Uncustomed Heroes of 2021: Diamondbacks

 

The Arizona Diamondbacks finished the 2021 season with the worst record in the NL, and a tie for the worst record in baseball. And because of a technicality, they did not suck enough to get the first pick in 2022. Rob Manfred is working on this, rest assured.

The team itself just sort of sunk under the pressure of the competitive NL West, as well as the lack of a real anchor like Goldschmidt or Pollock, and no player finished with a WAR over 2.3, with only Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly having seasons resembling decency. And you had a lot of both veterans and young stars just struggling to make an impact, resulting in a very difficult D-Backs year to watch.

Nick Ahmed, one of the longest-tenured Arizona starters, had his most meh season since his consecutive gold glove wins. His fielding numbers decreased, his batting figure was a -19, and he only hit .221 with 38 RBIs in 129 games. He's locked up for 2 more years, but it's becoming worrying that Ahmed might have passed his peak.

2022 Prediction: A sort of an upswing, but for some reason I don't see it being a full season for him.

Luke Weaver I'm just starting to feel really bad for. Brought up as a major Cardinals prospect, traded for Paul Goldschmidt, yet hasn't been able to put together a full season worth celebrating due to injuries. This year he actually did pretty decently, with a 4.25 ERA and 62 Ks in 13 games, but it was once again shortened by an injury. 

2022 Prediction: A full season without injury. I fear this may be statistically flawed.

Christian Walker's 2019 season was a surprise, as the former Orioles farmhand made a name for himself as the replacement at 1st for Paul Goldschmidt. Sadly, Walker has yet to really follow that season up entirely, and is looking pretty one-dimensional. This season he hit .244 with 46 RBIs and only 10 home runs. The D-Backs need to ask themselves if Walker's 2019 was a fluke or not.

2022 Prediction: He's gonna get cut sometime this season in favor of a younger player.

Kole Calhoun's 2021 was actually pretty statistically nice, but he was just injured for a lot of it. In 51 games, Calhoun hit .235 with 17 RBIs and 5 homers, relatively productive even if it was a bit short-lived. The Rangers seem to think he's still capable of a lot, and have signed him to a long-term deal.

2022 Prediction: The DH position will be split between the two Calhouns in 2022. As much as I wanna think that Calhoun can still be a great outfielder, he's getting beat up, he'll be 34 next year, and he needs to be in position to just hit.

One of the many starting pitchers to get injured at a horrible time, Taylor Widener was doing alright with a starting role, with a 4.28 ERA and 64 Ks in 13 starts. Then the injury happened, he lost the starting role, and relieved accordingly when he could.

2022 Prediction: The D-Backs will not initially have room for him to start, but he will make some very nice ones in August and September after some of their other starters get traded.

After the departure of Joakim Soria, another former closer in his 30s, Tyler Clippard, took the ninth, and actually had a pretty decent season for himself. Yes, he only had 6 saves, but he had a 3.20 ERA in 26 appearances, and boosted his free agency resume.

2022 Prediction: A low-market team signs him, he has a great first half, then he gets traded to a contender and pitches into the playoffs. He then retires. 

And finally, a late-year starting option that really paid off for the Diamondbacks was Tyler Gilbert. In 9 games, 6 of them starts, he had a 3.15 ERA, 25 Ks and 1.025 WHIP. He also had a very crucial no-hitter in his first career start. So hopefully it's not entirely downhill from there.

2022 Prediction: Due to a crowded rotation he'll be mostly pitching in relief for the D-Backs next year, but that doesn't mean he won't get any starts.

Tomorrow, a few Dodgers I didn't get to during the season.

Topps Cards That Should Have Been: 2014 Diamondbacks

 

We begin this trip back to 2014 in Phoenix with, like the Cubs post, some players who did not make the rookie cutoff that Topps and the MLBPA stupidly agreed on, one that is insinuating that Randy Arozarena, who played games in 2019, is a rookie this year. 

Jake Lamb made his debut in August, and was one of a few highly-touted infield prospects the D-Backs had on their hands. In 37 games, he hit .230 with 11 RBIs and 4 homers, a far cry from his 30-homer seasons he'd hit towards the middle of the decade. 

Similarly hitting the learning curve in 2014 was Nick Ahmed, whose numbers don't even include the defensive spike he usually brings in. In 25 games he hit .200 with 14 hits, nothing too special, and was mostly used as a defensive sub. The team didn't have room for him yet, but they would starting in 2015, where he'd become one of the more indispensable infield tools for the D-Backs.

