Bleacher Report - Arizona Diamondbacks

Arizona Diamondbacks Attempt To Shore Up Bullpen

Jeff Summers — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:42:30 -0500

Going into this offseason the Arizona Diamondbacks identified three areas they wanted to address before Spring Training 2010 arrived.

They wanted to find one or possibly two candidates for the starting rotation, a veteran position player that could come off the bench and provide an offensive spark, and they wanted a veteran in the bullpen to anchor the young pitching staff.

The Diamondbacks hoped to fill at least one of these needs through a trade but conceded they would be active in the free agent market, something the team has not been in the past.

With the free agency period just beginning, the Diamondbacks made their first move of the season by completing a trade with the Chicago Cubs. The Diamondbacks received left-handed reliever Aaron Heilman in exchange for minor league infielder Ryan White and left-handed pitcher Scott Maine.

Maine was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the sixth round of 2007 amateur draft out of the University of Miami. After throwing just 10 innings in Yakima that season, Maine was promoted to Visalia in 2008 where he appeared in 32 games compiling a 3.19 ERA in what has been historically a hitter’s paradise in the California League.

For the 2009 season, Maine earned a promotion to Double-A Mobile. He appeared in 36 games for the BayBears and again showed great control and pitch efficiency. His 2.66 ERA and 46 strikeouts to only 16 walks impressed the Diamondbacks who moved him to Triple-A Reno.

Maine pitched in 12 games for the Aces striking out 15 and walking only seven in 12 games. With the recent promotion of Clay Zavada and Daniel Schlereth to the big leagues, Maine became the Diamondbacks' top left-handed pitching prospect.

Ryne White was the first position player drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2008 draft. He is a stocky first baseman out of Purdue University. White began his professional career in Missoula for the Osprey in 2008 hitting .275 with 13 doubles, one triple, and seven home runs.

For 2009 White was moved to South Bend where he hit .358 to begin the season. The Diamondbacks promoted him to Visalia in the California League where he hit .266 with 18 doubles, one triple, and six home runs.

White has been compared to Mark Grace with a tendency to hit for higher average and use the gaps of the ballpark for extra base hits. He has shown a tendency to strike out, something the team was hoping he would overcome with more professional at-bats.

Of the two players the Diamondbacks gave up, Maine has the higher upside and is closer to the big leagues. White is capable of reaching the big leagues but is still a few seasons away from being ready.

Heilman spent last season setting up Chicago Cubs closers and will likely be asked to fill a similar role for Arizona. The 30-year-old lefty spent the first six years of his career pitching for the New York Mets before being dealt to the Cubs before the 2009 season.

In an odd sense, Heilman is very similar to Maine but with experience at the major league level. He is a very efficient pitcher with a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.10 over his career. His career ERA is 4.22. His ERA for the Cubs last season was just slightly better at 4.11.

Heilman has the experience that the Arizona Diamondbacks needed in a bullpen that is made up mostly of young pitchers with very little experience. Is he the kind of pitcher that can come in late and close down a game? Hardly but he will bridge the gap from the starter to the closer which is something the Diamondbacks have lacked since the departure of Brandon Lyon.

The addition of Heilman means the Arizona Diamondbacks could conceivably break camp next spring with three left-handers in their bullpen with Zavada and Schlereth also candidates to make the squad.

It will be interesting to see whether Aaron Heilman is the only bullpen arm the Diamondbacks bring in or if he is just the first of many whom the Diamondbacks will use to solidify what was a shaky bullpen for much of last season.

Personally I am hoping this isn’t Josh Byrnes only move for the bullpen. Heilman’s inconsistency and struggles at times is going to lead to a lot of sleepless nights for manager AJ Hinch and the Arizona Diamondbacks fans.

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Arizona Diamondbacks Announce Spring Training Schedule

Jeff Summers — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:40:41 -0500

Just one day after the Arizona Diamondbacks broke ground on their new Spring Training facility in Scottsdale, the team announced their Spring Training schedule for the 2010 season.

