Kuzul

It appears that the Arizona Diamondbacks have a different lineup every game. They have players who can play multiple positions and that has given manager Kirk Gibson multiple options to put a winning lineup together.

Now it looks like Gibson has found his new double play combo with shortstop Stephen Drew and the tattoo heavy second baseman Ryan Roberts. 

Yesterday in a 5-3 losing effort to the defending World Series champions, the San Francisco Giants, Drew and Roberts combined for five double plays. That’s a franchise record.

So with that in mind, does Drew and Roberts make the ideal middle infield for the Diamondbacks?

Offensively it does.

Ryan Roberts is hitting .345 with two home runs and six runs batted in this season, mostly at third base, and Stephen Drew is hitting .313 with six runs batted in as well.

So when you combine the duo’s early hitting success and their defensive chemistry, does it seem possible to have those two in the middle infield for the long run this season?

“It’s possible,” Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said in Saturday’s post game press conference, “Kelly’s our second baseman, Ryan’s played there for a while so it’s possible.”

After having a career year last year with a career high 26 HR and 71 RBI, Arizona’s main second baseman Kelly Johnson is hitting .157 so far this season.

Granted, it’s early, but there are still ways in which Gibson can keep the new double play combo, Kelly Johnson, and hot hitting leadoff man Willie Bloomquist in the lineup.

Willie has been a utility man his entire career and can easily man the hot corner and Kelly Johnson was an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves before moving to second base.

“He can also catch.” Diamondbacks manager Gibson said to end the press conference.

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The Diamondbacks won their first home series of the year, taking two of three from the Cincinnati Reds in games won by offensive outbursts. The Diamondbacks came back twice on Sunday and survived a ninth inning scare to secure the series win.

The team heads into the second full week of the MLB season with a 4-4 record, and generally speaking looks like a completely different team than last season. They have apparently embraced “Gibby” ball. 

The team has faught their way back in three games so far in the early season, something that was largely unseen in 2010. Last season when the Diamondbacks fell behind, they stayed behind. 

Right now the offense has been the difference. The Diamondbacks are in the top ten of all MLB teams in every major batting category, and they lead the National League in stolen bases. While the offense has been plentiful at times, there have been three games where the team only scored one run, undone by their lack of timely hitting, and this has led to three of their four losses.

The biggest surprise has been Willie Bloomquist. While it’s anyone’s guess how long he can keep up his torrid offensive pace, while he’s hot he should be in the line up everyday. Fortunately for Kirk Gibson, Bloomquist plays every position except catcher, so finding a spot for him most days shouldn’t be an issue.

Another pleasant surprise has been Chris Young, who has shown himself to be one of the best centerfielders in the game. He’s going to the wall and making catches that have earned him spots in highlight reels around the country.

The pitching has been inconsistent however, ranking in the bottom ten in MLB in ERA, WHIP, and BAA. Most of the starting rotation has had a game where they have struggled early on. Fortunately most games they have been able to settle in before the damage has become too great.

And three games into the season, it looks like the Diamondbacks have something that they’ve missed the past three seasons, an actual MLB closer.

 JJ Putz, until yesterday, has been the ideal type of closer: very boring. His first two appearances resulted in 1-2-3 innings. No loading the bases. No making fans hold their breath. Just nice and boring.

Hopefully the rest of the season will be anything but. 

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With the Arizona Diamondbacks, versatility is the key for their lineup and their new general manager Kevin Towers made it a priority during the offseason to supply manager Kirk Gibson with a strong, versatile bench filled with “do what it takes” kind of players who can play any position and are competent as starting players.

Thanks to Tower’s acquisitions, Kirk Gibson and his newly assembled cast of all-star coaches (Pitching coach Charles Nagy, First base Eric Young, hitting coach Don Baylor and bench coach Allan Trammell to name a few) has the luxury of utilizing Willie Bloomquist (plays infield and outfield), Xavier Nady (plays outfield and first base), Melvin Mora (plays all infield positions except shortstop) and brought back utility infielder Ryan Roberts who got some starts in at third base.

Because of this Gibson has been able to shuffle the starting lineup multiple times during the opening segment of the 2011 season to see what works best and what should be avoided in the future.

“We know it’s going to take 25 guys plus some and you want to try to keep everyone involved and play the matchups,” said Kirk Gibson on his new versatile team.

Kirk may not look thrilled at times (in fact he kind of resembles the baseball version of Bill Belichick), but he is definitely pleased with his new unlikely leadoff man’s performance over the first week of the season.