Jordan Pacheco was blocked in two places in Colorado. At first base, he was blocked by Todd Helton, and then Justin Morneau. At catcher, he lost the gig to Wilin Rosario. With nowhere to play in Denver, he was waived by the D-Backs, where he played a predominantly more 1B-centric role in the team, as a backup to Paul Goldschmidt. He hit .272 in 47 games, with 8 RBIs and 22 hits, and got them to the end of the season. The team would bring him back for 2015, with less impressive results.

2014 was the season immediately before Will Harris's trade to the Astros, and the subsequent resuscitation of his career. To this point, Harris had bounced around between Denver and Arizona, and was a decent relief piece. In 2014, he had a 4.34 ERA in 29 games, with 35 Ks, proving that the consistency was there, he just needed a better team. And starting in 2015, he would get one.

2014 also lands in the 'we don't want to make cards of Oliver Perez for some reason' era of Topps baseball. So another great relief year by Perez would go unnoticed. In 68 games with the Diamondbacks, Perez would sport a 2.91 ERA and 76 Ks, bringing the eyes back upon him, and setting the stage for great future seasons with Washington and Cleveland. 

The strangest one of the bunch was Nolan Reimold, best known for his years with Baltimore. 2014 was the only MLB season Reimold spent away from Baltimore, as he was waived by the Blue Jays before the season, played decently, then found himself grabbed by the D-Backs, where he would play SEVEN games. In those 7 games, Reimold would hit .294 with 4 RBIs and a homer, not a bad stretch at all. PLUS, he'd also wear a nice 2001 throwback, which are always welcome on this blog. But, after the season, he'd return to the O's to play the last 2 seasons of his career, making 2014 a strange blip on the radar.

Up tomorrow, some interesting LA cases from 2007. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Diamondbacks

Man, a lot went on in Phoenix for them to turn out to be a last place team.

I mostly equate it to a tight, tough division, with the Giants and Rockies sneaking ahead in the last few weeks before the season's end, and also to the diminishing returns of a lot of the D-Backs roster. This was not the greatest D-Backs team, but there was a lot to like about it.

For instance, their star player, Ketel Marte, is still in peak form, and had a fantastic end to the season, finishing with a .287 average, 52 hits and 17 RBIs. Not bad for a shortened season.

2021 Prediction: Back to full dominance, with another ASG nomination, more fantastic contact ability, and some trade offers.

Marte's infield partner, Eduardo Escobar, had a bit of a down year after a breakout, power-friendly 2019. Escobar struggled at the plate, with a .212 average and 20 RBIs. 

2021 Prediction: A rebound, and a more comfortable feel. Like Marte, he may not be insusceptible to the trade deadline.

Nick Ahmed has been with the D-Backs since 2014, which is hard for me to remember since he always seems so refreshing and young [he turned 30 this year]. This was another strong, well-rounded year for Ahmed, with a lineup-leading 1.3 WAR, a .266 average and 29 RBIs. He's signed for another few years, and hopefully he'll remain a strong, consistent veteran presence.

2021 Prediction: Ahmed is finally rewarded with an ASG nomination, and has another high-WAR year. 

After a smashing breakout year, Christian Walker mellowed out in the home run category while still notching 59 hits, 36 RBIs and a .271 average, much-more for contact than his one-sided 2019 numbers. Walker is becoming a reliable player, which is fantastic.

2021 Prediction: A down year, but not enough to be given up on.

After an injury stopped Luke Weaver from finishing his strong start last year, Weaver responded with a fairly mediocre go of things despite staying healthy the whole year. A 1-9 record, a 6.58 ERA and a 1.558 WHIP is not a strong statement post-injury. 

2021 Prediction: A comeback, but mostly out of the bullpen.

After a strong breakout 2019 that got him the starting catching gig, Carson Kelly, similar to Tony Wolters, kind of backpedaled, with a perfectly okay year. Look, he hit .221 with 19 RBIs and 27 hits, it's not really much to report.

2021 Prediction: Either a return to form or backup duty once the D-Backs pick another catching option.

The official DH in Arizona this year was Daulton Varsho, but since he didn't hit, the better DH option this season was Tim Locastro, the backup outfielder in residence who had another strong if underrated year, hitting .290 with 20 hits and 7 RBIs in 33 games. Could be a decent DH option next year.

2021 Prediction: An injury to a starter leads to more playing time for Locastro and more means for other teams to trade for him after the season.

