The D-Backs have claimed 28-year old righty swinging catcher Craig Tatum off waivers from the Houston Astros. Tatum played in 31 games for the Orioles last year and he was 17 for 87 (.195 avg, .475 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 0 homers, 7 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He has now played in 100 games in his first three years in the majors and he is 60 for 269 (.223 avg, .554 OPS) with 21 runs scored, 1 homer, 22 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Tatum will likely start the 2012 season in AAA-ball unless Miguel Montero or Henry Blanco get injured in spring training.

The D-Backs decided to fill up all of their needs in the off-season. They wanted a lefty power bat for LF and signed Jason Kubel. They also dealt for Trevor Cahill and lefty reliever Craig Breslow to fill more needs. Here is a look at the new faces for 2012:

In the field: The Diamondbacks wanted a power stick for LF and they signed Jason Kubel for that role. He has bad knees and he’s not much of a defensive player, but he has a sweet stroke from the left side to help balance the D-Backs’ lineup. Lefty swinging Mike Jacobs will provide insurance in case Lyle Overbay falters in 2012.

On the mound: The Diamondbacks wanted another solid, young starting pitcher for 2012, so they dealt for Trevor Cahill. They also filled another huge hole in the trade that brought Cahill to the D-Backs as lefty reliever Craig Breslow was part of the deal. Breslow is a pretty nasty lefty and the D-Backs have not had one of them in a long, long time. Righty reliever Takashi Saito will give the D-Backs another solid reliever to pitch in the 7th inning this year. Righty relievers Jensen Lewis and Jonathan Albaladejo will also have shots to make the pen this spring.

Overall: Bringing in Kubel, Cahill, Breslow and Saito will prove to be a stroke of genius for the D-Backs. They are going to be a lot better than they were in 2011, and that should strike fear in the rest of the National League.

The Diamondbacks have signed 31-year old lefty swinging 1B Mike Jacobs to a minor league deal. Jacobs played in 117 games in AAA-ball for the Rockies last year and he was 128 of 429 (.298 avg, .910 OPS) with 70 runs scored, 23 homers, 97 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. He last played in the majors back in 2010 with the Mets. Jacobs has played in 556 games in his first six years in the majors and he is 489 of 1,930 (.253 avg, .787 OPS) with 244 runs scored, 100 homers, 310 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. The D-Backs will likely stash Jacobs in AAA and give him a call to the show if something happens to Paul Goldschmidt or Lyle Overbay.

The Diamondbacks have signed 29-year old lefty swinging LF Jason Kubel to a 2-year, $15 million dollar deal with an option for 2014. Kubel played in 99 games for the Twins last year and he was 100 for 366 (.273 avg, 766 OPS) with 37 runs scored, 12 homers, 58 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He has now played in 753 games in his first 7 years in the majors and he is 694 for 2,559 (.271 avg, .794 OPS) with 334 runs scored, 104 homers, 429 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. Kubel will take over as the Diamondbacks’ starting LF with Gerardo Parra becoming the new #4 outfielder. This was a good signing for the D-Backs as they can really use a lefty power hitter and Kubel fits that bill.

The Diamondbacks have signed 29-year old righty reliever Jonathan Albaladejo. He pitched in 46 games in Japan last year and he was 2-2 with 2 saves, a 2.45 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Albaladejo last pitched in the majors back in 2010 with the Yankees. He has pitched in 63 games (0 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he was 6-3 with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. This was a nice pickup as Albaladejo will get a shot to win a spot in the D-Backs’ bullpen next spring.