State of the Arizona Diamondbacks: 2010

2009 is a lost cause for the Arizona Diamondbacks. For a majority of the season the only rays of hope were Dan Haren winning the NL Cy Young Award and Mark Reynolds being awesome. But, now Dan Haren has fallen way off the chart for any consideration in the NL Cy Young race. Luckily, John Hester has come up and been the best thing that could've ever happened to this team; however, that is a completely different story. Mark Reynolds is still awesome and still has a chance to beat Pujols in the home run race. To be realistic though, the Diamondbacks are focusing on next season with an entire month left in this season.

(By the way, here is the link to John Hester's first big league at-bat.)

But, this offseason is a big one for the Diamondbacks. I don't think Josh Byrnes is a good general manager in any way.

Mark Reynolds is going to get a pay raise. He was getting a AA salary because that's where he was in May of 2007.

I like Doug Davis. I want him to be re-signed by the Diamondbacks. But, I had no idea that he was getting paid more than Webb and Haren.

I would think that if Josh Byrnes had any baseball sense at all he would make sure that Scott Schoeneweis, Eric Byrnes, and Chad Tracy are not with this team next year. I don't want to see Jon Garland back, but if that's the best deal out there, then whatever. I think that Yusmeiro Petit has earned a shot at the number 5 starting job next season.

So, here's my 2010 Arizona Diamondbacks opening day roster.

1)Stephen Drew-SS
2)Ryan Roberts-2B
3)Justin Upton-RF (Even though I don't like him, it'd be stupid of me to not think he'd be there)
4)Mark Reynolds-3B
5)Miguel Montero-C
6)Gerardo Parra-CF
7)Brandon Allen-1B
8)Alex Romero-LF
9)Dan Haren-P

The rotation should go Haren, Webb, Davis, unknown offseason pick up, Petit. The bullpen would feature Clay Zavada for the 7th inning, Chad Qualls for the 8th, and Max Scherzer as the closer. There would still be Juan Gutierrez and Leo Rosales and maybe Daniel Schlereth as well. On the bench would be John Hester, Trent Oeltjen, Conor Jackson, and Augie Ojeda. The other two roster spots would be filled in the bullpen.

Trade Chris Snyder to get a pitcher or 1B. Let Dan Haren start next season, it wouldn't be fair any other way. Pick up the option on Brandon Webb. Give Chris Young a shot to earn his pay, but don't just give him the starting CF job.

Mark Andrew Reynolds

Mark Reynolds is an absolute beast. As of right now he is hitting .284 with 33 home runs, 76 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. Those are very good numbers to say the least. Right around the Fourth of July, whilst everyone else was celebrating, Mark Reynolds was calling out his team. That's not to say that he isn't patriotic, but the Arizona Diamondbacks were playing AA baseball at the time. He called them out and backed it up with a 3-run homer the next game.

Mark Reynolds is the epitome of hustle and effort. He busts his butt on every play, does all in his power to get an out on every pitch when in the field, does all that he can just to get on base when up to bat. Mark Reynolds never takes a play off. He's not too worried about his personal stats, he just wants to see his baseball team win.

The Diamondbacks are 10.5 games back in the wildcard race. With 53 games to play and the way the Diamondbacks have been playing, I give the playoffs a plausible. Dan Haren will need to return to his first half form, but Mark Reynolds will make sure to perform in the clutch. He has a hunger in his belly that can only be quenched by a World Series win. Whether or not he gets one with this team, or at all, is yet to be seen?

Also, as far as the playoffs go, I have the same thoughts as last year. Last year the Diamondbacks were in contention to win their division and I thought that if they could do that, they had a good chance at a World Series berth. I think the same of this year. They have the starting pitching to make a run if they can make a competition of it.