Any Dbacks offseason moves make you excited?

[Yuma]

Hey, lose Schilling, add Sexson. I am just really luke warm at best on our off season moves. I know the moves we are making are with an eye on reducing payroll. They also seem like they will make a reduction in ticket sales. I know they don't want to increase payroll, but add Vladomire Guerrero (sp) to this team, and I could get excited about buying some tickets for the game!! If putting fannies in the seats is what it's all about, then get a player that can generate excitement!! I remember when they signed Johnson, the season ticket phones started ringing right away!! I am not at all that excited about Sexson. I also don't see us making moves to counter the Giants or Dodgers, let alone the Rockies. Oh well, here's to a quiet spring training...

 

[mark1]

There is nothing this team did that makes me excited. Getting Sexson is great, but not at the expense of Schilling and Batista. The Dbacks have become just another in a growing list of mediocre teams.

It's going to be a long summer folks

 

[green machine]

Having Sexson is exciting, to me. Getting to see Cintron, Webb, Hammock, Kata, and whoever else for a full season I think is exciting too. We're seeing this team change right before our eyes, the way the way the team is built. Will it work? Who knows. What we do know is the previous formula had run its course.

 

[Lefty]

I for one am a Diamondback fan and I look forward to every season. I think the Diamondbacks will be competitve, I don't see all this doom and gloom.

For those who keep writing all this negative stuff about the Diamondbacks, there are a lot of other teams bandwagon you can jump on. I know some are frustrated but badmouthing does no good.

Let's give this team a chance. No one expected the BabyBacks to go on that winning streak last June.

 

[BOB_Man24]

We did lose Schilling, but we just added two starters that make handy 4-5 starters, and if they dont pitch good we have all the yongsters in the wings waiting to come up and pitch. In the end we did not improve, we may have declined, but you never know what the season is gonna shake up, and a couple of seasons ago before injury, Reynolds was a quality starter who won 19 games.

We gained Sexson, and by far this move improves our offense significantly. This is a big time and exciting aquisition that will improve our soar offense and be able to compete with other teams in the league, maybe even the team that lands Guerrero, if he doesnt end up in Baltimore.

We added a backup catcher for less than a mil, we traded for a pinchhitter, one of the best in the big leagues in Colby to go along with Baerga, and we also managed to add 3 minor league pitchers. Im not saying this helped, but it couldnt hurt.

I do however, think that the dbacks are not DONE. They still perhaps have some need for a leadoff/right fielder. Im excited, because its baseball, and this might not be the same approach we took last time, but we needed to revamp somehow......

 

[AZZenny]

Here we go again - if someone is displeased with the shape the team takes, they're a bad fan, get told to find another team, blah blah blah. Can it, its old and pointless. I love my team, but I do not blindly support the GM or the manager.

I'm getting my opening day ST tickets, which btw is 70 days from now - I really look forward to seeing our youngsters playing - I just don't feel the limited dollar resources have been used as well or wisely this off-season as I'd hoped they would be. Sexson is fine, I'm sure he'll be a blast to watch in purple, but I would have much, much rather kept Schilling. Don't like losing Miggy. I'm fine with Colby for Q.

When this team makes moves that are exciting, I get excited. Mayne, Reynolds, and Sparks don't do it for me, they seem like poor choices in the universe of possible moves. Trying out Chad Tracy at third - now that would excite me. Give Patterson one more real shot, or see what Good can do in the rotation over time - that'll interest me.

Being disappointed with the caliber of acquisitions, or the trade-offs that have been made, doesn't mean someone doesn't love the team - to the contrary, it means we hoped to see it get stronger and better, compared to our NL West competition, and can't see where that's been accomplished. Call us the loyal opposition, perhaps.

 

[mark1]

I agree with zenny

Like managements decision to do this.

Huge mistake

We should never have given this guy up.

Chris Capuano, LHP (Arizona to Milwaukee in Richie Sexson trade)
Capuano was selected in the eighth round in '99 out of Duke. He missed 2002 with Tommy John surgery, but recovered successfully and pitched well in '03. His fastball is average at 88 mph, but his curveball, slider, and changeup are solid pitches, and he throws strikes. He appeared in nine games for the D-Backs at the end of the year, posting a 4.64 ERA. But this was deceptive; his component ERA, what you'd expect his ERA to be considering his K/IP, H/IP, and K/BB ratios, was much better at 3.45. He is a major sleeper for 2004 and could be one of Milwaukee's best pitchers.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?id=1693122

 

[Espo]

geez no one is excited about our newest Batting Practice pitcher sparks. We can now watch a guy who throws 50mph give up homeruns in bob. Should be fun. But on a serious note i think that Sexson is an exciting addition.

 

[mark1]

It will be fun watching the infielders and outfielders getting neck injuries watching the ball sail over the fence when Elmo, Sparks, and Reynolds are pitching. The Dbacks need a really good Chiropractor on the medical staff next year.

 

[arthurracoon]

Maybe the D-Backs should sign Anquan Boldin for the baseball season. Anquan would turn the D-Backs into perrennial WS winners.

