The Arizona Diamondbacks are coming off another average season after winning the NL West back in 2011. The Diamondbacks have been very busy this offseason after adding the likes of Mark Trumbo, Addison Reed and Bronson Arroyo. With Kirk Gibson at the helm and the additions this offseason, I’m predicting some positive things for the Diamondbacks this season.
Strength: Their greatest strength is their team chemistry. Gibson does a great job of getting all the guys to play hard and work together to play team focused baseball. Team chemistry goes a long way and it’s what helps teams get into the playoffs.
With the addition of Mark Trumbo from the Los Angeles Angles, I think it makes the D-backs a much stronger team offensively. Trumbo adds some much needed thump that has been missing from the D-Backs lineup. With a mix of speed, average and now power, I see this offense really taking off.
Weakness: One reason why I like the Diamondbacks this year is because they don’t have many weaknesses. With that being said, there is something that could be improved. They need more consistent starting pitching. They have the arms to compete with the best of the league, but they need to be more consistent. By consistent I mean they need to keep runs off the board. The lowest ERA of any starting pitcher last year on the D-backs was that of Patrick Corbin who had a 3.41 ERA. They need to get that ERA down or there could be a lot of high scoring losses for the Diamondbacks this season.
Difference maker: The position battle at short stop could make a difference in the D-backs season. The battle is between Didi Gregorius and last season’s Pacific Coast League MVP Chris Owings. Both players are in their early 20’s and both seem to have a lot of potential. The problem is who starts? From my perspective, Chris Owings looks big league ready and ready to grow into a great short stop.
Didi is a solid player, but that might be his ceiling. He had an opportunity to show he is the short stop of the future last season, but he put up mediocre numbers and really struggled at times. I believe that the Diamondbacks will give Owings the starting spot to begin the season. If Owings takes off like he should, then Didi could be on the trading block.
Prediction: My prediction for the Diamondback is that they will reach the playoffs. Paul Goldschmidt and the offense will help lead the team to the top spot in the NL Wild Card. The D-backs are too well rounded to not be successful this season.
