The National League West had a feel last season that it was up for grabs, with several teams looking like the favorite at one time or another. The Arizona Diamondbacks were the one exception. They were never in it.
2010 record: 65-97, last place in NL West
Manager: Kirk Gibson
Key additions: 3B Melvin Mora, 1B Juan Miranda, 1B Russell Branyan, OF Xavier Nady, IF/OF Geoff Blum, RHP J.J. Putz, LHP Zack Duke, RHP Armando Galarraga.
Key losses: 3B Mark Reynolds, 1B Adam LaRoche, C Chris Snyder, RHP Brandon Webb, RHP Rodrigo Lopez
Outlook: The Diamondbacks could score some runs from time to time in 2010. They could have an even better offense this season, with a handful of quality hitters, some of whom are still coming into their own.
Right fielder Justin Upton is the team's best talent, and at 23 years of age has an incredibly bright future. Center fielder Chris Young rebounded to hammer 27 homers last year. Stephen Drew had 60 extra-base hits from the shortstop position. And second baseman Kelly Johnson clubbed 26 homers and hit .284.
The team's leading home-run hitter, Mark Reynolds, is taking his 211 strikeouts to Baltimore, and Adam LaRoche, the D-Backs leader in RBIs with 100, went to the nation's capital. However, there is enough to fill the gaps and at least make this a lineup worth considering.
For Arizona to have a chance of climbing out of the cellar, the pitching, particularly the bullpen, needs to be significantly better.
While the rotation was not anything to write home about and it lost both Dan Haren and Edwin Jackson as the season went along, it gave the club innings, ranking third in the National League in that category. The problem is, managers A.J. Hinch and Kirk Gibson often had to keep their starters in for extra outs because the bullpen was so horrible.
Diamondbacks relievers finished with a 5.74 ERA, more than one run higher than the next-worst team in the NL, Chicago. The bullpen had a save percentage of just 59 percent, an ugly 1.62 WHIP and surrendered 62 home runs, more than everyone in baseball except for Baltimore and Boston (just had to throw that in there to remind Red Sox fans), but in fewer innings than both.
It was an unmitigated disaster once Arizona reached those middle and late innings. To help rectify the situation, the D-Backs gave a two-year deal to right-hander J.J. Putz, the former Seattle closer. He hopes to give Gibson an option to finish teams off after a year in with the D-Backs used four players in that role, including one, Chad Qualls, who left town with an 8.29 ERA.
Certainly, it is important for the rotation to give some innings once again. The acquisitions of lefty Zack Duke and righty Armando Galarraga give Arizona a pair of guys who may improve with a change of scenery. Joe Saunders and Ian Kennedy will be the 200-inning horses. Daniel Hudson, a 23-year-old acquired in the Jackson trade last summer, went 7-1 with a 1.69 ERA down the stretch for Arizona. He could emerge as the staff ace.
What it means to the Red Sox: Well, it is simply another team that probably will look to sell off unnecessary parts at the trade deadline if it is well below .500. The Sox were rumored to have some interest in Upton, whose salary increases greatly through 2015. The Carl Crawford signing made that go away, but Boston could still make a play for Upton as a replacement for J.D. Drew in 2012, although Ryan Kalish's presence makes that less likely.