Willie Bloomquist has started the season as the leadoff hitter and starting shortstop for the Diamondbacks while regular shortstop Stephen Drew was recovering from an abdominal injury from spring training, has hit .357 with a home run to open up one of the Cubs games earlier in the week to go with his five RBI and five stolen bases.

When Drew returned to the lineup for the Diamondbacks’ home opener against the Cincinnati Reds, Bloomquist still started at left field. However, despite his solid start, manager Kirk Gibson isn’t sure he’ll keep him in the starting lineup all the time.

“I don’t know“, Gibson said, “I can’t play everyone every day but he’ll be involved for sure and it’s a good problem to have. Everybody is getting healthy, everybody wants to be in the lineup, everybody’s versatile, they can play and it’s my job to keep them all involved and keep them all sharp.”

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Joe Saunders, the man who wept when he was traded to the Diamondbacks, has made fans weep this entire spring, and last night was the biggest cry-fest of all.  In a game that Saunders needed to pitch well he fell flat. 

After being inconspicuously omitted when Kirk Gibson was naming the starters earlier in the week the pressure was on Saunders to have a quality outing and show that he deserves to be one of the five.

Saunders answered the bell, for two innings, and then proceeded to allowing five runs, six hits, and four walks in his remaining three innings of work.  More troubling, and something that Diamondbacks fans saw repeatedly with former closer Chad Qualls last season, is that Saunders insists he threw the ball well with a few exceptions.

Compounding matters is the fact that Kirk Gibson essentially called him out after the game, citing that the team needs guys who can deal with pressure.  There appears to be a bit of friction between the hard nosed, old school Gibson and Saunders.

Most likely, Saunders will be in the starting rotation as of Opening Day, and he’ll have one more chance to attempt to have a decent outing before the start of the season. But when Diamondbacks’ fans remember that this is what the team got for Dan Haren, the tears come a’flowing.

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ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Last Year: 65-97, 5th in NL West 

Manager: Kirk Gibson

PROJECTED LINEUP

C- Miguel Montero (L)

1B- Juan Miranda (L)

2B- Kelly Johnson (L) 

3B- Melvin Mora (R)

SS- Stephen Drew (L)

LF- Xavier Nady (R)

CF- Chris Young (R)

RF- Justin Upton (R)

Preview

The D’backs lineup has a good amount of power, but the lineup struck out more than any other in 2010. Both numbers should decrease with the trade of Mark Reynolds, but there are other questions in this group.

Justin Upton has the most talent of anyone in the lineup, but he took a step back last season. He struck out 30 percent of the time in 2010, but his isolated power dropped.

I’m not alarmed by 2010, and he should bounce back to hit 25 home runs, steal 15-20 bases, and produce a line of .280/.365/.500.

Chris Young should put up similar power numbers as Upton. He doesn’t strikeout as much, but he doesn’t hit for as high an average. Look out for 25 home runs, 25 stolen bases, and a line of .250/.330/.450.

Xavier Nady should bat sixth in the lineup, but he might get some playing time taken away by Brandon Allen. Nady struggled last season with the Cubs, and if he puts up similar numbers, Allen will start to take away at bats. 

Miguel Montero is a good bat at the catcher position. He has some power (expect 12-15 home runs), and should hit for a .270 average and produce a .340 OBP.

Juan Miranda will surprise some Arizona fans, and I detail his season later in the preview.

Kelly Johnson had one of the most surprising seasons in the majors after hitting 26 home runs and batting .284. He won’t match that season, but I believe he nets 20 home runs, 9-13 stolen bases, and a line of .275/.350/.455.

Stephen Drew is still one of the league’s better offensive shortstops. He produces 15-20 home runs and a line around .275/.340/.450.

Melvin Mora is the weak link in the lineup with his diminished bat speed. He is just a stop gap for the young third basemen they have coming up through the system. 

The Diamondbacks were the top ranked defense in UZR last season.

The defense made some errors, but they had the best range of any team in baseball. The infield defense is stellar.

Drew has become one of the better fielding shortstops in basbeball, and his double play partner, Johnson, had a phenomenal season at 2B with a 7.7 UZR rating.

Miranda is solid at first base, but the team will miss Reynolds at third base.

Mora had a negative 10.4 UZR rating last season.

Montero is below average behind the plate because of his poor blocking ability. Montero has a decent arm, but he allows too many passed balls.

