INSIDE PITCH
Livan Hernandez has sunk to new depths this spring.
The Diamondbacks right-hander has incorporated a sinkerball to his
repertoire and plans to use it throughout the Cactus League season in
hopes of making it a standard part of his pitching array in his first
full season with the team.
It's a pitch teammate Brandon Webb has used to turn himself into a
Cy Young Award winner, and with an acknowledged solid defense behind
him, Hernandez believes the sinker can elevate his game to new heights.
After throwing a sinker several times during his spring training
debut against the White Sox, and then revealing his plan to reporters
afterward, Hernandez proclaimed the pitch "was working perfect."
"I'll try working more with the sinker next time," he vowed. "Maybe
100 percent. It's important to me."
Hernandez was sold on the idea of adding a sinker after talking with
Webb, pitching coach Bryan Price and spring training instructor Mel
Stottlemyre Sr., who is a special assistant to the club's ownership group.
"He's not a guy that's thrown a lot of sinkers in the past,"
Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said of Hernandez. "He's a four-seam
(fastball) guy with great command on both sides (of the plate).
"But he's been working on the sinker a lot, going down and away. And
he's taken a little velocity off his four-seamer to get a groundball.
It's something you're going to see him work on a lot this spring."
NOTES, QUOTES
--Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez apparently was on the Diamondbacks' wish
list last season, so much so that Arizona is one of at least eight
clubs said to have made trade overtures to New York for the star player,
according to a published report.
Diamondbacks general manager Josh Byrnes downplayed the story,
however, saying, "I really don't want to comment on it. The amount of
discussions we have with clubs, we probably talk about every player on every
team to some degree of seriousness."
--LHP Randy Johnson was to throw his fourth side session of spring
on March 4, but he is expected to start the season on the disabled list
as he recovers from October back surgery. He hopes to make his season
debut sometime in April.
It was too early to predict when he would make his first appearance
in a Cactus League game.
--RHP Jose Valverde, the Diamondbacks' closer, received permission
to briefly leave camp so he could be with his wife, Luisa, who delivered
the couple's first child. Valverde's first scheduled appearance in a
game was to be pushed back a few days as a result.
--1B Tony Clark, who is one of two major league associate
representatives to the players' association, on what the steroids era has done to
the game: "I'm not angered by the perception, but I'm disappointed that
we are the cause of it. Meaning, that a drug policy was even necessary.
Meaning, that there continues to be investigation after investigation
and there continues to be more and more information with respect to
ballplayers and some decisions that they make. That's disappointing."
--2B Orlando Hudson is gunning to get out of the blocks with a fast
start, as opposed to last year, when he hit .237 in April and .233 in
May before hitting .311 the rest of the way.
"I've had players say, 'When the weather heats up, you heat up,'"
Hudson said. "I'm really hoping and praying that this is the year I have
a quick start. And I want to finish strong, too. ... Sometimes I think
when I first start, I'm always so giddy. I'm trying to do too much. I
was talking with my dad, and he says I've got to get back to basics."
BY THE NUMBERS: 14 -- Hits by RHP Livan Hernandez last season in 68
total at-bats, for a .206 average.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We have some guys who if they were in a different
organization, they would be put up on a bit of a pedestal. But for us, we
talk about them more as a group." -- Diamondbacks general manager Josh
Byrnes on the slew of young everyday starters on this year's projected
25-man roster, many of whom have been top prospects in the
organization.
ROSTER REPORT
The Diamondbacks did what they said they would do and added to their
rotation by trading for LHPs Randy Johnson and Doug Davis, a pair of
veterans who join the likes of Brandon Webb and Livan Hernandez. The
beefed-up starting staff should enable Arizona to compete with the Giants
and Dodgers in the NL West. The rest of the roster is young and mostly
unproven and also devoid if any real power, but there is sound defense
and pitching here, and if they can catch a break or two, the
Diamondbacks could be the surprise team of the National League.
ARRIVALS: LHP Randy Johnson (trade with Yankees), LHP Doug Davis
(trade with Brewers), LHP Dana Eveland (trade with Brewers), OF Dave Krynzel (trade with Brewers), OF Alex Romero (claimed off waivers from
Twins).