Last season's dual rookie starters returned this year for similar results. Alex Young, unlike last year, had the weaker go of things, with a 5.44 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 12 games, 7 of them starts. 

2021 Prediction: Another similar season split between the rotation and, mostly, the pen.

And unlike in 2019, Taylor Clarke had the stronger year, with a 3-0 record, a 4.36 ERA in 12 games and 5 starts, and 40 strikeouts. If the D-Backs do pick one of these two full time next year...

2021 Prediction: ...it's going to be Clarke, and he's going to make the absolute most of it.

After losing perennial bullpen unsung hero Andrew Chafin, this year's bullpen unsung hero for the Diamondbacks was the strong and sturdy Stefan Crichton. Crichton posted a 2.42 ERA in 26 appearances, striking out 23 and only allowing 7 earned runs. 

2021 Prediction: Will be the frontrunner, and the winner of, the closing gig. Expect 30 saves from this guy next year. 

Stephen Vogt seems to have embraced his role as a perennial backup catcher these days. As his 2020 was nowhere near as inspiringly good as his 2019, he still did what he could backing up Carson Kelly. He bat .167 this season in 26 games. Clearly not his best numbers.

2021 Prediction: Either he retires or somebody else signs him to a minor league deal and he surprises them.

After giving up Starling Marte at the deadline, one of the big MLB pieces that the D-Backs received was Caleb Smith, the Marlins' low-ERA standout of late. In 4 post-August games, Smith did not disappoint, with a 2.45 ERA with 13 strikeouts and a 1.000 WHIP. Good signs of a full season to come.

2021 Prediction: Teams with Gallen and Kelly for a Hydra of tough pitchers the NL West are gonna hate facing.

Coming Tomorrow- They won the World Series. I have a few left that never got posted.

Nick Ahmed is Playing for Second

The NL West a month or so ago was a bit more dynamic. Yes, the Dodgers were in first, but you still had teams like the Rockies and Padres making it a bit tricky for them. With both teams' starts, and the Rockies' June, it looked like there'd be a Wild Card competitor coming from this division.

We're about halfway through August, and...no. Not that.

We've basically gotten a retread of the 2018 AL Central. One team is leading by a wide margin, in this case the Dodgers, who are EIGHTEEN GAMES ahead of the pack, and the other four aren't even trying to catch them, or anyone else in that matter. Like the 2018 Twins, getting second place in this division isn't exactly going to be a compliment; it's just going to say that all four teams are bad, and yours is the least bad.

Right now, the frontrunner for being the least-bad of those four is the Arizona Diamondbacks. And why shouldn't they be? They have arguably one of the strongest infields in the leagues right now- Christian Walker, Ketel Marte, Nick Ahmed and Eduardo Escobar are all playing beautifully at the same time, and while they may not be as showy as the Cubs' infield or something, they're still awesome. Ahmed might be having his best season to date, and he's one of the only remaining survivors of the old infield combo of Lamb-Owings-Ahmed-Tomas. His highest season WAR was 3.2, and he's at 3.9, so...he's only getting better. If this infield stays together and stays hot, the D-Backs might have another playoff team on the horizon.

I mean, they kept Robbie Ray, which...in the wake of Greinke's departure is still a big deal, and they have an impressive starting arsenal that includes Taylor Clarke, Merrill Kelly, Alex Young, Mike Leake, Zac Gallen, Luke Weaver and Jon Duplantier. The fact that they've got to choose 5 of those for next year, and any five could be awesome...is a good problem to have. I do think their next ace is Zac Gallen, and I think the Marlins made a HUGE mistake giving him up.

Their only problem in my opinion is a bit of muddied bullpen stuff, especially with their lack of a concrete closer. I think Archie Bradley's doing it right now, but even he's not having his best year, so they may need to rethink things, or just give it to Yoan Lopez, because...I mean, come on, that kid is insane.

I mean, the D-Backs seem to be in great shape for 2020, but...yeah, 2019 might be a wash.

Coming Tonight: I'm kinda glad he's not aiding a playoff attempt in St. Louis right now...even if he's still aiding a playoff attempt in Tampa.

NL West Update: And it FEELS LIKE I AM JUST TOO CLOSE Edition

Right now, the NL Wild Card race has the Cardinals and Phillies nabbing the spots. And as someone who remembers the 2011 NLDS, I am outwardly opposed to the season ending like this.