Both Justin Upton and Chris Young are very good defenders at their positions, but  Nady is a below average outfielder in left field.

BENCH

IF/OF- Ryan Roberts (R) or IF- Tony Abreu (S) 

1B- Russell Branyan (L)

OF- Gerardo Parra (L) 

C- Henry Blanco (R)

IF/OF- Willie Bloomquist (R)

IF- Geoff Blum (S) (Will start season on DL)

STARTING ROTATION 

RHP- Ian Kennedy 

RHP- Daniel Hudson

LHP- Joe Saunders

RHP- Barry Enright

RHP- Aaron Heilman or RHP-Armando Galarraga

LHP- Zach Duke (Out until May)

Ian Kennedy will take the ball on Opening Day after being the D’Backs’ most consistent starter last season.

Kennedy uses an array of curveballs and changeups to compliment his 88-91 MPH he uses on the corners. He will show a below average slider, but his changeup and curveball are very good. He will strikeout close to eight per nine innings, while walking three per nine that should produce an ERA similar to his 2010 3.80.

Daniel Hudson’s performance after coming over from the White Sox was one of the more surprising stories during the second half of the season. Hudson averages 92.5 MPH on his fastball and he generates a lot of swing and misses on his slider and filthy changeup.

Don’t expect Hudson to replicate his 2.40 ERA, but his flyball rate is worry some in Arizona. He should maintain a 7.5 K/9 rate but his ERA should finish in the 3.90 range.

Joe Saunders is a solid number four starter on a contending team, and he seems out of place on a rebuilding club. Saunders does have below average strikeout numbers (4.89 K/9 in 2010), and his home rate is sure to increase in a full season in Arizona. He is a safe bet to walk 2.80 per nine innings, and pitch close to a 4.60 ERA.

Barry Enright, who will slot behind Saunders, pitched to a solid 3.91 ERA last season. He averages 89.3 MPH on his two and four seam fastballs and the rest of his repertoire includes a good slider, average curveball, and changeup. 

Enright had a very fortunate season by having an extremely high left on base percentage at 84, and a low BABIP at .248. The 20 home runs he allowed in 99 innings is a troubling number, so a 4.60 ERA, 6.00 K/9, and 2.50 BB/9 rates are what to expect from the number four starter.

Aaron Heilman will probably get the nod over Galarraga for the last spot in the rotation. 

Zach Duke broke his pitching hand, which should keep him on the DL until May. 

Heilman hasn’t started since 2005 and it will be interesting to see whether or not he can maintain his fastball for 100 pitches early in the season. His fastball will be probably average 90 MPH in the rotation, and he needs to throw his slider more to keep hitters off his changeup. 

BULLPEN

RHP- JJ Putz (Closer) 

RHP- Juan Gutierrez

RHP- David Hernandez

LHP- Joe Patterson 

RHP- Esmerling Vazquez

RHP- Aaron Heilman or RHP- Armando Galarraga 

RHP- Sam Demel or LHP- Mike Hampton 

The Diamondbacks had one of the worst bullpens in history last season and new GM, Kevin Towers, added two pieces this offseason to upgrade the staff. 

JJ Putz hasn’t closed since 2008, but Putz had a great 2010 season for the White Sox as a setup man. 

Putz throws averages 94 MPH on his fastball and mixes in a good slider and dominant splitter. He should strike out more than a hitter per inning, walking more than three per nine, and a 2.90 ERA.

David Hernandez, acquired from the Orioles in the Mark Reynolds deal, pitched showed better stuff after moving from the rotation to the bullpen.

He should strikeout close to 8.5 per nine, but his four walks per nine and poor home run rate should leave him with an era in the mid 4.00’s. 

The rest of the bullpen looks like it will face some of the same troubles this season.

Juan Gutierrez struggled giving up the long ball last season (13 Home Runs in 55 innings). He still has a lively fastball and good enough slider to cut that number in half, and pitch to a low 4.00 ERA.

Joe Patterson was taken in the Rule V draft, and will be the primary left-handed specialist. He posted great numbers against lefties in the Giants‘ farm system, including striking out more than eight per nine in AAA last season.

Esmeriling Vazquez has good strikeout numbers, but his terrible command will keep him out of high leverage situations. 

Armando Gallagraga looks to be the long man after struggling in the competition for the last spot in the rotation. I think Gibson and Towers would like a second southpaw in the pen, and Mike Hampton seems like the best bet. 

