Arizona Diamomdbacks: 2007 in Review

The Diamondbacks have continued to fight adversity all year long. Arizona, signed Randy Johnson last offseason and are paying him a HUGE salary-$10 million per year.

When the D-Backs made this signing, I thought it was a terrible idea for a few reasons:

Reason One: We finally had cleared our roster of overpaid and old players—Finley, Gonzo, Schilling, and Randy. Then we go and take on a Yankee contract we can't afford, just to get Johnson back!

Reason Two: He was getting paid way too much for the amount that most people expected him to produce. He got HAMMERED in New York and just looked over the hill and in his last years in the Bronx.  Yes, he was playing injured most of 2006—I'll give you that. But is that really someone you want to sign? A 43-year-old pitcher who was playing hurt most of the prior season?

He came back to the Valley he loves so much (Randy we love you too and thanks for being the best pitcher we will EVER see here in the PHX) He started out pretty bad—13 ERs in his first 18 IP, 6.50 ERA-and boy, was I pissed. I was saying things like, "I knew this was a huge mistake and we still owe him around $30 million over the next two years!"

He then came STORMING back and pitched very well over his next six starts (8 ERs in 36 IP, 2.00 ERA). Then he got hurt in his next start and missed the rest of the year.

Around the same time, the D-Backs also lost their starting third baseman and one of their top hitters: Chad Tracy. Tracy is a fantastic defender (although hr does have a weak arm for a third baseman), hits for average, and is a consistent double and RBI man. The man can hit and field, and is a veteran leader for the young D-Backs.

So we lost our No. 2 pitcher and one of our five most important fielders/hitters. In addition, three of our best four prospects— Stephen Drew, Carlos Quentin, and Alberto Callaspo—upon whose shoulders rested the burden on their shoulders for last year’s success, had worse than imaginable seasons offensively.

Quentin just couldn’t lay off a pitch all year (.213 BA, .299 OBP).  Stephen bat .229 after hitting .315 the year before, and had an OBP of .306—as a No. 2 hitter. He had a ton of great at-bats but they just didn't produce hits.

Orlando Hudson WAS having a career year. He is by far the best defender the Diamondbacks have ever had—and that is a statement with Steve Finley in CF for a few years. O-Dog was on pace for career highs in BA, HRs, 2Bs, 3Bs, RBI, Walks, SBs, AVG, OBP, and OPS—before getting injured sliding head first into third base and tearing a ligament in his thumb; and has season ending surgery.

We had two rookie SPs in the rotation after Randy went down to injury. We platooned players at 1B, 2B, 3B, RF, and C all year long.

And after all that, so many great things came to fruition last year. Eric Byrnes had the best year of his career. He had 45 SBs (up from 25 the year before) and went 30 straight attempts without being thrown out—the longest streak in MLB that year. He had career highs in RBI, walks, SBs, BA, hits, runs, OBP, and OPS.

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