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 30 in 30: Arizona Diamondbacks

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30 in 30: Arizona Diamondbacks Empty
PostSubject: 30 in 30: Arizona Diamondbacks   30 in 30: Arizona Diamondbacks Icon_minipostedSat Jan 23, 2010 9:56 pm

Category: Spring training previews
Posted by Tony Paul (The Detroit News) on Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 2:30 AM
30 in 30: Arizona Diamondbacks

30 in 30: Arizona Diamondbacks Dbacks

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Manager: A.J. Hinch, 2nd season (58-75)
2009 record: 70-92, 25 games back in NL West
2009 hitting leaders: HRs -- Mark Reynolds, 44; RBIs -- Reynolds, 102; Average -- Justin Upton, .300
2009 pitching leaders: Wins -- Dan Haren (above), 14; Strikeouts -- Haren, 223; ERA -- Haren, 3.14; Saves -- Chad Qualls, 24 in 29 chances

2009 payroll/projected 2010 payroll: $73.5 million/$80 million
Offseason losses: RP Scott Maine (Cubs), SP Yusmeiro Petit (Mariners), SP Max Scherzer (Tigers), RP Daniel Schlereth (Tigers), RP Doug Slaten (Nationals), 1B Ryan White (Cubs), 1B Josh Whitesell (Nationals)
Offseason additions: 2B Tony Abreu (traded from Dodgers), 1B Jeff Bailey (Red Sox, 1 year, minor league), RP T.J. Beam (Blue Jays, 1 year, minor league), SP Aaron Heilman (traded from Cubs), RP Bobby Howry (Giants, 1 year, $2.25 million), SP Edwin Jackson (traded from Tigers), LF Kelly Johnson (Braves, 1 year, $2.35 million), SP Ian Kennedy (traded from Yankees), RP Zach Kroenke (waivers from Yankees), 1B Adam LaRoche (Braves, 1 year, $6 million), CF Drew Macias (Padres, 1 year, minor league)
Remaining free agents: SP Doug Davis, SP Scott Schoeneweis, 1B Chad Tracy

Projected starting lineup (2009 statistics)
1. SS Stephen Drew (12 HRs, 65 RBIs, .261/.320 OBP/.428 SLG, 49 BBs/87 SOs)
2. LF Conor Jackson (1 HR, 14 RBIs, .182/.264 OBP/.253 SLG, 11 BBs/16 SOs)
3. RF Justin Upton (26 HRs, 86 RBIs, .300/.366 OBP/.532 SLG, 55 BBs/137 SOs)
4. 1B Adam LaRoche (25 HRs, 83 RBIs, .277/.355 OBP/.488 SLG, 69 BBs/142 SOs)
5. 3B Mark Reynolds (44 HRs, 102 RBIs, .260/.349 OBP/.543 SLG, 76 BBs, 223 SOs)
6. C Miguel Montero (16 HRs, 59 RBIs, .294/.355 OBP/.478 SLG, 38 BBs/78 SOs)
7. 2B Kelly Johnson (8 HRs, 29 RBIs, .224/.303 OBP/.389 SLG, 32 BBs/54 SOs)
8. CF Chris Young (15 HRs, 42 RBIs, .212/.311 OBP/.400 SLG, 59 BBs/133 SOs)

Projected starting rotation (2009 statistics)
1. RH Dan Haren (14-10, 3.14 ERA/1.003 WHIP, 223 SOs/38 BBs in 229.1 IP)
2. RH Brandon Webb (made 1 start last season; '08 statistics: 22-7, 3.30 ERA/1.196 WHIP, 183 SOs/65 BBs in 226.2 IP)
3. RH Edwin Jackson (13-9, 3.62 ERA/1.262 WHIP, 161 SOs/70 BBs in 214 IP)
4. RH Ian Kennedy (made 1 appearance last season; '08 statistics: 0-4, 8.17 ERA/1.916 WHIP, 27 SOs/26 BBs in 22.2 IP)
5. RH Billy Buckner (4-6, 6.40 ERA/1.591 WHIP, 64 SOs/29 BBs in 77.1 IP)
Closer. Chad Qualls (2-2, 3.63 ERA/1.154 WHIP, 45 SOs/7 BBs in 52 IP, 24 saves/29 chances)

