| Gregory Driscoll. 16th April, 2007 - 12:59 pm
 The Arizona Diamondbacks find themselves in an unfamiliar situation after one week of play. The D-backs have started the 2007 season with a 7-4 mark. As of right now, they stand in second place in the NL West and fourth in the NL, a position they have not enjoyed in over three years.
Last season, the Diamondbacks finished with a disappointing 76-86 record, dead last in the National League West. They only had four players who began the season in the starting lineup, finish there. They also only had two players hit over 20 home runs and only one player finish with more than 80 runs batted in. In addition, the only person in their lineup to hit over .300 at the end of the season was shortstop Stephen Drew, who was called up halfway through the season and only got 209 at-bats.
This season looks to be a new beginning for the D-backs. The 2007 Arizona Diamondbacks have the fifth youngest roster in the Major Leagues with an average age of 27.4 years of age. They start seven position players under the age of 30 and six of those seven are under the age of 26.
Players like Drew and outfielders Chris B. Young and Carlos Quentin look to add more power and speed to the D-backs line-up. Stephen Drew, who was drafted 14th overall by the D-backs in the 2004 draft, provides the D-backs with a quality leadoff batter that will hit for a high average and will have a high on-base percentage. This will give Eric Byrnes, Orlando Hudson and Chad Tracy a higher chance of getting RBI’s and the D-backs a chance to score more runs.
Quentin, drafted 29th overall by the D-backs in 2003, will be the added power in the Arizona line-up. Quentin had nine homeruns and 32 RBI’s in only 166 at-bats last season. If he stays healthy and starts for a full season, he could potentially hit 25 home runs and have 90-plus RBIs when it’s all said and done. In addition, Young adds great speed in the outfield between Byrnes and Quentin, and a good contact hitter at the end of the batting order.
The heart of this Arizona Diamondbacks lineup consists of Byrnes, Hudson, Tracy and Conor Jackson. So far this season Byrnes is leading the team in home runs with three, RBIs with ten, and stolen bases with four. Hudson is leading the team with a .364 batting average and eleven runs scored. Hudson is also the reigning gold glove winner at second base, which provides the D-backs with a solid core of defenders up the middle. Tracy and Jackson are also providing some power and RBIs, with a combined twelve thus far. These four were the best players remaining from the roster last season and will mesh with these new faces to form an unbelievable young lineup that should only continue to get better.
This off-season the D-backs also made moves to acquire two veteran pitchers to go with their one-two punch of Webb and Hernandez. They acquired Randy Johnson from the New York Yankees for Luis Vizcaino and three prospects, and Doug Davis from the Milwaukee Brewers for Johnny Estrada, Claudio Vargas and Greg Aquino. These two trades solidified an already solid D-backs starting rotation and gives them four proven veterans in Webb, Hernandez, Johnson and Davis. Webb, who is the reigning NL CY Young award winner, is obviously the ace of the staff.
When Johnson comes back from the DL he will more than likely be the number two starter followed by Hernandez, Davis and 24-year-old Edgar Gonzalez. Johnson has thrown one rehab start and might throw another one before he is called up to the club. Until then, 24-year- old rookie, Micah Owings will be the fifth starter.
These off-season acquisitions, along with their nucleus of young players, will make the Arizona Diamondbacks a top contender in the NL West and potentially give them a shot to make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2002, when the St. Louis Cardinals swept them in three games. The season is young, but it looks as though things could be looking good for the Arizona Diamondbacks this season. |
