Arizona Diamondbacks: 2017 MLB season preview

The Arizona Diamondbacks look to bounce back from their fourth-place finish in the National League West in 2016. They’re hoping a new manager can help bring the pieces together in 2017.

Arizona has had a strong showing in the Cactus League this spring. Yet, we all know spring training isn’t much of an indicator of how the season will go, but for the Diamondbacks it certainly offers a sense that things are turning around.

The Diamondbacks have been working very hard over the past few years to build a strong team, but they keep coming up short, most recently with that fourth-place finish in the NL West and a record of 69-93, only a single game above the San Diego Padres. In a lot of ways, Arizona Baseball over the past few years has been like finding a recipe in a cookbook:

The picture looks good, the ingredients all seem to work well, but the recipe doesn’t turn out because of poor execution. That’s how the team has been. Everything has been there, but it doesn’t come together in the end. There’s hope that things will change this year with new manager Torey Lovullo.

September 5, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Greinke (21) reacts after giving up a solo home run in the fifth inning against Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal (9) at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sport /

Pitching

The Diamondbacks starting pitching rotation will remain mostly the same in 2017. As of this writing, Zack Greinke, Robbie Ray, Shelby Miller, Patrick Corbin, and Archie Bradley will return to the rotation along with Seattle Mariners hurler Taijuan Walker. The Diamondbacks pitching staff has been posting some solid numbers in Spring Training, which has helped contribute to the team’s wins in the Cactus League.

On the one hand, a team looking to rise in the National League West could make big changes to the pitching rotation, but the pitching staff doesn’t seem to be the team’s issue. (We’ll address that later) Given the performance this spring, this looks to be the right rotation for the team.

Newcomer to the starting rotation is Taijuan Walker, who comes to the Diamondbacks from the Mariners. Walker was 8-11 in 2016 with a 4.22 ERA in 25 games and 134.1 innings of work. He’s hoping to be the second guy in the rotation behind ace Zack Greinke.

Greinke has only worked 1.2 innings during Spring Training, but LHP Robbie Ray has been impressive so far with a 3-0 record and 2.70 ERA in 16.2 innings of work.

As we approach Opening Day the rotation will be finalized, but it’s clear that this year’s Diamondbacks are ready for action.

Jul 29, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (44) is greeted in the dugout after scoring a run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

Lineup

The Diamondbacks have seen some movement in their lineup for the 2017 season. Along with a few new faces comes some familiar faces projected to play at different positions to begin the season.

Jeff Mathis is projected to start at catcher, replacing Welington Castillo. Mathis joins the Diamondbacks from Miami and is shaping up to be the starting catcher this season. Lovullo said before Spring Training began that he sees Jake Lamb getting the third base position, and everything we’ve seen so far seems to confirm that.

One of the big questions looming over the lineup is whether Yasmany Tomas will be healthy. The left fielder has been out since March 6 with a left oblique strain, so for now it looks like Gregor Blanco might be filling in because Brandon Drury has moved to second base to replace Jean Segura.

If the 2017 Diamondbacks season started tomorrow, you can expect to see the following lineup:

Catcher: Jeff Mathis (2016 Stats with Miami: .238 AVG, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 0 SB, .601 OPS)

1B: Paul Goldschmidt (2016 Stats: .297 AVG, 24 HR, 95 RBI, 32 SB, .899 OPS)

2B: Brandon Drury (2016 Stats: .282 AVG, 16 HR, 53 RBI, 1 SB, .786 OPS)

3B: Jake Lamb (2016 Stats: .249 AVG, 29 HR, 91 RBI, 6 SB, .840 OPS)

SS: Nick Ahmed (2016 Stats: .218 AVG, 4 HR, 20 RBI, 5 SB, .564 OPS)

LF: Gregor Blanco (2016 Stats with SF: .224 AVG, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 6 SB, .620 OPS)

CF: A.J. Pollock (2016 Stats: .244 AVG, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 SB, .716 OPS)

RF: David Peralta (2016 Stats: .251 AVG, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 2 SB, .728 OPS)

Aug 19, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Miami Marlins relief pitcher Fernando Rodney (56) reacts after earning a save against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Miami won 6-5. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Bullpen

The Diamondbacks bullpen can only go up from its 4.94 ERA in 2016. That put the Arizona bullpen at No. 12 out of all of the National League bullpens, and it gives the current bullpen some much needed motivation.

