2012 MLB Handicapping: Arizona Diamondbacks
Coming off their most successful season since 2007, with a 94-68 record, good enough to steal the NL West from the 2010 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants who were eight games back, the Arizona Diamondbacks are poised to repeat as the NL West’s top team in 2012.
But after a disappointing five-game NLCS exit last season, what have the Diamondbacks done to get back into October 2012 for a second year in a row?
Let’s have a look.
D-Backs Assets
Like all top contenders, it all starts with the pitching rotation, and the Diamondbacks desperately needed to solidify their mediocre rotation if they wanted to compete against a pitch-first Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.
And they did just that, trading for Oakland A’s ace Trevor Cahill.
Although finishing with an unimpressive 12-14 record last season with the hapless A’s, Cahill’s potential did not present itself considering Oakland’s current state.
Cahill will compliment Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson nicely in the third spot with the D-Backs, and expectations of him getting back to his 2010, 18-8 finish with a 2.97 ERA, will be high.
Meanwhile, Arizona’s offense continues to be impressive behind the efforts of All-Stars Justin Upton and Miguel Montero who will both return for another season. Fans can expect big things from Upton again in 2012 after he jacked 31 home-runs, 39 doubles, 88 RBIs and 21 steals last season. [dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
Mix in the newly acquired Twins’ bat of Jason Kubel, and the lineup rounds out nicely with another lefty.
However, Kubel is coming off an injury from last season, which held him to play in just 99 games, so hopefully he can remain healthy.
Finally, the D-Backs bullpen did get a touch better with the addition of relievers Takashi Saito and Craig Breslow in the off-season. Not to mention the return of dominant closer in JJ Putz who had 49 saves, with an ERA of 2.17 in 2011.
D-Backs Weaknesses
Defense has to be one of the Diamondbacks biggest weaknesses, and with potential Gold Glove shortstop Stephen Drew still on the mend from last year’s broken ankle and off-season hernia surgery, it doesn’t get any better. Beyond Drew, Arizona’s defense is middle-of-the road at best.
The other weakness is beyond the starting five rotation, where there are few backups with big league experience. Something, if the injury bug should bite the D-backs, could be the difference between success and failure.
2012 PREDICTION:
Arizona was already a lock to repeat as NL West champs, and with good off-season acquisitions and barring no injuries or any off-the-field issues, they should be headed back into 2012 as the most solid team in the NL West. But do they have enough to compete outside of the division come October? Probably not.