The three teams in striking distance to the contenders are the Rockies, Brewers and Dodgers. Yes, we also have the Nationals and Pirates 6 games behind, but unless either team becomes incredible in the next 2 weeks, which is possible but not accessibly happening, it's gonna be that gene pool of 5.

And meanwhile, we have the Arizona Diamondbacks, whose lead over the NL West is thin enough that the Rockies or Dodgers could theoretically catch them. So they, too, could be entered into the Wild Card race.

...and also the Braves, because the Phillies could lap them. So that's 7.

...and we're also assuming that the Brewers won't lap the Cubs, because they won't, but for shits and giggles, let's say they might. So that's 8 teams in the race.

...actually, you know what, let's throw the Nats and Pirates back in there, make it an even 10.

...So. This race, even without my little additions, is crowded as hell. And everyone is so close together that it could be anyone landing in any spot. It's musical chairs. The AL race isn't like this, because everybody's really bad in the AL. But because it's competitive in the NL, and so many teams are competing and actually good...now it's a race.

The D-Backs may be getting in naturally, thanks to the burst of energy these past few weeks. Nick Ahmed has come up in a big way, doing what Chris Owings did last year. Eduardo Escobar has been filling in wonderfully for Jake Lamb. Greinke-Corbin-Buchholz is still explosive as all hell. The bullpen is still outrageous, Goldschmidt is still a league power, and they're currently holding off the other two teams, who are arguably just as good.

I don't know how this division will pan out, because it could be any of the three, like last year, but...the D-Backs have a nice shot. I kinda like their odds.

Coming Tomorrow- Another moment with the impeccably weird Rays. This time, with a rookie infielder who's pretty good.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2017: Diamondbacks

After years of just barely getting by on Paul Goldschmidt, the Diamondbacks finally built a team ready for October, and though they fell a bit short of everyone's expectations, they were still a sight to behold this year. Chris Owings was injured for a bit, but he was still capable of some clutch moments throughout the year.

Nick Ahmed spent most of the season playing off the bench, as he's become sort of the weaker link of the original core-four infield (Goldy-Amhed-Owings-Lamb). He still had some nice moments this year, though.

Another big piece of the team that spent the year on the DL, Yasmany Tomas, did as well as he could in the outfield and third, but was employed for his bat, which was pretty trusty when he was healthy.

With all of those starters on the DL, it was up to bench heroes like Daniel Descalso (former 2011 Cardinal, eeeerrggh), to step into the lineup and start lifting things. He was also a really nice presence when it came time for the playoffs. He may have been used to that sort of time of year.

This year's closer in Arizona was Fernando Rodney. It's become clear that Rodney's consistency is less than it used to be, but when the team's in first and close games are being saved, it doesn't matter. Rodney was as good as he could be in the ninth, though I'll be surprised if he has another nice season left.

Of course, this guy was the true catalyst for everything. As per usual, Goldschmidt had a great season, racking up MVP votes and raising the team. Unlike past years, it wasn't all on him- J.D. Martinez, Jake Lamb and Zack Greinke were also scarily tough this year, and Goldy was able to thrive in a more consistently great environment. Hope this stays a thing.

Coming Tomorrow- They nearly won the World Series. Maybe they will for the 30th?

How Exactly Are The Diamondbacks Doing So Well?

I don't know how it happened, and I don't know why, but the Arizona Diamondbacks are making a third place team out of nothing at all.

This is a team whose main selling points going into this season were Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock, and now they've called up a ton of people who have been playing well. Nick Ahmed, Ender Inciarte, Jake Lamb, David Peralta, Yasmany Tomas and Chris Owings, all relatively new players, are all making an impact this season. This team is striving from youth, and they are winning games, which is unbelievable.

The biggest surprise? They've taken players who were counted out and turning them into successes. Welington Castillo was shelved by the Cubs earlier this year, and now he's the starting catcher. Brad Ziegler was having control issues and now he's the closer. Rubby de la Rosa has been in a ton of minor league systems, and now he's pitching gems. Even Patrick Corbin has returned from the dead, and is pitching pretty well.

Now, the team's only in third, and it's not looking like they'll pull anything out, but it's nice to see a team that started with nothing do so well in the standings, especially compared to the flop that is the Padres. I dunno if anything well come of this in 2016 or anything, but it's kind of cool. Inexplicable, but cool.

Coming Tomorrow- As his team continues to fall out of the wild card race, a Taiwanese pitcher fights to stay relevant and hot.