4 DIAMONDBACKS

OVERALL RANK 9

ENEMY LINES

A RIVAL SCOUT SIZES UP ARIZONA

There seems to be good energy under Torey Lovullo.... I expect Zack Greinke to continue to be a mainstay in the rotation.... Shelby Miller has been filthy, up to 99 mph, with a nasty slider. His mechanics got away from him last year.... Taijuan Walker has huge stuff, but he's been searching in his delivery. I think he'll help, but is he a front-of-the-rotation guy? No.... Patrick Corbin's stuff doesn't seem quite as crisp. He's a fringy command guy, so he's had to learn to be more creative.... The time is now for Archie Bradley. He doesn't have the stuff he had when he came out of high school. He's throwing a two-seamer more, which is helping his command.... The biggest concern is the bullpen. It's tough to count on Fernando Rodney....Jake Barrett is nursing a shoulder injury, and he's their setup guy.... Jared Miller has been surprising. He's a 6'7" guy with deception.... A.J. Pollock looks healthy. His timing isn't great. But in BP, the ball is jumping off his bat.... Paul Goldschmidt has looked good. His power was down last year, but he's the heart and soul of the lineup. He'll be fine.... Brandon Drury is coming off a big year, and I don't expect him to slow down.... Defense could be a problem: Jake Lamb's range is fringy at third; in leftfield Yasmany Tomás is adequate at best.... [Shortstop] Ketel Marté has shown flashes. He's got great actions on defense, but the bat has a ways to go.... I'm not sold that this cast of characters is capable of much more than 75 wins. I wouldn't be surprised if at the deadline they started to dismantle things a bit.

MANAGER TOREY LOVULLO

1ST SEASON WITH ARIZONA

B-T BA OBP SLG WAR

CF A.J. POLLOCK [DEFENSIVE STAR] [BARGAIN]

R-R .315 .367 .498 7.4 [2015 STATS]

3B JAKE LAMB [BARGAIN]

L-R .249 .332 .509 2.6

1B PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT [TEAM MVP] [BARGAIN]

R-R .297 .411 .489 4.8

RF DAVID PERALTA [INJURY RISK]

L-L .251 .295 .433 0.6

LF YASMANY TOMÁS [DECLINING]

R-R .272 .313 .508 -0.4

2B BRANDON DRURY

R-R .282 .329 .458 0.0

SS CHRIS OWINGS [BARGAIN]

R-R .277 .315 .416 1.6

C CHRIS IANNETTA [NEW ACQUISITION]

R-R .210 .303 .329 0.3

BENCH

B-T BA OBP SLG WAR

C JEFF MATHIS [NEW ACQUISITION]

R-R .238 .267 .333 0.4

SS NICK AHMED [DEFENSIVE STAR] [INJURY RISK] [BARGAIN]

R-R .218 .265 .299 0.2

OF JEREMY HAZELBAKER [NEW ACQUISITION]

L-R .235 .295 .480 0.2

W--L ERA K/9 WAR

RH ZACK GREINKE [DEFENSIVE STAR]

13--7 4.37 7.6 2.3

RH TAIJUAN WALKER [NEW ACQUISITION] [INJURY RISK]

8--11 4.22 8.0 0.4

RH SHELBY MILLER

3--12 6.15 6.2 -0.7

LH ROBBIE RAY [INJURY RISK] [DECLINING]

8--15 4.90 11.3 0.7

LH PATRICK CORBIN [INJURY RISK]

5--13 5.15 7.6 -0.9

SV ERA K/9 WAR

RH FERNANDO RODNEY [NEW ACQUISITION] [DECLINING]

25 3.44 10.2 1.0

RH JAKE BARRETT [INJURY RISK]

4 3.49 8.5 1.0

NEW ACQUISITION

2016 STATS

*2015 STATS

(R) ROOKIE

TEAM MVP

DEFENSIVE STAR

INJURY RISK

BARGAIN

RISING

DECLINING

MODEST PROPOSAL

It's rarely a good sign to see that your team has signed Fernando Rodney; and when Kevin Jepsen joins him on the roster, it usually means you have bullpen issues. Rather than mess around with veteran retreads, the Snakes should pull from their farm. Lefty Anthony Banda had a 2.88 ERA and a 24% strikeout rate at two levels last year. Also, they might as well see if Archie Bradley, who has never panned out as a starter, has the stuff for one inning at a time. Rule 5 pick Tyler Jones was dominant at Double A Trenton last year. The bullpen is the team's weak link, but there is enough raw material to turn it into a strength.

BOTTOM LINE

A new skipper brings a breath of fresh air, but not enough to blow past the Dodgers or the Giants.