DEPARTURES: UT Damion Easley (free agent, signed with Mets), C
Johnny Estrada (trade with Brewers), RHP Claudio Vargas (trade with
Brewers), RHP Greg Aquino (trade with Brewers), INF Craig Counsell (free agent,
signed with Brewers), INF Andy Green (released, signed with Japanese
team), LF Luis Gonzalez (free agent, signed with Dodgers), RHP Miguel Batista (free agent, signed with Mariners), RHP Luis Vizcaino (trade with
Yankees).
SPRING FOCUS: All eyes will be on LHP Randy Johnson as he continues
his rehab from October back surgery and tries to get ready to join the
rotation at some point in April, if he doesn't have any setbacks. The
key position battle this spring will be at the back end of the rotation,
where someone will have to fill in until Johnson is ready, and then a
No. 5 starter must be found out of a host of five to seven candidates.
PROJECTED ROTATION:
1. Brandon Webb
2. Randy Johnson
3. Livan Hernandez
4. Doug Davis
5. Enrique Gonzalez
If they stay healthy, the starters are strong enough to match up
with almost any other unit in the league. But Johnson and Hernandez could
be question marks, given their age and potential health concerns. Webb
is coming off a Cy Young Award season, and there's no reason to think
he can't duplicate or improve on last season's numbers. Look for
prospect Micah Owings to perhaps work his way into the mix at some point this
season.
PROJECTED BULLPEN:
RHP Jose Valverde (closer)
RHP Brandon Lyon
LHP Doug Slaten
RHP Tony Pena
RHP Brandon Medders
RHP Juan Cruz
LHP Dana Eveland
The Diamondbacks will keep their fingers crossed with Valverde,
hoping he can handle the closer's role all season without a prolonged
slump, which has been his downfall each of the past two seasons. If he
falters, Lyon or Pena could step into the role. RHP Jorge Julio would be an
ideal fallback, but it is generally thought he will be moved during
spring training. Eveland could find his way into the rotation, where the
club thinks he is best suited, but he will pitch in long relief if he
doesn't break camp as the No. 5 starter.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
1. CF Chris Young
2. 2B Orlando Hudson
3. 3B Chad Tracy
4. LF Eric Byrnes
5. 1B Conor Jackson
6. RF Carlos Quentin
7. SS Stephen Drew
8. C Chris Snyder
There may never be an actual set lineup this season, as manager Bob
Melvin predicts he'll mix and match most of the time, primarily because
the club doesn't have a prototypical leadoff man or cleanup hitter.
There are several good hitters in the bunch, but nobody who would seem to
scare opposing pitchers. If Arizona hangs around long enough and the
hitters manage to produce enough runs, the club may try to add some power
at the trade deadline. But it may not be totally necessary, as almost
everyone in the lineup is capable of hitting at least 20 homers. And
there's much more speed this year, too, so manufacturing runs may not be
too much of a problem.
PROJECTED RESERVES:
C Miguel Montero
1B Tony Clark
OF Jeff DaVanon
INF Alberto Callaspo
UT Robby Hammock
Hammock could be the feel-good story of camp, if he makes the club
following two years of uncertainty because of knee and shoulder
surgeries. OF Scott Hairston may have something to say about nabbing one of the
last spots here. If not, he's certain to be traded. DaVanon is coming
off ankle surgery, Clark off a disappointing season all around in '06,
and Montero will split time with Snyder behind the plate. The best
athlete of the group is likely Callaspo, whom a number of teams have tried
to pry out of Arizona. Callaspo will see time at third, second and
shortstop, and perhaps even left field.
TOP ROOKIES: RHP Micah Owings won 16 games last season between
Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Tucson, and he will be given a shot to make
the rotation in camp. OF Chris Young will be the everyday starter at
the age of just 23, and he's viewed by many as one of the team's best
up-and-comers, with a mix of speed, power and top-rate defense.
MEDICAL WATCH: LHP Randy Johnson (back surgery) has been throwing following a
late-October operation to repair a herniated disc, but probably will open
the season on the disabled list. He hopes to return sometime in April.
OF Jeff DaVanon (ankle surgery) missed two months last season and
likely will be a little behind during spring training. But he'll be a
valuable asset as the club's fourth outfielder.