Whatever happened to ...:
Chris Young, CF. Young never has hit for much average, but .212 still is disconcerting, especially when he needed to hit a blistering-for-him .278 in the final month of the season just to finish comfortably above the Mendoza Line (he entered September hitting .191). Young, 26, had eight of his homers and 14 of his RBIs in the final 28 games, after an absolutely abysmal first five months -- a horrid stretch that even included a demotion to Triple A. The strong finish was a welcome end to a trying season for Young, who still must be concerned about losing his job if he again struggles so mightily in 2010 -- the addition of Adam LaRoche moves Conor Jackson from first base back to his natural position, left field, meaning the outfield is crowded with Young and B.J. Upton the other starters and Gerardo Parra (five homers, 60 RBIs, .290 as a rookie in '09) the odd man out, but only as long as Young gets his act together. "Chris Young is a good player," Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch said. "Look forward to him reporting back and returning to the player that we all know he can be."

Get ready to meet ... Gerardo Parra, OF. The Venezuela native was called up in mid-May, had at least one hit and one RBI in each of his first five major league games and stayed with the Diamondbacks for the rest of the year. He finished the year with 132 hits, second among rookies in the National League. He's likely to get his share of playing time this year, too, as he can play all three outfield positions -- he's most comfortable in the corners -- and is the only left-handed batter among the top four outfielders. Plus, he's gotta be ready to roll should Conoor Jackson struggle in his return from a mysterious fever that sapped his energy last year and should Chris Young play like the Chris Young of April-August 2009. "He's earned the right to come in and earn as many at-bats as he can," Diamondbacks manager said of Parra, 22, a .308 hitter in parts of four minor league seasons. "I see him as a significant contributor on our team."

Analysis: General manager Josh Byrnes had his share of critics late in the winter meetings, present company included, when he -- by most accounts -- drew the short straw in the three-team blockbuster. The Diamondbacks shipped out a pair of high-ceiling pitchers drafted in the first round in the past four years -- potential ace Max Scherzer and potential stud closer Daniel Schlereth ... while (maybe) slightly improving their starting rotation with Edwin Jackson, arguably an upgrade over Scherzer, and mostly mediocre Ian Kennedy, a product of Yankees hype. But Byrnes deserves credit for at least shaking things up in Phoenix, while his NL West peers have been conservative; the D-backs also added a new right side of the infield in 2B Kelly Johnson and 1B Adam LaRoche. But more than any of the moves, two returns -- OF Conor Jackson (valley fever) and ace Brandon Webb (shoulder surgery) ... should significantly improve this club.

Still on the to-do list:
There isn't much else they figure to accomplish on the free-agent market ... they already stretched the purse strings to acquire Kelly Johnson late last month and Adam LaRoche earlier this month. That means they'll focus on, in this order, getting rid of fallen-from-grace OF Eric Byrnes (any trade would require them picking up most of his $11 million salary), filling out their rotation (there are at least four candidates for the No. 5 spot) and, eventually, turning their attention to negotiating with 2006 Cy Young winner Brandon Webb on a contract extension. That's an issue, though, that's not likely to get resolved before Opening Day, or even the World Series, if at all. A couple years back, the club pulled its three-year, $54 million offer because of fears of his shoulder -- the same right shoulder that broke down last spring, limited him to one start last season and, after some back-and-forth debate, ultimately required surgery.

Diamond digit: 13 -- Stolen bases by Eric Byrnes the past two seasons, after he swiped a career-high 50 in 2007. Devastating hamstring injuries in '08 limited Byrnes, 33, to just 136 games and minor offensive production the past two years, almost certainly his final years with the Diamondbacks, who are going to release him before he enters the final year of the three-year, $30-million extension he signed in August 2007.

He said it: "I'm confident we're going to be able to find an organization that understands and knows what they would have in Byrnes." -- Michael Sasson, Byrnes' agent, talking to the Arizona Republic about his client's next job. Byrnes, in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, called the Giants the "best fit," because he grew up a Giants fan, makes his winter home near the Bay and is a .295 hitter at AT&T Park.

Offseason grade/early projection: C /second place in NL West

Spring training opener:
3:05 p.m. March 4, at home vs. Rockies
Regular-season opener: 4:10 p.m. April 5, vs. Padres
Best source for news: Arizona Republic

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