NOTABLE NON ROSTER INVITEES 

LHP- Mike Hampton 

RHP- Micah Owings 

RHP- Brian Sweeney 

LHP- Clay Zavada 

1B- Russell Branyan (L)

IF- Cody Ransom (R)

OF- Willy Mo Pena (R)

BREAKOUT PLAYER- Juan Miranda 

I’ve always liked Miranda’s power, but he never was given an opportunity to showcase it with the Yankees.

GM Kevin Towers, who was a special assistant in the Yankees organization last season, liked what he saw in Miranda. He will strikeout more than 20 percent of the time, but he does get on base and he provides solid defense at first base.

I see Miranda hitting 20-25 home runs with a .275/.350/.490 line. 

PROSPECT TO WATCH- RHP Jarrod Parker 

Parker, a former D’Backs number first round pick in 2007, missed the entire 2010 season with Tommy John surgery.

Parker is considered a prospect who can become a number one type starter. He throws a mid 90’s fastball with a sharp slider, changeup, and curveball.

I think Parker might get a shot at down the line for the D’Backs in September. 

PROJECTED FINISH- Fifth in NL West

The D’Backs lineup isn’t as strong as last year’s, and the bullpen looks like it will continue to struggle.

The rotation has talent, but it is hard to imagine Hudson and Enright as well as they did in 2010.

I think the offense will produce just as much power, but they should cut down on the strikeouts without Reynolds. I expect the club to improve a bit on its record, but a last place finish seems the most likely result for the club.

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The Diamondbacks have recently been in contact with the Texas Rangers about acquiring third baseman Michael Young, however it appears as though no serious talks have since proceeded. It was recently reported that the Rangers would be willing to pay half of his remaining $48 million contract, or $16 million per season through 2013.

If the Diamondbacks are serious about competing now, like they say they are, they should be making a legitimate play to get Michael Young, assuming that the price the Rangers are asking for will not deplete the farm system. 

More than likely the inquiry was nothing more than Kevin Towers doing his due diligence and the next trade the Diamondbacks will make will be around the trade deadline.

While I don’t expect anything to happen, adding Michael Young to play 3B may just be the piece needed that would allow the Diamondbacks to compete in the NL West. Looking at their divisional opponents’ rosters, all have holes and question marks. 

So before the Diamondbacks quickly dismiss the thought of paying Michael Young $8 million dollars to be on a team that won’t be competitive anyway, they need to ask themselves, what do the other teams in the NL West have that is so impressive? 

Sure, there are a few teams with a couple star players, but could the Diamondbacks sum of their parts be greater than their whole?  Possibly.  We see it every year in baseball.

Michael Young could add a lot of value to the Diamondbacks. He’s a veteran; he’s got postseason experience; he’s a team player and willing to adapt, having moved from shortstop, to second base, to third base, while the Rangers kept acquiring players they thought were better, like Alex Rodriguez and Ian Kinsler. 

It was only on the third time that the Rangers attempted to change Young’s position that he cried foul, when they wanted to move him from third base to DH to make room for Adrian Beltre. 

Although Young is in the twilight of his career, he’s a reliable hitter who hasn’t hit under .284 since 2002, and is capable of hitting between 15-20 home runs. Defensively, he’s able to play 3 of the 4 infield positions which can give the team flexibility in the lineup.

Currently the highest paid player on the roster is Zach Duke at $4.3 million. With the Rangers paying half of Young’s salary it would only cost the Diamondbacks $8 million a year, the amount they paid Brandon Webb to try and rehab last season.

The Diamondbacks have the third lowest payroll in baseball, adding Michael Young would only put them as the sixth lowest, just slightly above the Florida Marlins and their grandiose payroll. So the question to the Diamondbacks is: do you really want to compete, or has the talk during spring training been nothing more than lip service?

Somehow, I think that we already know the answer.

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Before the start of last season, the Diamondbacks were a trendy pick to make some noise in the NL West.  Then Brandon Webb’s shoulder suffered a set-back and the season went down the toilet.

The bullpen was atrocious, the third worst in Major League history.  The organization decided to part with strikeout king Mark Reynolds to acquire bullpen help from Baltimore.

Kirk Gibson got the managerial job after a successful stint as the interim manager last year.  Arizona posted a winning record in August.  We’ll see if that success can translate into this season.

