipated roster, which also contains a sentence you can practice saying, so that you sound knowledgeable at the bar or stadium.
Starting Pitchers.
- 1. Brandon Webb. Won the Cy Young last year: basically, the best pitcher in the League. Drove an RV all the way back to his old Kentucky home in the off-season. What to say: “I think Webb’s sinker is probably the hardest pitch to hit in all baseball.”
- 2. Randy Johnson. Back from two unhappy years in New York, at age 43 and coming off back surgery. I’d write anyone else off, but this is, I repeat, Randy Johnson. What to say: “Batters hit .321 last year with runners on base. His back clearly gave him problems pitching from the stretch.”
- 3. Doug Davis. Came over from Milwaukee in a trade for Johnny Estrada. Struggled last year, largely because of a sharp increase in the number of walks. What to say: “He needs to pitch to contact, and let the defense do their job behind him.”
- 4. Livan Hernandez. Was surprisingly effective after his arrival from Washington in the second-half last year. A super-slow curveball makes his fastball look like Nolan Ryan. What to say: “Livan’s a crafty pitcher. He may not have the stuff any more, but can still out-think rookie hitters.”
- 5. Edgar Gonzalez. Only just turned 24, this will still be his fifth major-league season. Not to be confused with another AZ pitcher, Enrique Gonzalez - no relation. What to say: “EdGon should never have been brought up in 2004. He’s much more mature now.”
Position Players
- C. Chris Snyder. After being backup to Estrada in 2006, he returns to the starter’s role: last time, in 2004, he was weak at the plate, but had skipped Triple-A. What to say: “Snyder calls a good game and is very solid defensively. I hope his bat is up to playing full-time.”
- 1B. Conor Jackson. A solid rookie campaign, Jackson came on strong in the second half. We could do with more power from what’s usually a productive position. What to say: “His defense still needs work - but did you know he was an outfielder until he made the big-leagues?”
- 2B. Orlando Hudson. Won the Gold Glove as best fielder at his position in the National League, and had a career season with the bat too, hitting 15 homers. What to say: “O-Dawg’s strength is his range. He never met a pop-up he didn’t like and couldn’t snag.”
- SS. Stephen Drew. Wasn’t expected to play much last year, but an injury to Counsell gave Drew his chance: he merely hit .316 in 59 games. What to say: “His defense was a questionmark coming up in the minors, but I think he simply wasn’t challenged enough.”
- 3B. Chad Tracy. A disappointing year for Chad, with both average and power numbers declining, while K’s increased and he struggled with his throws. What to say: “Chad needs to hit lefties, or he’ll find himself platooned with Alberto Callaspo.”
- LF. Eric Byrnes. One of two outfielders to hit 25 HR and steal 25 bases last year: the other was Soriano. Moves left, replacing Gonzo, and has been ordered to button his shirt up. What to say: “Gotta love his hustle, but we have a younger, better, cheaper alternative in Scott Hairston.”
- CF. Chris Young. Struggling a little at the plate this spring, but is very smooth with the glove, and makes the difficult plays look easy. What to say: “He’ll be an All-Star in the next five years, mark my words.”
- RF. Carlos Quentin. Smacked four homers in his first 16 at-bats in the big-leagues, though is currently sidelined with a tear in his shoulder labrum and may not be ready for Opening Day. What to say: “I think CQ will be seen as the best left-fielder in franchise history one day.”
Bench and Bullpen (selected players)
- Miguel Montero. Had a cup of coffee in the majors last season, and should see much more time as backup to Snyder behind the plate. What to say: “He’s the future at catcher, no doubt, though needs to work on his throwing mechanics.”
- Tony Clark. After a brilliant 2005, Clark slumped badly in 2006, barely hitting .200 and struggling with injury. A bounce-back year would be nice. What to say: “I guess with all the young players, it’s good to have a veteran presence like Clark.”
- Scott Hairston. Questionable defense, which matters less since he had 28 homers down in Tucson for the Sidewinders. Currently reliant on injuries to others for his starts. What to say: “Free Scott Hairston!”
- Jose Valverde. Joe Greenvalley starts as our closer: will he last? He was great early and late in 2006, and sucked totally from mid-May through June. What to say: “He needs to stick with his fastball and splitter.”
- Jorge Julio. Took over from Valverde as closer, but this season will be an over-paid setup man in Arizona. Soon as we get someone to pay his salary, he’s gone. What to say: “I hear Florida have some good pitching prospects.”
- Juan Cruz. Began in the rotation; most memorable outing was allowing nine earned runs and getting yanked during the first inning. Much better in the bullpen. What to say: “Great stuff. Don’t think he has the stamina to be a starter though.”
by Jim McLennan via http://azsportshub.com
