MLB: esportfans.com's 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks Preview

Arizona Diamondbacks 2001 Preview

Key Additions: 1B Mark Grace OF Reggie Sanders OF Midre Cummings

Key Losses: P Dan Plesac C Kelly Stinnett 1B Alex Cabrera

Projected Line-up: SS Tony Womack 2B Jay Bell 1B Mark Grace 3B Matt Williams CF Steve Finley LF Luis Gonzalez RF Reggie Sanders C Damian Miller

Rotation: Randy Johnson Curt Schilling Brian Anderson Todd Stottlemyre Armando Reynoso

Bullpen: Matt Mantei (closer) Byung Hyun Kim Greg Swindell Russ Springer Mike Morgan

2001 Analysis

PITCHING Rotation Randy Johnson is pitching better than ever at the ripe old age of 37. He can be counted on to strike out 250+ batters and to be dominating most of the time. The real question mark here is the health of his back. Will his back hold up? If it does, he’s one of the five best pitchers in baseball.

Speaking of health questions, Curt Schilling only went 5-6 after being acquired by the Diamondbacks in July. If 34 year old is healthy this could be the best 1-2 punch in baseball. If not, it could be a long season in the desert.

At #3 in the D’Back rotation is the kid (Age 28) Brian Anderson. Once a wonder kid pitching prospect for the Indians, Anderson has excellent control with a good pick-off move. He’ll probably be able to hold done the #3 spot in the rotation, but if either Schilling or Johnson go down, he’s way over-matched at #2.

At this point in his career, Todd Stottlemyre’s stuff is basically average. He survives on the muscle located between the ears. The mere thought of pitching through a torn rotator cuff would send shivers down the spine of most anyone, but that is exactly what Sottlemyre did. But now at age 35, the end is in sight.

Armando Reynoso at age 34 doesn’t have an above average pitch, but he does throw five pitches and he throws them for strikes. He’s really a junk baller, but he’s better than a fifth starter and could the #4 spot easily.

Bullpen Hard, harder, hardest. Those are Matt Matei’s pitches. When his control is on, he can dominate. When it isn’t he gets hit hard. Like most of the rotation, health is of major concern for Mantei (7 trips to the DL since 1995.)

POSTION PLAYERS Catchers A good defensive catcher, Damian Miller has finally claimed the job of starting catcher. He’s a solid line-drive hitter, but a relative unknown. He has the confidence of the pitching staff, so he’ll be behind the plate for a while.

Infielders If you are tired of my mentioning age, you should stop reading this preview right now. I’m just getting started. At 36, Mark Grace is still a solid defensive player, but seriously under-powered for first base. He’s a career .308 hitter, but with only 148 home runs in 13 seasons.

At second base, Jay Bell (age 35) is a serious question mark. He’s range on defense is seriously decreasing. His bat speed has really dropped off. The tank is on empty and Bell is trying to survive on his smarts.

Matt Williams is still solid defensively, though not the dominant defensive player he once was. At 35, his bat speed is slowing as well and he’s having trouble turning on the ball. At that to his health problems (plantar fasciatis and ankylosing spondyltis - a disease that affects joints similarly to arthritis) and Williams may be facing the end of his career as well.

At 31, Tony Womack is the second youngest player on the team (he’s 18 days older than Damian Miller.) Womack’s greatest asset is his speed (239 career stolen bases.) Womack doesn’t really get on base enough to fully utilize his speed and is a below par defensive player.

Outfielders Steve Finley was once the best defensive center fielder in the game. He’s still way above average, and can flash the occasional power (35 HR in 2000, but only 188 career HR in 12 seasons.) He appears to be recovering well from off-season back surgery, but at age 36 how much longer can he keep banging his body all over the field.

Luis Gonzalez is one of may personal favorite players, because he gives you the effort all the time. He has worked his way into being a good defensive outfielder, but he has a very weak arm. Like Finley he has had a recent power explosions (31 HR in 2000, but only 164 career in 11 seasons.)

And the final health problem to talk about for the D’Backs is Reggie Sanders. At age 33 Sanders has a storied history of injuries. He’s an up and down player even when healthy.

2000 Record 85-77 (11th Overall) 2000 Payroll $80.8 million (6th Overall) Tony’s 2001 Projection 88-74 (2nd NL West - 10th Overall)

"A lot will depend on how our guys hold up physically, because I think as a group, we have some tough-minded, strong-willed guys who know how to win,'' according to new manager Bob Brenley. "The pieces are in place where we need them the most, with the most capable people we could have found out there (in free agency) filling those holes. We have no excuse for failure."

Obviously health and age are major concerns for the D’Backs. If they stay completely healthy they’ll win the NL West. This could become the old-age hospital for aging ball players. If that happens, they could drop to 4th in the West. I’m predicting that Brenley will have need of finding that elusive execuse. The D’Backs will lead the West into August, but the injuries will catch up with them and they’ll fade to 4 games back of the Giants.

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