Arizona Diamondbacks: What to expect in the off-season
By Mark Brown
The task ahead for GM Mike Hazen and the Arizona Diamondbacks is to resign outfielder J. D. Martinez and settle contracts with 18 restricted free agents.
The day after the Arizona Diamondbacks were eliminated from post-season play by the Los Angeles Dodgers, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt made a candid observation.
Speaking to Call to the Pen, the perennial All-Star pointed out that the defeat in the NLDS was especially difficult to accept. Not because the Dodgers were the better team, and they were in that series, but Goldschmidt worried out loud about the composition of the 2018 Arizona Diamondbacks.
Changes, from year to year and team to team in the MLB, are inevitable, and Goldschmidt worried whether the core of the team, which qualified for post-season, would remain intact. More importantly, will the collective performances of the players continue at a high level.
It can be argued that for a team to achieve success, several players must over-produce during the same season. In the case of the 2017 Diamondbacks, outfielder J. D. Martinez arrived just after the All-Star game and struck fear into the hearts of opposition pitchers. Archie Bradley and Fernando Rodney took care of the back end of the bullpen, and Goldschmidt, Jake Lamb, Brandan Drury and David Peralta energized the offense.
Plus, three pitchers, Zack Greinke Robby Ray and Patrick Corbin, reached double-digits in wins, and Taijuan Walker recorded nine victories.
All of which help propel the Diamondbacks forward, but Goldschmidt’s concern remains legitimate.
Regardless of the kinds of transactions, general manager Mike Hazen can engineer in the coming months, the continued rise of the Diamondbacks depends on players achieving to a high level. There is every indicated manager Torey Lovullo will keep his players on task and make sure proper adjustments are had to assure maximum efficiency.