Arizona Diamondbacks: Lovullo successfully leaps over important hurdle

Despite achievements of the Arizona Diamondbacks this past season, manager Torey Lovullo is the first to recognize a difficult challenge as part of the NL West Division.

In orchestrating a dramatic change in the short time of one calendar year, manager Torey Lovullo of the Arizona Diamondbacks created a three-tier approach.

Hired last October after a dreadful season in which the Diamondbacks finished 24 games under .500 and just one game ahead of the San Diego Padres to escape the National League West Division basement, Lovullo set ahead to remake the Diamondbacks in his image.

The core and foundation were to open and honest dialogue with his players, and that prompted reliever Archie Bradley to tell Call to the Pen after the season, “I don’t want to play for anyone else than Torey Lovello.

With a careful and measured approach, Lovullo set about to create a pyramid of three fundamentals.

First, he wanted to change the culture instituted by Chip Hale, the previous field manager, and create an open discourse and accountability. If Lovullo was successful here, then the second plateau could be addressed. That would be a change in the National League West standings and foster a sense of upward mobility.