Manager: Bob Melvin
Arrivals: P Billy Buckner, 2B Chris Burke, P Juan Gutierrez, SP Dan Haren, RP Chad Quall
Departures: 1B Tony Clark, SP Livan Hernandez, OF Carlos Quentin, RP Jose Valverde
Offseason grade: A-
Starting rotation
The addition of Dan Haren gives the Diamondbacks the National League's best 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation. Haren and Brandon Webb both posted an ERA below 3.10 while striking out over 190 batters for the A's and Diamondbacks, respectively.
Nobody will want to face those two back-to-back. It wouldn't surprise me if either Webb or Haren won the Cy Young this year—especially Haren, who should benefit from his move from the AL to NL.
Randy Johnson is apparently healthy after only starting ten games in 2007. While Johnson may be 44, he still looked good in those ten starts, posting a 3.81 ERA and striking out 72 over just 56.2 innings.
The Diamondbacks, however, should not count on Johnson, 44, to pitch any more than 15-20 starts this year.
So what will they do when Johnson goes down with an inevitable injury? There are a few options for Bob Melvin & Co. in case the Big Unit becomes the Big Injured.
Yusmiero Petit started ten games for the Diamondbacks last year, going 3-4 with a 4.58 ERA. Petit, 23, will likely start the season at AAA Tucson and with a good performance could be first in line to be called up in the likely event of a Johnson injury.
Billy Buckner and Juan Gutierrez also have started a few games at the MLB level, but are not as good of options as Petit.
The most interesting pitcher who could possibly take over for an injured Johnson is Max Scherzer. Scherzer, Arizona's 2006 first-round pick out of The University of Missouri, has only thrown one year in the Diamondbacks' system, has already earned rave reviews.
After posting a 3.28 ERA at the A+ and AA levels, Scherzer was added to the Diamondbacks 40-man roster in the offseason and will start the year at AAA Tucson. With a good performance in Tucson, Scherzer could see a few starts at the MLB level in place of Johnson.
Doug Davis and Micah Owings will round out the D-Backs rotation very nicely. Davis is a soft-tossing lefty who is a nice fit at the back of Arizona's rotation. He will win 11-13 games and put up an ERA in the low to mid fours.
Owings should improve in his second full year in the majors after going 8-8 with a 4.30 ERA in his rookie season. Don't be surprised if Owings ends up with 13-15 wins and an ERA below 4 in 2008.
If he doesn't, though, he's still a heck of a hitter (20 hits in 60 at-bats, 4 home runs, 15 RBI in 2007).
Even if Johnson goes down, the Diamondbacks still have a top-notch starting rotation that will give them every opportunity to make the playoffs in 2008.
Starting rotation grade: A-
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