Diamondbacks' offseason: it ain't broke, it's just old

[gyb13]

The Snakes aren't getting any younger, and their philosophy hasn't changed from last year - "try to get someone to stabilize the pitching staff after RJ and Schill. With a decent offense, that should be enough to contend, right?" Elmer Dessens is the new #3, taking over from last year's failed experiment (aka Rick Helling), at the cost of Rubi Durazo. Also, Byung-Hyun Kim may be converted back into starting, which he hasn't done in the majors. What else can they do to stay in the hunt against SF, LA, and the up-and-coming Padres?

C Barajas, Moeller
1B Overbay
2B Spivey
SS Womack
3B Williams
LF Gonzalez
CF Finley
RF Bautista
IF Counsell, Grace, Cintron
OF McCracken, Dellucci
SP Johnson, Schilling, Dessens*, Kim, Batista
RP Mantei, Myers, Swindell, Patterson, Koplove, Prinz

[sweaver]

The Diamondbacks will be tough as long as Johnson and Schilling are healthy and pitching every fifth day. They could get a bunch of other guys and pay them the minimum, and the results would be about the same.

[sweaver]

The 'backs Hot Stove Heater, written by Gary Huckabay, is found here: http://msn.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove2003/diamondbacks.html
Put in John Patterson for the rotation, rather than Kim, if Huckabay is correct.

[gyb13]

Although I think Johnson and Schilling will again be dominant and age-defiant, for how much longer can the other old bodies of the D'backs keep trudging along? Grace will be 39, Finley 38, Williams 37, LuGo 35, Womack 33...

[JamesI]

The biggest question is will Luis come back from that injury and have a well above average offensive year. The DBacks need that.
Schilling ang Johnson will be fine, the rest of the staff weak.

[sweaver]

Once again, the Diamondbacks put their eggs in the basket of Johnson and Schilling. They have traded for Dessens to give them a third starter, but he figures to be no better than Helling last year. The most intriguing possibility is in Byung-Hyun Kim moving to the rotation, which could pay off big if it works.

If Luis Gonzalez returns from injury, the offense will be OK, but again does not figure to be overwhelming. Lyle Overbay could fill the role that Erubiel Durazo should have taken the last few years, providing middle-of-the-order power. Junior Spivey will have to show that last year wasn't a fluke, because the rest of the offense, with the possible exception of Steve Finley, is not very productive.

I predict the D'backs will win 90-95 games.

[gyb13]

Originally posted by sweaver
Lyle Overbay could fill the role that Erubiel Durazo should have taken the last few years, providing middle-of-the-order power. 19 hr in 525 ab is nothing to get too excited about...

overbay is a very good hitter (2nd in the PCL at .343), but mostly of singles and doubles (T-1st with 40). http://www.milb.com/league/?id=1&loc=leaders