azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 3, 2005 12:00 AM
Randy Johnson is gone, but the Diamondbacks are still relying on a big unit in 2005.
The starting rotation will be the defining factor in Arizona's success, whether it's a 30-game improvement to a .500 record, or a worst-to-first scenario similar to the 1991 Atlanta Braves, who relied on their relatively new rotation to get there and begin producing a division-winning machine in the National League East.
There are four new starters this year - two came from the Yankees in the blockbuster deal for Johnson - right-hander Javier Vazquez, who will get the ball on Opening Day against the Cubs, and left-hander Brad Halsey, who won the No. 5 spot after a spring competition with Michael Gosling.
Vazquez, who has averaged almost 13 wins a season for the past five years, joins a pair of 15-game winners from last season: right-hander Russ Ortiz and left-hander Shawn Estes, free-agent additions from Atlanta and Colorado, respectively.
"I think we're as deep as anybody can be, staff-wise," said right-hander Brandon Webb, the lone holdover from last season's rotation. "We've got three veteran guys who have pitched anywhere from five to 10 years and have had a lot of success, which is going to take a little pressure of the next two guys."
Last season, the Diamondbacks paraded 14 starters out to the mound, and other than Johnson, the results ranged from average to pathetic.
"It was a good opportunity for some of those guys to get a taste of the major leagues for when it becomes their time," Diamondbacks pitching coach Mark Davis said, "but now we've got a makeup of guys we can give the ball to as many times as we can and they'll be able to go a lot deeper into games."
That is a good thing, considering the bullpen has big questions, and no legitimate veteran leadership.
But in Vazquez, Ortiz and Estes - and even Webb, for that matter - the Diamondbacks know what they are getting every time out. The latter three have had their problems with walks, but with an improved defense, the thought is that the walks should decline if the pitchers try not to be so fine.
"If we stay healthy, we're all capable of throwing 200 innings," said Vazquez, who was dominant at times during the latter half of his six years in Montreal. "But I think just as important, we can bring a consistency out there."
Luis Gonzalez is eager to see the starting rotation's potential.
"Just start with a guy like Russ Ortiz," Gonzalez said. "He's one of those guys that maybe you don't talk about a lot, but then you look at his numbers at the end of the year, and he just continues to go out and win games. And now Brandon will be able to relax.
"He's got other guys around him now and the pressure is gone from him having to follow a guy like Randy Johnson."
A big unit remains, but it's a unit of five, not one.
A long, long year
Starting lineups from Arizona's first and last games of 2004
FIRST
Steve Finley - CF
Roberto Alomar - 2B
Luis Gonzalez - LF
Richie Sexson - 1B
Alex Cintron - SS
Shea Hillenbrand - 3B
Danny Bautista - RF
Brent Mayne - C
Randy Johnson - P
LAST
Andy Green - 3B
Alex Cintron - 2B
Doug DeVore - RF
Shea Hillenbrand - 1B
Robby Hammock - LF
Luis Terrero - CF
Jerry Gil - SS
Juan Brito - C
Brandon Webb - P
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/special3/articles/0403bbpredbside0403.html
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 3, 2005 12:00 AM
Randy Johnson is gone, but the Diamondbacks are still relying on a big unit in 2005.
The starting rotation will be the defining factor in Arizona's success, whether it's a 30-game improvement to a .500 record, or a worst-to-first scenario similar to the 1991 Atlanta Braves, who relied on their relatively new rotation to get there and begin producing a division-winning machine in the National League East.
There are four new starters this year - two came from the Yankees in the blockbuster deal for Johnson - right-hander Javier Vazquez, who will get the ball on Opening Day against the Cubs, and left-hander Brad Halsey, who won the No. 5 spot after a spring competition with Michael Gosling.
Vazquez, who has averaged almost 13 wins a season for the past five years, joins a pair of 15-game winners from last season: right-hander Russ Ortiz and left-hander Shawn Estes, free-agent additions from Atlanta and Colorado, respectively.
"I think we're as deep as anybody can be, staff-wise," said right-hander Brandon Webb, the lone holdover from last season's rotation. "We've got three veteran guys who have pitched anywhere from five to 10 years and have had a lot of success, which is going to take a little pressure of the next two guys."
Last season, the Diamondbacks paraded 14 starters out to the mound, and other than Johnson, the results ranged from average to pathetic.
"It was a good opportunity for some of those guys to get a taste of the major leagues for when it becomes their time," Diamondbacks pitching coach Mark Davis said, "but now we've got a makeup of guys we can give the ball to as many times as we can and they'll be able to go a lot deeper into games."
That is a good thing, considering the bullpen has big questions, and no legitimate veteran leadership.
But in Vazquez, Ortiz and Estes - and even Webb, for that matter - the Diamondbacks know what they are getting every time out. The latter three have had their problems with walks, but with an improved defense, the thought is that the walks should decline if the pitchers try not to be so fine.
"If we stay healthy, we're all capable of throwing 200 innings," said Vazquez, who was dominant at times during the latter half of his six years in Montreal. "But I think just as important, we can bring a consistency out there."
Luis Gonzalez is eager to see the starting rotation's potential.
"Just start with a guy like Russ Ortiz," Gonzalez said. "He's one of those guys that maybe you don't talk about a lot, but then you look at his numbers at the end of the year, and he just continues to go out and win games. And now Brandon will be able to relax.
"He's got other guys around him now and the pressure is gone from him having to follow a guy like Randy Johnson."
A big unit remains, but it's a unit of five, not one.
A long, long year
Starting lineups from Arizona's first and last games of 2004
FIRST
Steve Finley - CF
Roberto Alomar - 2B
Luis Gonzalez - LF
Richie Sexson - 1B
Alex Cintron - SS
Shea Hillenbrand - 3B
Danny Bautista - RF
Brent Mayne - C
Randy Johnson - P
LAST
Andy Green - 3B
Alex Cintron - 2B
Doug DeVore - RF
Shea Hillenbrand - 1B
Robby Hammock - LF
Luis Terrero - CF
Jerry Gil - SS
Juan Brito - C
Brandon Webb - P
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/special3/articles/0403bbpredbside0403.html
