The Diamondbacks appear to have improved the everyday lineup with Adam LaRoche and Kelly Johnson added over the winter. Conor Jackson is expected to at least start the 2010 season healthy so the lineup will likely produce more runs than they did in 2009. I even like what the D-Backs did with the bullpen adding Bobby Howry and Aaron Heilman, but, I think they are going to have big time starting rotation problems and I think that is what is going to sink their season. The Brandon Webb starting the season on the D.L. it means that Rodrigo Lopez AND Billy Buckner will likely be in the starting rotation to start the year. I do like Dan Haren as the #1 starter but the D-Backs will need Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy to be outstanding to keep up with the Rockies, Giants and Dodgers in 2010. If I had to make a bet on the Diamondbacks I would go with the under because I expect them to finish in 4th place in the N.L. West in 2010.

A.J. Hinch looked overwhelmed at times last season after taking over during the year as the manager. He led the D-Backs to a 58-75 (43.6%) record last season. The D-Backs hope that Hinch will do a good job in 2010 as they appeared to have improved the roster quite a bit.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE MANAGER IN 2010: C-

31-year old righty Chad Qualls is going to return to his role as the closer in 2010. Qualls pitched in 51 games (0 starts) for the Diamondbacks last season and he was 2-2 with 24 saves, a 3.63 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He only walked an amazing 7 batters in 52 innings as he comes right after hitters when he comes into the game. Qualls has now pitched in 128 games (0 starts) in his two years with the D-Backs and he is 6-10 with 33 saves, a 3.15 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. I think he will do a fine job for the D-Backs in 2010.

26-year old righty Juan Gutierrez replaced Qualls as the closer when he dislocated his knee last year. Gutierrez pitched in 65 games (0 starts) for the D-Backs last year and he was 4-3 with 9 saves, a 4.06 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. In 71 innings pitched last season Gutierrez whiffed 66 batters but he also walked 30 and that’s way too many.

36-year old righty Bobby Howry will also be helping out late in games for the D-Backs this year. Howry pitched in 63 games (0 starts) for the Giants last season and he was 2-6 with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He only gave up 50 hits in 63 2/3 innings last season showing that he still has good stuff despite his advancing age.

31-year old righty Aaron Heilman also has a strong right arm. He pitched in 70 games (0 starts) for the Cubs last season and he was 4-4 with 1 save, a 4.11 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. He whiffed 65 batters in 72 1/3 innings last season for the Cubs but he walked 34 batters and that is too many. If Heilman throws more strikes in 2010 he will be effective for the D-Backs.

25-year old Clay Zavada will be the top lefty out of the pen in 2010. Zavada pitched in 49 games (0 starts) for the D-Backs last season and he was 3-3 with a 3.35 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. He whiffed 52 batters in only 51 innings for the D-Backs last season showing that he also has good stuff.

28-year old righty Blaine Boyer finally found a home in Arizona in 2009. He pitched in 30 games (0 starts) for the D-Backs last season in which he was 0-1 with a 2.68 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Boyer pitched in 48 games (0 starts) overall last season for the D-Backs, Braves and Cardinals in which he was 0-2 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP.

28-year old righty Leo Rosales will try to snare a middle relief role in 2010. Rosales pitched in 33 games (0 starts) for the Diamondbacks last season and he was 2-1 with a 4.76 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He did improve a lot from 2008 so the D-Backs hope he improves again in 2010.

25-year old lefty Zach Kroenke was a Rule 5 Pick over the winter by the D-Backs. He pitched in 36 games (2 starts) in AAA-ball last season and he was 7-1 with 4 saves, a 1.99 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. He only gave up 54 hits in 72 1/3 innings in the minors last season which is pretty impressive. Kroenke has now pitched in 162 games (32 starts) in his five years in the minors and he is 25-15 with 9 saves, a 3.30 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BULLPEN IN 2010: B-

The Diamondbacks have signed 35-year old righty starting pitcher Kris Benson to a minor league deal. Benson pitched in 8 games (2 starts) for the Rangers last season in which he was 1-1 with a 8.46 ERA and a 2.02 WHIP. Benson also pitched in 12 games (11 starts) in AA+AAA ball last year in which he was 4-6 with a 5.25 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. He has now pitched in 203 games (197 starts) in his major league career in which he is 69-74 with a 4.41 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. Benson will have a decent chance of getting back to the majors this season with the D-Backs especially with Brandon Webb hurting right now.

