2008 Preview: Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks won the NL West in 2007 with a young lineup and veteran pitching. Management tweaked the roster a bit, bringing in another quality starter in right-hander Dan Haren, some bullpen help in Chad Qualls, and position depth in Chris Burke. Closer Jose Valverde is gone, but the D-backs think they've got a suitable replacement are are eager to make another run at the postseason.

The Diamondbacks made all their significant moves on Dec. 14 in trades with the A's, Astros and Royals to add RHP Dan Haren to the rotation, INF/OF Chris Burke to fill their quota of 13 position players and RHP Chad Qualls to compensate for the loss of closer Jose Valverde. They believe they are a better team than the one that won the NL West last season.
ARRIVALS: RHP Dan Haren (trade with A's), INF/OF Chris Burke, RHP Chad Qualls and RHP Juan Gutierrez (trade with Astros), RHP Billy Buckner (trade with Royals), OF Trot Nixon (minor league free agent from Indians).
DEPARTURES: LHP Randy Choate (free agent to Brewers), 1B Tony Clark (free agent to Padres), RHP Jose Valverde (trade to Astros), RHP Livan Hernandez (free agent to Twins), INF Alberto Callaspo (trade to Royals), RHP Bob Wickman (free agent, retired), OF Carlos Quentin (trade to White Sox), Carlos Gonzalez and LHP Dana Eveland (trade to A's), 3B Jeff Cirillo (free agent, unsigned).
NOTES, QUOTES
RHP Micah Owings could hit higher than the No. 9 spot in the batting order this season. Manager Bob Melvin used Owings as a DH, hitting eighth in a split-squad game against the White Sox on Sunday. "He's a guy I would like to hit fifth or sixth. He's a power guy." Owings hit .333 with seven doubles, four home runs and 15 RBIs in 60 at-bats last season, when he was used as a pinch hitter four times.
PROJECTED ROTATION:
1. RHP Brandon Webb
2. LHP Randy Johnson
3. RHP Dan Haren
4. LHP Doug Davis
5. RHP Micah Owings
Webb has finished 1-2 in the NL Cy Young Award balloting the past two seasons, winning the award in 2006. He led the league with 236 1/3 innings last season and has averaged 233 2/3 over the past three seasons. Haren, a similar workhorse, is the only pitcher in the majors with at least 34 starts in each of the past three seasons. He has averaged 220 2/3 innings in that time. Johnson's placement between Webb and Haren should enable the bullpen to be at its freshest when, in theory, it would be needed most. Davis set a career high with 13 victories in his first season with the Diamondbacks, and Owings was third in among NL rookies with eight victories last year.
PROJECTED BULLPEN:
RHP Brandon Lyon (closer)
RHP Tony Pena
RHP Chad Qualls
RHP Juan Cruz
LHP Doug Slaten
RHP Edgar Gonzalez
RHP Dustin Nippert
Lyon will inherit the closer's role from mercurial RHP Jose Valverde and will provide a 180-degree style change from Valverde, whose superstitions and flamboyance rubbed some foes the wrong way. Lyon converted 13 of 14 save opportunities before an elbow injury sidelined him six weeks into 2005, and by hitting 95 mph in the second half last season, he convinced the Diamondbacks he was back. Pena has a closer's repertoire, a mid-90s fastball and a high-80s slider. He will handle the eighth inning, with newcomer Qualls slated for the seventh. Cruz began his career as a starter but has found his niche in middle relief, and Slaten is a serviceable situational specialist. Gonzalez is a long man and was admirable as Johnson's stand-in last season.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
1. CF Chris Young
2. 2B Orlando Hudson
3. 1B Conor Jackson
4. LF Eric Byrnes
5. 3B Mark Reynolds
6. SS Stephen Drew
7. RF Justin Upton
8. C Chris Snyder
The Diamondbacks took off in the second half last season when manager Bob Melvin put Young into the leadoff position, dropped former leadoff man Byrnes into a production spot in the order, and turned both loose on the bases. Both are fast -- and smart. Byrnes had a major league-high streak of 30 consecutive stolen bases last season and finished 50 of 57 in steals. Young was 27 of 33. The lineup does not have a so-called legitimate power bat in the middle, although Reynolds has light-tower potential, but the Diamondbacks do not consider that a detriment, instead feeling they have production up and down the order. Snyder had a career year at the plate in 2007 and always has been a consummate handler of the staff.
PROJECTED RESERVES:
C Miguel Montero
1B/3B Chad Tracy
INF Augie Ojeda
INF/OF Chris Burke
OF Jeff Salazar
Tracy is expected to be a more versatile version of free agent Tony Clark, who did not return. He could play both first and third base against selected right-handers to give right-handed hitters Jackson and Reynolds a day off. Montero had three pinch homers last season, so he will continue to see action off the bench. Ojeda and Salazar were valuable contributors in the stretch run a year ago, and both understand and embrace their roles. Newcomer Burke can handle a number of roles and may benefit from a change in scenery after seemingly falling out of favor with the Astros.
TOP ROOKIES:
RHP Max Scherzer, the 11th player chosen in the 2006 draft, is a candidate for the bullpen after rocketing through the Diamondbacks' system. He didn't sign until May 2007, and he opened at Class A Visalia (2-0, 0.53). Scherzer was promoted to Class AA Mobile (4-4, 3.91) before concluding in the Arizona Fall League, a finishing school for top prospects. … 2B Emilio Bonifacio is the heir apparent to Orlando Hudson, a free agent after this season, and is considered the fastest player in the system after leading the Southern League with 41 stolen bases while hitting .285 for Mobile, earning a late-season call to the majors. … RHP Juan Gutierrez and RHP Billy Buckner, offseason acquisitions, are expected to open at Class AAA Tucson for more seasoning.
MEDICAL WATCH: LHP Randy Johnson (back surgery in August 2007) threw a round of live batting practice Feb. 28. The team is proceeding slowly with him this spring. … C Miguel Montero (broken finger) was to be held out of all baseball activities for a week after a CT scan Feb. 29 on his right index finger showed limited healing, calling into question his availability for the start of the regular season. … LHP Doug Slaten (microfracture surgery on right knee in October 2007) threw off a mound for the second time in camp March 1. While he's behind, the Diamondbacks still believe Slaten will be able to open the regular season with the team. …1B/3B Chad Tracy (microfracture surgery on right knee in September 2007) has begun workouts on the new Alter-G anti-gravity treadmill the Diamondbacks purchased to facilitate his recovery from offseason knee surgery. However, he has yet to run on the field or take part in full drills.