azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 3, 2005 12:00 AM
Ignition. Engines on. Brace for full throttle. Power up.
Now get outta the way before you get hurt.
There's a simple explanation for the Diamondbacks' lofty expectations this season, and it's as easy as 3-4-5.
"The heart of our order is explosive," first-year manager Bob Melvin said. "It has the potential to cause an enormous amount of damage."
"It's almost scary," infielder Alex Cintron said.
"I know I wouldn't want to face those three guys," Diamondbacks pitcher Shawn Estes said. "Not the G-Men."
Make that the G-Force!
And say it with conviction if Luis Gonzalez, Troy Glaus and Shawn Green deliver the power, thrust and might that most expect of the Diamondbacks' slugging trio, set to hit third, fourth and fifth, respectively - and resolutely - in Melvin's lineup.
If only Bob Brenly or Al Pedrique had these guys last season, when Arizona hit rock bottom in the desert, things may have been, oh, so different. But the past is the past (along with the last-place record and the 111 losses) and the future, thanks to Gonzalez, Glaus and Green, could be bright, palatial purple when the 2005 season opens Monday against the visiting Chicago Cubs.
The new view
"They don't look anything like the team I saw last year," Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "They went out, got themselves a new team, and yeah, they've got some stroke there in the middle of that lineup."
Even if they have an average season - at least from the numbers Gonzalez, Glaus and Green have put up steadily for the past six seasons - the ********* would combine for a meaty batting ledger.
Take their cumulative statistics since the 1999 season, and together, simply based on the mathematics, each would play in at least 146 games, hit for a .282 average, smack 30 home runs at a minimum, and all would account for just about 100 RBIs.
"That's a lot of thump in the order," gushed Diamondbacks General Manager Joe Garagiola Jr., whose job appeared on the line last season during the trying times, but could be up for Executive of the Year after helping orchestrate multiple moves in the off-season.
It all started with the signing of Glaus, the right-handed power bat they actually preferred over last year's coveted newcomer, Richie Sexson, who blew out his shoulder here not once, but twice, before the end of May.
Even though Sexson was given a five-year, $50 million-plus guaranteed contract by Seattle - something virtually no one else was prepared to do - the Diamondbacks preferred Glaus all along.
"We tried to get him last year," one club official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, although the trade attempts quickly became public at the time, especially when then-starting Diamondbacks third baseman Shea Hillenbrand was mired in an early-season slump. "Glaus was the guy we've wanted for a while."
Once Glaus came aboard, a line of free agents and other additions soon followed, from veteran infielders Royce Clayton and Craig Counsell, to starting pitchers Javier Vazquez, Russ Ortiz and Estes, to the likes of Green, center fielder Jose Cruz Jr. and bench player Tony Clark.
"As soon as Troy signed here, it made me feel totally comfortable with doing it, too," Ortiz said. "I knew right then that Arizona meant business and that I could believe everything the ownership group was trying to sell us."
Warning signs
Glaus, the 2002 World Series MVP when he helped the Angels defeat the San Francisco Giants, is coming off of major surgery to his right shoulder. Green had similar problems in 2003, but racked up impressive numbers during the second half of last season with the Dodgers, where he spent five seasons before coming over, in part, because of the Randy Johnson trade with the Yankees.
Gonzalez, too, is returning from a major arm operation, having undergone Tommy John surgery in August to repair a completely torn ligament in his right, throwing elbow.
All three sluggers checked out nicely during spring training, however, as Melvin, his coaches, and the medical staff brought each along with kid gloves, making sure none was overextended during workouts or Cactus League play.
"They're good to go," Melvin said matter-of-factly toward the end of camp, adding of his middle-of-the-order power, "I liked it from Day 1 and I like it now."
The left-right-left combination of Gonzalez, Glaus and Green could help flatten the rest of the National League.
Considering where the Diamondbacks finished a year ago, however, it's difficult to envision a worst-to-first scenario - even with the G-Force swinging for the fences and the new party pool at Bank One Ballpark.
"It could happen, though," said Roland Hemond, an executive adviser for the Chicago White Sox who held a similar position with the Diamondbacks. "What you need is the right ballplayers at the right time and I like what Arizona has done this year. I really do."
Hemond, in 1989, earned his third Executive of the Year award for helping Baltimore make a 32 1/2-game improvement over the previous year.
Hemond, whose club was devoid of power after losing Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordoñez to injuries last season, was specifically referring to the 3-4-5 punch of Gonzalez, Glaus and Green.
"It could be tremendous," Glaus said of the Diamondbacks' combination.
"It can be very, very potent. Hopefully everybody, including myself, comes out and has a good year and we can carry it on and score a lot of runs for this pitching staff."
Gonzalez and Green don't seem overly concerned.
"You've got to understand this is a totally different team from last year," Gonzalez said.
"I don't honestly see why we can't compete with anybody in the (NL) West," added Green. "Just looking around this room, I think we've definitely got what it takes to make a run at it and make some noise."
G-Force career numbers
G-man Avg. G R H 2B HR RBI BB SO
Gonzalez.286 2,008 1,129 2,057 458 292 1,172 911 971
Glaus .253 827 523 748 165 182 515 470 784
Green .282 1,514 907 1,560 347 281 885 600 1,076
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/special3/articles/0403bbpremain0403.html
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 3, 2005 12:00 AM
Ignition. Engines on. Brace for full throttle. Power up.