ALSO CHECK OUT

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Positional Rankings

2011 Atlanta Braves Preview

2011 Florida Marlins Preview

2011 New York Mets Preview

2011 Philadelphia Phillies Preview

2011 Washington Nationals Preview

2011 Chicago Cubs Preview

2011 Cincinnati Reds Preview

2011 Houston Astros Preview

2011 Milwaukee Brewers Preview 

2011 Pittsburgh Pirates Preview

2011 St. Louis Cardinals Preview 

Begin Slideshow

One of the more intriguing position battles this spring is the battle for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ first-base job. There are three candidates to win the position—Brandon Allen, Juan Miranda and Russell Branyan.

Let’s see how they are doing so far this spring and who appears the favorite to win the starting job in the desert.*

Miranda: .250/.417/.536 with two HRs and two doubles in 28 ABs.

Allen: .333/.344/.467 with no HRs and four doubles in 30 ABs.

Branyan: .464/.500/.857 with three HRs and two doubles in 28 ABs.

Based on these numbers so far, it would appear that Branyan is the front runner for the job. However, according to a post by Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, the Diamondbacks view Branyan as more of a left-handed power hitter off the bench against right-handed pitching.

This would be a good role for Branyan considering that he had an .874 OPS against righties in 2010 and can’t play a lick of defense. Pinch-hitting suites Branyan well.

Thus, the true front runner for the job seems to be Miranda, the former New York Yankee prospect, who has never done much at the major-league level. However, his opportunities have been limited. In three years, he has only had 94 plate appearances. That’s what happens when you have Jason Giambi and Mark Teixeira in front of you.

Miranda, who is also a better defensive player than both Branyan and Allen, is a career .281/.367/.478 hitter with 62 HRs in four minor-league seasons.

That leaves Allen as the apparent odd man out. It’s pretty clear that the Diamondbacks don’t have much faith in Allen at this stage of his career.

Since the Diamondbacks acquired Allen from the Chicago White Sox in 2009, they have gone out and also acquired Adam LaRoche, Xavier Nady, Miranda and Branyan—all of whom have played or can play first.

Most likely Allen will be ticketed for Triple-A. However, if Miranda stumbles out of the gate, look for the Diamondbacks to call him back up quickly and give him the chance at the major-league level he deserves.

*Stats were as of March 12.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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If you have played fantasy baseball the last 2-3 years, you know who the top 20-40 picks will be in your draft. The smart owners are the ones who can predict who is due to “break out” or come back to form after a season or two of mediocrity. Here is my list off players flying under most mock draft radar screens.

And don’t forget to buy The Fantasy Fix’s 2011 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit.

STARTING PITCHERS:

Daniel Hudson (Arizona Diamondbacks) He isn’t even listed in the top 50 in many of the so-called “expert’s”magazines. This guy was lights-out the last six weeks of the season and helped me win two leagues. In 2010 he had an ERA of 2.45, 84 Ks and a low WHIP. Plus, he is the number one starter for the Diamondbacks.

Brian Matusz (Baltimore Orioles) Stud in the last part of the season for the Orioles. If that continues, you can get him cheap and reap the rewards (should go in the middle rounds). I like how Showalter is pushing him; now if the Orioles could get out of the A.L. East, he would have top 10-15 potential. Matusz is a lefty with all the tools.

Kyle Drabek (Toronto Blue Jays) Watched him pitch against the Binghamton Mets in the Eastern League where he won honors as the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year. Yes, it’s a big step up from AA, but the Blue Jays traded Shaun Marcum to make room for Drabek. Watch him in the spring and if he looks good, take him as a late round flier.

Chris Young (New York Mets) A down right stud when healthy, but there in lies the problem. Young is switching teams, going from San Diego and coming to the Big Apple, so I’m thinking a change of scenery can’t hurt, right? Young is worth a late round flier and a healthy year could win you a championship. He is definitely worth the chance.

Jake Peavy (Chicago White Sox) He will go later in drafts because of the injury bug the last few years. A healthy Peavy means top 20-25 potential and that is the definition of a sleeper. Give him a look.

A.J. Burnett (New York Yankees) Yankee fans do not like him and most of the fantasy world thinks he is a washed up head case, so here’s your chance. Great stuff and potential top-25 pitcher with that offense. He will work with a new catcher this year, so this could be a subtle factor that may turn him around. Take a chance on him if he is still there in the last seven rounds of your draft.

RELIEF PITCHERS:

Brad Lidge (Philadelphia Phillies) Lidge flies under the radar because of his erratic monthly splits the last two years. To me this is a no brainer—just look at the starters on this team. The Phils will be in many close games, which means huge save chances. If Lidge is 75 percent effective, you will get 30-plus saves.