Back in December, Lovullo said that there was no clear vision for who the team’s closer might be:

"“It’s no mystery that maybe we need somebody in the back end, maybe a closer that’s going to let young pitchers develop. There’s a strategy we are still trying to come up with and a strategy we are still developing. We want to make sure we put seven or eight guys out there that have a role and go out and help in spring games, and the goal is to hand it off to the next guy.”"

The bullpen has been a revolving door throughout Spring Training as the team tries to figure out who will be on the roster at the start of the season. RHP Jake Barrett injured his right shoulder and will likely start the season on the disabled list, adding room to the ever-changing list of names for this season’s bullpen.

Some of the familiar faces in the bullpen include RHP Fernando Rodney, RHP Silvino Bracho, LHP Andrew Chafin, RHP Zack Godley, and RHP Randall Delgado.

RHP Tom Wilhelmsen is looking to get a spot in the bullpen, and so far he has been putting up some solid numbers in Spring Training. The Diamondbacks have been making minor league deals since the 2016 season ended; some of those acquisitions include RHP J.J. Hoover and LHP Brian Matusz, who are both getting looks during spring training. RHP Tyler Jones was claimed off waivers from the Yankees in December.

Clearly the team is searching for the regular closer, and they need figure out some southpaw support before Opening Day.

Mar 8, 2017; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo in the dugout against Mexico during a 2017 World Baseball Classic exhibition game at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Manager

The Arizona Diamondbacks fired manager Chip Hale one day after the end of a lackluster 2016 season. Hale had been with the Diamondbacks for two seasons, but despite some key roster acquisitions, the Diamondbacks were only able to reach 3rd place in the NL West in 2015 before sinking to fourth place in 2016.

The front office was looking for someone who would be able to take the team’s potential and turn it into success. Arizona hired Boston’s General Manager, Mike Hazen, and after a search the Diamondbacks set their sights on former Red Sox helmer Torey Lovullo.

Lovullo’s major league coaching career started with a job as the first base coach for the Blue Jays. His path to the job with the Blue Jays is what brought him to the Red Sox: Lovullo spent nine years as a minor league manager, and toward the end of his minor league tenure he was with the Red Sox affiliate, the Pawtucket Red Sox, where he met John Farrell.

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Farrell was Boston’s pitching coach, but was soon Farrell picked up by the Blue Jays as their manager, where Lovullo joined him as bench coach. Lovullo took over the team while Farrell recovered from his cancer treatment and he was respected by everyone in the organization for running things successfully at such a difficult time.

Lovullo understands what it’s like to not be reaching potential, and he has demonstrated an ability to turn that around. He’s the perfect guy to bring the Diamondbacks back from the NL West basement. He has experience galore and though he’s not an expert on the NL West, he’s clearly able to step up and make some quick changes.

The Diamondbacks’ performance in Spring Training is one small indicator that a change is in the air; Arizona currently leads all NL West teams in the 2017 Cactus League.

Mar 19, 2017; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Chris Herrmann (10) is congatulated by third base coach Tony Perezchica (1) after hitting a solo home run during the second inning against the Cleveland Indians at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /

X-Factor

The Diamondbacks don’t have the best roster, and they certainly don’t have the worst roster. They don’t have a roster that is reflected by fourth place finishes in the NL West, and it could be that the problem has been coming from the top.

This season’s X-Factor just might be the organization’s new front office, with a manager and general manager who have experience turning franchises around. More than the front office, though, is Lovullo. He knows how to win, and his leadership might be what has been missing the past few seasons in Arizona.

Apr 6, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; General view of Chase Field prior to the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /

Prediction

With San Francisco and Los Angeles vying for supremacy atop the NL West, with the San Diego Padres working on developing their young talent, and with the Rockies facing some restructuring of their own, look for the Diamondbacks to rise at least one spot up from where they finished in 2016.

Instead of a fourth place finish in the NL West, look for a solid third place finish in the division, with a possible second place finish if they come out strong and figure out their bullpen.

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