Now get outta the way before you get hurt.
There's a simple explanation for the Diamondbacks' lofty expectations this season, and it's as easy as 3-4-5.
"The heart of our order is explosive," first-year manager Bob Melvin said. "It has the potential to cause an enormous amount of damage."
"It's almost scary," infielder Alex Cintron said.
"I know I wouldn't want to face those three guys," Diamondbacks pitcher Shawn Estes said. "Not the G-Men."
Make that the G-Force!
And say it with conviction if Luis Gonzalez, Troy Glaus and Shawn Green deliver the power, thrust and might that most expect of the Diamondbacks' slugging trio, set to hit third, fourth and fifth, respectively - and resolutely - in Melvin's lineup.
If only Bob Brenly or Al Pedrique had these guys last season, when Arizona hit rock bottom in the desert, things may have been, oh, so different. But the past is the past (along with the last-place record and the 111 losses) and the future, thanks to Gonzalez, Glaus and Green, could be bright, palatial purple when the 2005 season opens Monday against the visiting Chicago Cubs.
The new view
"They don't look anything like the team I saw last year," Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "They went out, got themselves a new team, and yeah, they've got some stroke there in the middle of that lineup."
Even if they have an average season - at least from the numbers Gonzalez, Glaus and Green have put up steadily for the past six seasons - the ********* would combine for a meaty batting ledger.
Take their cumulative statistics since the 1999 season, and together, simply based on the mathematics, each would play in at least 146 games, hit for a .282 average, smack 30 home runs at a minimum, and all would account for just about 100 RBIs.
"That's a lot of thump in the order," gushed Diamondbacks General Manager Joe Garagiola Jr., whose job appeared on the line last season during the trying times, but could be up for Executive of the Year after helping orchestrate multiple moves in the off-season.
It all started with the signing of Glaus, the right-handed power bat they actually preferred over last year's coveted newcomer, Richie Sexson, who blew out his shoulder here not once, but twice, before the end of May.
Even though Sexson was given a five-year, $50 million-plus guaranteed contract by Seattle - something virtually no one else was prepared to do - the Diamondbacks preferred Glaus all along.
"We tried to get him last year," one club official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, although the trade attempts quickly became public at the time, especially when then-starting Diamondbacks third baseman Shea Hillenbrand was mired in an early-season slump. "Glaus was the guy we've wanted for a while."
Once Glaus came aboard, a line of free agents and other additions soon followed, from veteran infielders Royce Clayton and Craig Counsell, to starting pitchers Javier Vazquez, Russ Ortiz and Estes, to the likes of Green, center fielder Jose Cruz Jr. and bench player Tony Clark.
"As soon as Troy signed here, it made me feel totally comfortable with doing it, too," Ortiz said. "I knew right then that Arizona meant business and that I could believe everything the ownership group was trying to sell us."
Warning signs
Glaus, the 2002 World Series MVP when he helped the Angels defeat the San Francisco Giants, is coming off of major surgery to his right shoulder. Green had similar problems in 2003, but racked up impressive numbers during the second half of last season with the Dodgers, where he spent five seasons before coming over, in part, because of the Randy Johnson trade with the Yankees.
Gonzalez, too, is returning from a major arm operation, having undergone Tommy John surgery in August to repair a completely torn ligament in his right, throwing elbow.
All three sluggers checked out nicely during spring training, however, as Melvin, his coaches, and the medical staff brought each along with kid gloves, making sure none was overextended during workouts or Cactus League play.
"They're good to go," Melvin said matter-of-factly toward the end of camp, adding of his middle-of-the-order power, "I liked it from Day 1 and I like it now."
The left-right-left combination of Gonzalez, Glaus and Green could help flatten the rest of the National League.
Considering where the Diamondbacks finished a year ago, however, it's difficult to envision a worst-to-first scenario - even with the G-Force swinging for the fences and the new party pool at Bank One Ballpark.
"It could happen, though," said Roland Hemond, an executive adviser for the Chicago White Sox who held a similar position with the Diamondbacks. "What you need is the right ballplayers at the right time and I like what Arizona has done this year. I really do."
Hemond, in 1989, earned his third Executive of the Year award for helping Baltimore make a 32 1/2-game improvement over the previous year.
Hemond, whose club was devoid of power after losing Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordoñez to injuries last season, was specifically referring to the 3-4-5 punch of Gonzalez, Glaus and Green.
"It could be tremendous," Glaus said of the Diamondbacks' combination.
"It can be very, very potent. Hopefully everybody, including myself, comes out and has a good year and we can carry it on and score a lot of runs for this pitching staff."
Gonzalez and Green don't seem overly concerned.
"You've got to understand this is a totally different team from last year," Gonzalez said.
"I don't honestly see why we can't compete with anybody in the (NL) West," added Green. "Just looking around this room, I think we've definitely got what it takes to make a run at it and make some noise."
G-Force career numbers
G-man Avg. G R H 2B HR RBI BB SO
Gonzalez.286 2,008 1,129 2,057 458 292 1,172 911 971
Glaus .253 827 523 748 165 182 515 470 784
Green .282 1,514 907 1,560 347 281 885 600 1,076
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/special3/articles/0403bbpremain0403.html