The Diamondbacks have a very talented top three in the rotation but the #4 and #5 spots will likely determine if the D-Backs have a solid rotation or not in 2010. 29-year old righty Dan Haren will be the D-Backs’ #1 starter once again in 2010. He started 33 games for the Diamondbacks last season in which he was 14-10 with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. Haren only walked 38 batters while allowing 192 hits in 229 1/3 innings last season as he is a workhorse. He also whiffed 223 batters for the D-Backs last season. The one thing that the Diamondbacks have hope with Haren is that he pitches well all year long instead of fading in the second half which he has done the last couple years. Regardless, Haren is one of the best starting pitchers in all of baseball and he will be exactly that again in 2010.

30-year old righty Brandon Webb was being counted on to be the #2 starter for the Diamondbacks this season but he is likely going to start the season on the D.L. as his shoulder just isn’t right yet. Webb only started 1 game last season for the D-Backs before shutting in down and he was 0-0 with a 13.50 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP. Webb has pitched in 199 games (198 starts) in his career with the D-Backs and he is 87-62 with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. He won the Cy Young Award in 2006 for the Diamondbacks. The D-Backs need his stay to be short on the D.L. because they don’t have a lot of quality depth in the starting rotation

26-year old righty Edwin Jackson will be the D-Backs’ #3 starter unless Webb can’t go in which case he will move up to #2. Jackson started 33 games for the Tigers last season in which he was 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. 2009 was by far Jackson’s best year in the majors so you have to wonder if he has finally found himself. No one doubts Jackson’s stuff as it is great. His problems in his career have come above the shoulders but it seems as if he is ready to take his game to the next level. Still, he has pitched in 139 games (110 starts) in his major league career in which he is 38-39 with a 4.66 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP.

25-year old righty Ian Kennedy will likely be the #4 starter in the rotation for the D-Backs in 2010. Kennedy missed most of last season due to injury. He pitched in 1 game (0 starts) with the Yankees and he was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP. He has now pitched in 14 games (12 starts) in his major league career and he is 1-4 with a 6.03 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP. I think the pressure cooker in N.Y. was a little too much for him as he walked 37 batters with the Yankees in only 59 2/3 innings despite being a solid control pitcher in the minors. In four years in the minors, Kennedy pitched in 46 games (43 starts) in which he was 19-6 with a 1.95 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. The Diamondbacks have high hopes that Kennedy will excel in the less pressure packed environment in Arizona.

26-year old righty Billy Bucker probably has a slight edge in the competition for the #5 spot in the rotation. Buckner pitched in 16 games (13 starts) for the D-Backs last season in which he was 4-6 with a 6.40 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. He definitely has some issues to clear up before he will be a decent starting pitcher in the majors as he gave up 94 hits (12 of which were homers) in only 77 1/3 innings for the Diamondbacks last season.

24-year old righty Kevin Mulvey came over from the Twins in a trade last summer. He pitched in 8 games (4 starts) for the Twins & D-Backs last season in which he was 0-3 with a 8.14 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP. But, it wasn’t all bad for him last season as he started 24 games in AAA-ball in which he was 5-8 with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. Mulvey will have to pitch good this spring to win a spot in the D-Backs’ starting rotation.

34-year old righty Rodrigo Lopez is the wildcard for the D-Backs at the back end of the starting rotation. Lopez pitched in 7 games (5 starts) for the Phillies last season and he was 3-1 with a 5.70 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP. He also started 18 games in AAA-ball last season in which he was 7-5 with a 4.31 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. If Lopez is healthy he could win 10+ games for the D-Backs in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STARTING ROTATION IN 2010: C