Arizona Diamondbacks News and Notes

The Arizona Diamondbacks have started 4-2 and are second in runs scored in the National League with 42.

Their run total was helped by a 13-run outburst in the fourth inning of Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 13 runs in that inning were a Diamondbacks team record.

Let’s see what is going on with the team from the Valley of the Sun.

Kelly Johnson is back!

In my Free Agent Primer, I wrote that Johnson was a classic “change of scenery” guy and a sleeper free agent signing for 2010. So far, he is proving me right.

Johnson is off to a .368 start with three home runs. I am not saying he will hit .368 all season, but Johnson is certainly capable of his 2007 season, when he hit .276 with 16 home runs, 10 triples, and an .832 OPS.

Miguel Montero placed on the DL

The Diamondbacks placed catcher Miguel Montero on the 15-day DL because of a torn meniscus in Montero’s right knee. The injury will require surgery, and Montero is expected to be out four to six weeks.

After having a breakout season last year, Montero was expected to take the next step in his career in 2010. He had six hits in his first 12 ABs this year, but now he will be on the shelf.

Chris Snyder, who was almost traded several times during the offseason, will now catch the majority of the games for the Diamondbacks.

If you want a fantasy spin on this, pick up Snyder as a backup option for your team. He can hit home runs but doesn’t do much else.

Brandon Webb to start throwing again

What would an Arizona Diamondbacks post be without mentioning Brandon Webb? According to The Arizona Republic , Webb will restart his throwing program today.

However, don’t expect Webb to be rushed back. “We all want it to go faster,” manager A.J. Hinch said Saturday. “As we’ve seen with Chris Young in San Diego and Jeff Francis in Colorado, it’s a tedious process to get back to 100 percent.”

With Hinch’s comments, it wouldn’t shock me to see Webb return in June.

The Diamondbacks will head out on the road for the first time this season, as they will travel to Los Angeles and San Diego this week.

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