This season marks the 13th and final year the Diamondbacks will play their Spring Training home games at Tucson Electric Park. After next spring the Diamondbacks, along with the Colorado Rockies, will move into their new complex for 2011.

To celebrate the final season in Tucson, the Diamondbacks will host the Colorado Rockies on March 5 opening Cactus League play. They will have 15 games at TEP, with the final home game on Tuesday, March 30 against the Texas Rangers.

The Diamondbacks will play 15 games in the Valley of the Sun during Spring Training. Their first will be against the ever popular Chicago Cubs at Mesa HoHoKam Stadium. The following day they will meet their NL West rivals the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium.

Arizona will travel to the new Goodyear stadium to meet the Cincinnati Reds on March 9. This is the first season the Reds will be based in the Cactus League. Cincinnati will visit Tucson on March 16 for their only visit to Tucson Electric Park.

All of the games on the Diamondbacks' Spring Training schedule are afternoon affairs starting at 1:05 PM with the exception of a night game on Monday, March 29 at the Peoria Sports Complex against the San Diego Padres.

The team will once again play one game in Hermosillo, Mexico. They will send a split squad to play the Colorado Rockies. The other half of the team will be in Surprise playing the Texas Rangers.

The Diamondbacks have just one off day during all of Spring Training. That day occurs on Tuesday, March 23 and is sandwiched between two home games in Tucson.

The Diamondbacks will culminate their Cactus League schedule with two games at Chase Field against the Chicago Cubs. These games will benefit the Diamondbacks Foundation, specifically the Field of Dreams fund that builds fields around the valley for the youth. The first game will be April 2 at 6:40 PM with the final game of the spring being April 3 at 1:10 PM.

Tickets for the games at Tucson Electric Park will go on sale beginning Jan. 23 at 9 AM at TEP. Tickets will go on sale on the Diamondbacks web site or by phone (866-672-1343) beginning at 11 AM that day. Ticket prices range from $5 to $25 each.

Tickets for the two exhibition games at Chase Field against the Chicago Cubs will go on sale along with tickets for the team’s regular season home games on March 6.

Now is the time to start preparing your travel plans to watch the Diamondbacks in their last season in Tucson. Don’t miss out seeing your favorite players one last time in Tucson before the Diamondbacks usher in a new era in 2011 in Scottsdale.

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Conor Jackson's Fortune of MLB Return Rises in the Dominican Republic

Jeff Summers — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:53:03 -0500

When we last looked in on Conor Jackson, he had just begun playing winter league baseball in the Dominican Republic.

With the season now in full swing in Santo Domingo, I thought it might be interesting to see how things are going for the lost Diamondback.

Playing for the Leones del Escogido, Jackson has now appeared in 23 games.

When we first looked in, Jackson had started out on a torrid pace, feasting on Latin American pitching. Having gone through Valley Fever, the biggest question was whether Jackson would have the stamina to maintain his energy level for an extended time.

Jackson has now appeared in 23 games accumulating 73 at-bats. In those at-bats, he has gotten 31 hits, the most on the team.

Jackson has six doubles and two home runs. He has scored 16 runs and also has 16 RBIs in that time.

Jackson continues to exhibit good plate discipline with an on-base percentage of .561.

Besides having good at-bats, Jackson has also found success on the base paths, stealing nine bases in 23 games. He has not been known for his speed, so perhaps he is gaining an edge that he can use in Arizona next season.

Jackson has been splitting his time in the field, playing both first base and left field. He has also been used as the designated hitter, meaning he is keeping his playing options open for his Arizona return.

The Diamondbacks have to be excited at this news. There have been questions as to whether Jackson would be able to return after missing nearly a year with Valley Fever. If these first 23 games are any indication, the Diamondbacks offense is going to get a much needed boost in 2010 from a rejuvenated Conor Jackson.

At one point Arizona was considering non-tendering Jackson to a contract next season. Given his performance for Leones del Escogido, that decision has long past and fans can look forward to seeing number 34 back in a Diamondbacks uniform.

The only question remaining, will Jackson be patrolling first base or left field for Arizona next season?

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