Your 2004 Arizona Diamondbacks?

[KingLouieLouie]

I guess Andrew Good was among the 7 who were demoted down yesterday, so it appears that Daigle, Aquino, Sparks, or Patterson remain the favorites to secure the 5th spot in the rotation (contingent on if they actually go outside of the organization for one).....

This article intrigued me when
Jim Parque was listed as one of the remaining candidates...He would be better suited to be a "lefty-specialist", especially so they wouldnt over-extend Randolph in that role....

Also this interested me...

Outfielder Felix Jose (left Achilles' tendinitis) has increased his running program and spent more time in the batting cages but still isn't ready for game action.

Brenly said if the injury doesn't linger for too much longer, it shouldn't affect Jose's chances of making the 25-man roster.

Felix Jose has been decent in his brief 2 stints with the Dbacks and does have power from both sides of the plate, but don't know if he still possesses the speed that he once had.... I still hope Terrero wins the final bench spot on the roster because he gives the Dbacks that added dimension.....

 

[KingLouieLouie]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/04cactus/0324dbacksnb0324.html

Achilles' tear ends Jose's spring



Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 24, 2004 12:00 AM



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[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]TUCSON - Felix Jose's spring training is over before it ever even [/font]
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The veteran outfielder, who turns 39 in May, has been diagnosed with a 25 percent tear in his left Achilles' tendon and will be out at least six weeks, ending his chances for now of landing a spot with the Diamondbacks.

Jose, whose bat was expected to make him among the leading candidates to win the fifth and final bench position, never got into a Cactus League game because of ongoing problems with his foot. He had been starting to show signs of progressing, but then the area would keep swelling up and shutting him down every few days.

Donnie Sadler and Chad Tracy appear to be the front-runners to nail down the last position spot on the roster, although Julio Ramirez and Alan Zinter are still in camp and haven't been eliminated from consideration.

Jose will be in a walking boot until early May, at which time the club will determine how to proceed with the spring non-roster invitee. Jose spent the past two seasons joining Arizona for the stretch run after playing on loan to the Mexico City Red Devils.

"At least we know why we've had trouble keeping Felix on the field this spring," Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly said. "He did a great job the last couple years when he came up in September in a pinch-hitting role. Even at his age, he's still able to turn on a fastball, and he's got sock from both sides of the plate."

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[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I'm surprised that Terrero seems to have been "eliminated from consideration".... It will be either Sadler or Ramirez since they have both speed, however, Sadler should be more a favorite since he's very versatile....[/font]

 

[schillingfan]

I'm surprised that Terrero seems to have been "eliminated from consideration".... It will be either Sadler or Ramirez since they have both speed, however, Sadler should be more a favorite since he's very versatile....

I don't think he's been eliminated. Here's how the roster shapes up I think.
Pitchers - 11

line-up - 8
catcher
Sexson
Alomar
Cintron
Hillenbrand
Bautista
Finley
Gonzalez

Bench - 6
back-up catcher
Colbrunn (IF)
Baerga (IF)
Kata (IF)
OF
OF

I think there is room for two extra outfielders. Unless I'm missing someone.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

I don't think he's been eliminated. Here's how the roster shapes up I think.
Pitchers - 11

line-up - 8
catcher
Sexson
Alomar
Cintron
Hillenbrand
Bautista
Finley
Gonzalez

Bench - 6
back-up catcher
Colbrunn (IF)
Baerga (IF)
Kata (IF)
OF
OF

I think there is room for two extra outfielders. Unless I'm missing someone.

Actually, I forgot that Brenly elected to begin the season w/11-pitchers rather than the original 12.... Yet, that will change some time before 5/1 when they go to a 5-man rotation, since more than likely they'll promote a middle-reliever up from Tucson....

I have a feeling Sadler and Tracy will both make the opening-day roster, but Sadler will remain throughout the season since he'd be the only speed-threat coming off the bench....

 

[AZZenny]

Baseball Weekly has three of its prognosticators picking us to win the NL West. 2 picked Pods, but no one has us going any further. SI also picks us to take the Division and stop there...but then again, they select the Cubs to win the WS over the Yankees. LOL.

btw, as of a couple days ago they still said BB was taking 12 pitchers.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Baseball Weekly has three of its prognosticators picking us to win the NL West. 2 picked Pods, but no one has us going any further. SI also picks us to take the Division and stop there...but then again, they select the Cubs to win the WS over the Yankees. LOL.

btw, as of a couple days ago they still said BB was taking 12 pitchers.