 

[IndyDevil]

Originally posted by arthurracoon
Maybe the D-Backs should sign Anquan Boldin for the baseball season. Anquan would turn the D-Backs into perrennial WS winners.

Too bad Anquan Boldin won't know what a winner is until he bolts town like every other Cardinal!!

PLEASE, Jerry C. - get the Cardinals away from the Bidwills!!

(ooops, wrong forum)

Oh yeah, baseball....I like having Sexson on the team, but all of the added offense might not be enough to offset the barrage of baseballs leaving the yard from the bottom third of the rotation! It would be interesting to start Sparks right after RJ, going from flamethrower to Wiffle ball!

 

[Lefty]

I think the pitching is going to be fine. Randy, Webb and Dessens are guaranteed to start the season in the rotation and the other two spots are up for grabs. I think Fossum, Patterson, Good, Villareal, Gonzalez and Reynolds all will be given a chance to start.

I think Fossum can win 15+ games next year. He has a lot of talent and a above fastball. Being a lefty is a plus. The Red Sox thought of him highly that they said no to a trade for Colon last year.

The bullpen should be one of the better ones in the NL. It looks like Mantei will be here for opening day but I still believe he will be traded before the trading deadline. With Valverde and Bruney I have a lot of faith they can get the job done.

As for the offense, I like Shea and think he will get close to 100 rbi's. He might strike out more than the average hitter but he drives in runs. With Sexson that should help Gonzo out a lot(as long as he is healthy). The big question mark is right field. If Bautista can start hitting like he did in 2002 the offense should be much better than last year. If he can't regain his old form Tracy will get a shot.

I'm not saying they will win over 100 games but I think they can win 85-93 games and compete for a playoff spot. The NL West will be down a little so the teams be fighting it out until the end.

 

[devilalum]

The Dbacks have obviously downgraded to save money.

Sexson was a classic Colangelo PR move. He's notorious for doing this. When he knows he can't compete at a championship level he always finds some way to put what he calls "an entertaining product" on the court or field.

With the Suns it's all about scoring and running. The thinking is that more people will pay to see a bad team that scores a lot of points instead of a bad team that doesn't.

So now instead of seeing a winning baseball team we get a steady diet of long ball.

I don't have a problem with this. If the Dbacks can't afford to keep Schilling and add the players neccesary to make another run then I would prefer to watch a team that can score some runs. I'm excited about seeing Sexson and watching the young players develop but I'm not excited about the our teams chances this year.

 

[Mojo]

I think the Dbacks will win more game then they lose, but I dont think they will make the playoffs. But id rather rebuild by going 83-79 for a few years with a chance at the playoffs then being 60-102 for years and years (i.e Tigers, Brewers, etc.)

 

[Phill11]

IMO, the DBacks are still contenders for the NL West. I mean all the NL West teams have went down. Look at SF. They lost Santiago, Cruz Jr. And more. The Dodgers traded Brown for nothing. I mean everyone is in contention. We just need players to step up. I liked the Sexson trade. We got rid of overpricred backups for a slugger. The Schilling trade makes me want to hurl, but oh well. I think were in decent shape.

 

[BC867]

Originally posted by Phill11
IMO, the DBacks are still contenders for the NL West. I mean all the NL West teams have gone down.

I agree, Phil. The Giants are nothing special, beyond Bonds. The Dodgers have not been able to put it all together under Tracy, and have lost Brown. And the Rockies and Padres are not better than the D'backs.

I believe we have a more balanced lineup than last year, a good bunch of pinch-hitters and backups, and a good bullpen. And the makeup of the offense seems to be one which will force Bob Brenly to abandon his 130 different lineups (I hope).

The only real weakness is #3-4-5 in the rotation. Hopefully the Manager will do his job well in Spring Training and pick the best combination (from the veterans and young pitchers), then stick with his decision and let it gel.

That will make or break the D'backs and Bob Brenly's future as Manager as well.

 

[Phill11]

Originally posted by BC867
I agree, Phil. The Giants are nothing special, beyond Bonds. The Dodgers have not been able to put it all together under Tracy, and have lost Brown. And the Rockies and Padres are not better than the D'backs.

I believe we have a more balanced lineup than last year, a good bunch of pinch-hitters and backups, and a good bullpen. And the makeup of the offense seems to be one which will force Bob Brenly to abandon his 130 different lineups (I hope).

The only real weakness is #3-4-5 in the rotation. Hopefully the Manager will do his job well in Spring Training and pick the best combination (from the veterans and young pitchers), then stick with his decision and let it gel.

That will make or break the D'backs and Bob Brenly's future as Manager as well.

Yeah, and we also have a few great young talented hitters. Maybe Dessens, Fossum, Patterson, or someone else will step it up. But I think all 5 teams have a legit shot at the NL West.

 

[wierwolf]

I am not totally too thrilled with the trades. But I am not upset. The management HAD to trim the salary. They have too many loans. LOL. But they did add quality for the price which I like. I still think with some people stepping up we always have a legit chance.