13 Diamondbacks
TANKERS
SCOUT'S TAKE
KEY QUESTION
The first year of the post--Paul Goldschmidt era begins, and how bad will things get? This team has gone from a juggernaut offense to a very light one in a hurry. With Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock gone, the middle is one of the weakest out there. The rotation is solid, but it's going to have to carry them.
UNDERRATED
David Peralta is a grinder, just intense. He came up as a pitcher, was released, went to indy ball and became a position player. He built his body up, and now he's a Silver Slugger. With Goldschmidt gone, he's going to have to be their new leader.
ON THE CUSP
Everywhere Christian Walker has been, he's been blocked by a star: Joey Votto in Cincinnati, Goldy in Arizona. He's had a great spring. He's got 70 raw power [on an 80 scale]; with 400 at bats, 25 homers isn't a stretch.
LAST LICKS
They need to accelerate their rebuild, and Jake Lamb should be the next guy to go. He struggles against lefties, but he can give a contender some pop.... The veterans in the rotation could keep them respectable, but that bullpen is going to blow a lot of leads.
THE PAYOFF PITCH
THE DIAMONDBACKS moved into a rebuild by trading Paul Goldschmidt and allowing Patrick Corbin and A.J. Pollock to leave in free agency. Remaining, however, is their $35 million man, Zack Greinke. The 35-year-old still has three years and $105 million left on the free-agent deal he signed before the 2016 season. He's been worth the money so far; he has a 3.53 ERA in 91 starts for the Diamondbacks, and by WAR he's been the eighth-best starter in baseball since signing. Greinke's career to date (2,663 IP, 187 wins, 3.39 ERA, 61.5 WAR) closely resembles that of another cerebral righthander of recent vintage, Mike Mussina (2,669 IP, 199 wins, 3.53 ERA, 66 WAR through age 35), right down to their both being generally underappreciated. Mussina went on to produce five more years as an above-average starter (4.14 ERA, 17 WAR) and eventually gained election to the Hall of Fame.
OVER UNDER
73.5
The Diamondbacks won 82 games a year ago, but it's reasonable to expect at least a 10-win slide after their winter sell-off.
LINEUP
CF Ketel Marte
.260/14 HR/.437 SLG
3B Eduardo Escobar
.272/23 HR/84 RBI
LF David Peralta
.293/30 HR/87 RBI
RF Steven Souza Jr.
.220/.309 OBP/.369 SLG
1B Jake Lamb
.222/.307 OBP/.348 SLG
2B Wilmer Flores
.267/11 HR/51 RBI
SS Nick Ahmed
.234/16 HR/.411 SLG
C Carson Kelly
.114/.205 OBP/.114 SLG
BENCH
C Alex Avila
.165/.299 OBP/.304 SLG
1B/OF Christian Walker
.163/.226 OBP/.388 SLG
FANTASY BREAKOUT
The power he flashed in the minors began to translate last year for KETEL MARTE, who also has 30-SB potential.
ROTATION
RH Zack Greinke
15 W/3.21 ERA/1.08 WHP
LH Robbie Ray
6 W/3.93 ERA/12.0 K9
RH Zack Godley
15 W/4.74 ERA/1.45 WHP
RH Luke Weaver
7 W/4.95 ERA/1.50 WHP
BULLPEN
CL Archie Bradley
3 SV/3.64 ERA/9.4 K9
RH Yoshihisa Hirano
2.44 ERA/1.09 WHP/ 8.0 K9
LH Andrew Chafin
3.10 ERA/1.34 WHP/ 9.7 K9
MANAGER
Torey Lovullo