I wonder though if Jerry C. and Co. will acquire an OF and a "top-notch" starter if Dessens and Reynolds continue to struggle or Sparks just had a "flukey" ST....

The Dbacks do have enough "2nd generation" prospects to trade now and it seems they must win now more than ever with Johnson, Finley, and Gonzalez somewhat nearing the end of their careers and Sexson being signed to only a 1-yr contract.... They could afford to delay the youth-movement to a certain extent, but obviously not at the risk of dealing their more "elite" prospects, especially Rosario, Daigle, Connor Jackson, Tracey..etc... Perhaps Good and Gosling would net some decent players in return.....

I still think w/the announcement that they are able to generate more revenue would enable Jerry to free-up some constraints they've been under and they'll do whatever it takes to go just beyond the NL West....Obviously he must not resort to that totally out of desperation.....

 

[Phill11]

I can't figure out Brenly's logic on that.....Hillenbrand is more of a "power threat" and by having him hit behind Sexson would actually make it less apt for the pitchers to try to pitch around Sexson to get to Hillenbrand.....

IMO, Cintron is a much bigger power threat. In 2-3 years his numbers will be like this....

.300/ 25 HR's/ 95-100 RBI's/ 10 SB's

Cintron will be a top SS in the league VERY soon.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

IMO, Cintron is a much bigger power threat. In 2-3 years his numbers will be like this....

.300/ 25 HR's/ 95-100 RBI's/ 10 SB's

Cintron will be a top SS in the league VERY soon.

Yeah, I actually believe that Cintron will generate more power than I initially expected because he "bulked-up" quite a bit and with Alomar's presence making a profound impact on Cintron, I feel that Alex is poised for a "break-out" year (even better than the stats he posted last season)....

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Well, as mentioned on another thread....the Dbacks have set their 25-man roster and I guess the only real "shockers" from the beginning of Spring Training are Daigle and Sadler making the squad...

Daigle virtually came out of nowhere and I hope he can somewhat duplicate the success that Webb did last season...

Sadler was my "dark-horse" candidate all along since he possesses speed and can play several positions....I wish Tracy made the roster and if the Dbacks do decide to reduce down their pitching staff to just 11, Tracy would be the 1st player recalled....

I just hope though that Kata is given ample playing time since he did nothing but flat-out hit all Spring Training....

Also, it seemed that Sexson was starting to get into the groove over the past few weeks, so let's hope he'll continue.....

Should be an interesting season to watch/follow/root for the Dbacks this season and I can't wait to engage in more discussion/debates with you throughout the entire '04 season..... Let's play ball and hope that they can clinch the NL West and somehow manage to surprise us all (including me) and win the WS.....

 

[IndyDevil]

Chad

I understand the value of Sadler off the bench, and the need for more arms in the bullpen.....but what else does Chad Tracy have to do to make the damn ballclub?? His defense is decent, he provides a much better bat than Bautista or Sadler - - hell, let Reynolds go down to Tucson to find his "groove", since Tracy already found his during ST!! I'd rather have another weapon on offense than an offensive pitcher any day!!

 

[KingLouieLouie]

I understand the value of Sadler off the bench, and the need for more arms in the bullpen.....but what else does Chad Tracy have to do to make the damn ballclub?? His defense is decent, he provides a much better bat than Bautista or Sadler - - hell, let Reynolds go down to Tucson to find his "groove", since Tracy already found his during ST!! I'd rather have another weapon on offense than an offensive pitcher any day!!

Yeah, I agree but they need that extra arm in the BP since Dessens and Sparks seldomly can last past 6 innings in their outings and also that Daigle will be on a strict pitch-count initially....

No need to fret though, because once Bautista sustains his annual May injury, Tracy will be recalled to replace him as the starting RF....

 

[schillingfan]

Is Randy Choate in the bullpen? I haven't seen the complete roster yet?

Never mind. I checked the D-Backs site and it lists the 25 man roster:

25 man roster

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Is Randy Choate in the bullpen? I haven't seen the complete roster yet?

Never mind. I checked the D-Backs site and it lists the 25 man roster:

25 man roster

I'm glad that Brenly elected to go with both Choate and Steve Randolph sharing the role as LH "relief specialist".....

Even though Choate's stats over-all havent been the greatest, his split stats (click on following link) http://baseball.espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits3?statsId=6513&type=pitching aren't all too bad...He's actually faired well vs. left-handed batters over the past 3-years...

More than likely, Randolph will average 1-2 innings per outing, while Choate will strictly face one-batter, comparable to Mike Myer's role last year.....