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mrschroeder08 partyvancaptain pee_callus25 Tags 2010 Preview 5 Million Dollar Black Hole AAAA Aaron Heilman Aaron Miles Alfonso Soriano Andres Blanco Angel Guzman Aramis Ramirez Arizona Diamondbacks Atlanta Braves B.J. 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It should be good for a laugh come October. Today we start at the top, with Arizona. Arizona Diamondbacks 2009 Finish: 70-92 (5th NL West) Key Additions: Adam LaRoche (1B), Kelly Johnson (2B/OF), Edwin Jackson (SP), Bob Howry (Crappy RP), Aaron Heilman (Crappy RP), Ian Kennedy (SP) Key Losses: Eric Byrnes (OF), Daniel Schlereth (RP), Max Scherzer (SP), Doug Davis (SP), Yusmeiro Petit (SP), Chad Tracy (1B/3B) Summary: If you thought the Cubs were falling fast, how about NLCS to division cellar in 2 seasons? That was what happened in Arizona between 2007 and 2009. It seems like just yesterday that Chris Young, Stephen Drew and company were smacking the Cubs up and down Chase Field and Wrigley Field. Now, they are trying to climb past the budget conscious Padres. While they made a couple of decent acquisitions in signing Adam LaRoche and getting Edwin Jackson in the Granderson trade, it will be hard to climb past the Dodgers, Giants and Rockies in what is a very talented NL West. The one thing that can make Arizona a dangerous player in that division is the return of Brandon Webb. A rotation topped by Webb, Dan Haren and Edwin Jackson is very formidable, and definitely rivals the studs San Francisco touts. If Webb has trouble returning, then 2010 could be a slightly more bearable version of 2009. As far as the lineup goes, Justin Upton is the man here. He started fulfilling some of that promise hitting 26 home runs, slugging .532 (OPS of .899) and stealing 20 bases. I can see him going to the All-Star game this season. Mark Reynolds is more proof of why strikeouts are not as bad as people think. I will look past 223 K's if you can get me 44 HRs and a decent .349 OBP like Reynolds did in 2009. They have some decent role players in LaRoche, Connor Jackson and Miguel Montero. I would have to think they are disappointed that Chris Young has regressed, and with Gerardo Parra performing well last year, expect him to get the 2005 Corey Patterson treatment if his struggles continue. Cubs connection: I find it funny how the #1 goat of the 2008 Cubs bullpen and the #2 goat of the 2009 Cubs bullpen have united in the desert. A bullpen featuring Bob Howry and Aaron Heilman does not inspire fear. Now that I have said that, watch them lead the most dominant set of bullpen arms in the last 10 years. That would be just our luck. Blue Ivy's Best Guess Lineup Based off of Pure Speculation and Random Guessing (BIBGLBOOPSARG)(tm) SS Stephen Drew 2B Kelly Johnson RF Justin Upton 3B Mark Reynolds 1B Adam LaRoche LF Connor Jackson CF Gerardo Parra C Miguel Montero P Dan Haren, Brandon Webb, Edwin Jackson, Ian Kennedy, Billy Buckner Closer: Dan Qualls Predicted finish: Third Place in the NL West. I see them overtaking the Padres, which is really going out on a limb. *EDIT* I also see them overtaking San Francisco. They have a superior lineup, and Haren/Webb/Jackson are a good trio. Even if Webb ends up missing time, Haren/Jackson is pretty good. With L.A. and Colorado, however, I think those teams have good lineups as well and even better pitching. I think Arizona will finish better than last year, but the NL West will be tough. That is for sure. Posted in: 2010 Preview, Arizona Diamondbacks | ||