Joe Nathan (Minnesota Twins) Nathan was once a top-five closer who missed all of last year with an injury. Out of sight, out of mind for some fantasy owners, so he will slide in drafts. Watch preseason games and news reports to see if he is healthy; if so, grab him and plug in 35 saves.

Matt Thornton (Chicago White Sox) Somebody has to close for the Chicago White Sox and Thornton has the numbers. 82K in 60 innings with eight wins. Target him in the late rounds.

J.J. Putz (Arizona Diamondbacks) Arizona needs a closer and Putz is their man. A couple injury-plagued seasons have hindered his production. Arizona is likely to improve, so he is definitely worth a flier in the late rounds.

Chris Perez (Cleveland Indians) Great relief pitcher no one has heard of because he plays for the Tribe (Check out our interview with “Pure Rage Perez”). I added him in several leagues early last year when Kerry Wood went down and reaped the benefits. A slight drop in his BB and some improvement by the Indians makes Perez a top-ten closer SLEEPER!!

Written exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com by John Marino 

 THE FANTASY FIX 2011 FANTASY BASEBALL DRAFT KIT IS NOW AVAILABLE!

Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter  @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team!

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2011 Fantasy Baseball: Spring Forward with Top Corner Infield Prospects

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Once again, the Arizona Diamondbacks ended the season at the bottom of the NL West. The Diamondbacks went just 65-97 in 2010, their worst record since going 51-111 in 2004.

The Diamondbacks are turning to general manager Kevin Towers, who was signed in September of last year. Towers wasted little time renovating the Diamondbacks roster.

Here is a closer look at what the Diamondbacks’ starting lineup and starting rotation will look like this season, plus our MLB predictions on where they will end the year in the NL West.

Starting Lineup

The Diamondbacks’ offense lived off the long ball last season.  If they weren’t going yard, they were more than likely striking out—they set a major league record with 1,528 strikeouts. The Diamondbacks parted ways with Adam LaRoche and Mark Reynolds, who combined for 383 strikeouts last year.

Arizona is hoping a strong nucleus of young talent and some nice new pieces will help them be more consistent in 2011. 

The Diamondbacks figure to score a lot of runs with the players they have returning at the top of the order. Chris Young provides power (27 home runs) and speed (28 stolen bases) at the leadoff spot. Kelly Johnson is the ideal No. 2 hitter; he not only has the power to drive the ball all over the field, but also hits for a nice average.

Those two set the table for Stephen Drew and Justin Upton.  They didn’t exactly go off last season, but they should only continue to get better. Arizona is also extremely high on catcher Miguel Montero, who never got it going last year because of a knee injury. If he can stay healthy, we believe he will really help this team turn things around.

The other spots in the order will be filled with the additions of first baseman Juan Miranda, who will finally get a shot at showing what he can do, third baseman Melvin Mora, who really turned it on after the All-Star break last season despite his age, and Xavier Nady, who is expected to take over the starting job in left field.

Starting Rotation

The Diamondbacks made a couple of big moves, trading away Dan Haren and Edwin Jackson midway through last year, in hopes of rebuilding for the future.  They also couldn’t be happier with the pickup of Daniel Hudson, who dazzled Arizona fans with a 7-1 record and 1.68 ERA in 11 starts after coming over from the White Sox.

Right away, Hudson made his mark as one of the top pitchers on this staff.  He definitely has the talent to become one of the top pitchers in the league.

Arizona received Joe Saunders in the Haren trade and, while he went just 3-7 with a 4.25 ERA, he went 33-14 over his previous two seasons.  We think his numbers will be much better this year.

The Diamondbacks are also high on Ian Kennedy, who went 9-10 with a 3.80 ERA in his first full season as starter. Kennedy has the makings of an ace as well, and could end up challenging Hudson for the top spot in the rotation.

The other two spots in the rotation will likely go to Zach Duke and Armando Galarraga. Neither has quite lived up to his potential and, if they don’t get it figured out early, we wouldn’t be surprised if a couple prospects ended up taking their spots.

2011 Projections: Fifth Place NL West

While we believe Towers will be able to make Arizona a contender again, we don’t think it will be this year. The rotation is strong at the top, but there isn’t a lot to be excited about after that. Offensively, the Diamondbacks could surprise—but when it’s all said and done, we don’t see much improvement this year.

The Diamondbacks’ MLB odds to win the West this season are currently listed at +1300.

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