Paul Goldschmidt: Arizona Diamondbacks' 2012 X-Factor

Going into the 2012 season, the Arizona Diamondbacks will look to build on the surprise success of their 2011 season.

Manager Kirk Gibson and General Manager Kevin Towers have been busier than expected this offseason, trying to improve the personnel to defend their NL West crown. But the most important player they will rely on has not changed, despite all of their new acquisitions and departures.

Paul Goldschmidt will look to have sustained and progressive success in 2012, which will play a big part in the teams' position in the standings.

Goldschmidt will be counted on in the middle of the D-Backs' order this coming season, as he will likely bat fifth behind newly-acquired Jason Kubel, and in front of Miguel Montero in the No. 6 hole.

He will have to provide sufficient protection to Kubel for the production of the No. 3 through No. 6 spots to reach potential. His presence in the No. 5 hole provides a consistent lefty-right balance in the middle of the order, but if he wants to keep that spot he will at the very least have to continue the pace he set last year.

And if he resembles anything we saw in the NLDS for any extended period of time next season, then the rest of the MLB should watch out.

If he were to have the standard 600 at-bats in the 2012 season on the pace he set last year, he would finish with a .250 average, around 30-plus homers and somewhere in the 80 RBI range.

That type of production at first base would be more then welcomed by the team.

He should receive some good pitches to hit with Montero providing protection behind him.

However, with being such an integral cog in the lineup, he will have to improve his strikeout rate. This would give his batting average some extra lift, which would lead to more opportunities for the ball to get out of the yard.

All in all, the organization hopes to lean heavily on their young, slugging first baseman.

2012 appears to be an exciting season for the D-Backs, and maybe, just maybe, they have finally found their franchise first baseman.