The Diamondbacks are absolutely loaded in the starting rotation and they are young and will likely get better going forward. Here is a look at the starting rotation as of right now:

#1: Ian Kennedy: 27-year old righty Ian Kennedy finished 4th in the Cy Young Award voting last year. He pitched in 33 games (all starts) for the Diamondbacks last year and he was 21-4 with a 2.88 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Kennedy has now pitched in 65 games (all starts) in his first two years with the D-Backs and he is 30-14 with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He has now pitched in 79 games (77 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 31-18 with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. I look for Kennedy to keep rolling for the Diamondbacks in 2012.

#2: Daniel Hudson: 24-year old righty Daniel Hudson is also a starting pitcher on the rise. He pitched in 33 games (all starts) for the D-Backs last year and he was 16-12 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Hudson has now pitched in 44 games (all starts) in his first two years with the Diamondbacks and he is 23-13 with a 3.01 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Hudson has pitched in 53 games (49 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 25-15 with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Hudson probably has the highest upside of any pitcher on this staff, and that is saying quite a lot.

#3: Trevor Cahill: 23-year old righty Trevor Cahill was acquired from the A’s in a deal this winter and he is a very solid starting pitcher. Cahill pitched in 34 games (all starts) for the A’s last year and he was 12-14 with a 4.16 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. Cahill has now pitched in 96 games (all starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 40-35 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Cahill should really benefit from pitching in the National League with no DHs.

#4: Joe Saunders: 30-year old lefty Joe Saunders was not tendered a contract and then he re-signed with the D-Backs over the winter. Saunders pitched in 33 games (all starts) for the D-Backs last year and he was 12-13 with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. He has now pitched in 46 games (46 starts) in his first two years with the Diamondbacks and he is 15-20 with a 3.85 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Saunders has now pitched in 161 games (all starts) in his first 7 years in the majors and he is 69-52 with a 4.16 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. It was smart of the Diamondbacks to bring back Saunders for 2012 as he is a quality lefty, and he will be the only guy likely throwing with that arm in the starting rotation.

#5: Josh Collmenter: 25-year old righty Josh Collmenter will be the D-Backs’ #5 starter in 2012. He pitched in 31 games (24 starts) for the D-Backs last year and he was 10-10 with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Collmenter is going to be one of best #5 starters in all of baseball in 2012, book it. He has good stuff and good control, which is a recipe for success.

Wade Miley: 25-year old lefty Wade Miley will likely be the next starting pitcher in line if the need arises for the D-Backs. Miley pitched in 8 games (7 starts) for the D-Backs last year and he was 4-2 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. He also pitched in 22 games (all starts) in AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 8-3 with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Miley looks like he will be ready to step up if the need arises for the D-Backs in 2012.

Barry Enright: 25-year old righty Barry Enright pitched in 7 games (all starts) for the D-Backs last year and he was 1-4 with a 7.41 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP. He has now pitched in 24 games (all starts) in his first two years with the Diamondbacks and he is 7-11 with a 4.87 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Enright will have to work hard to get back into the good graces of D-Backs’ management.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STARTING ROTATION IN 2012: A

53-year old manager Kirk Gibson has surrounded himself with a very accomplished coaching staff for 2011 and the hope is that Diamondbacks respond to their new direction. The Diamondbacks were 34-49 (41%) under Gibson last year. Losing Mark Reynolds and Adam LaRoche is going to hurt the offense, so the D-Backs are likely going to have to scratch for every run they get in 2011. The starting rotation looks strong but the bullpen is iffy. No one played harder than Kirk Gibson, and the D-Backs hope that his toughness rubs off on his players in 2011.

One of the first things that new G.M. Kevin Towers did when he took over was to attempt to rebuild the D-Backs’ bullpen for 2011. 34-year old righty closer J.J. Putz will give the D-Backs a big time guy to protect leads at the end of games in 2011. Putz pitched in 60 games (0 starts) for the White Sox last year and he was 7-5 with 3 saves, a 2.83 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. He only gave up 41 hits in 54 innings last year while whiffing 65 batters as he was downright nasty. Putz has now pitched in 397 games (0 starts) in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 30-24 with 106 saves, a 3.19 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP.

25-year old righty David Hernandez was part of the haul the D-Backs got back for Mark Reynolds over the winter. He will likely be the D-Backs’ top set-up man in 2011. Hernandez pitched in 41 games (8 starts) for the Diamondbacks in 2011 and he was 8-8 with 2 saves, a 4.31 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. He has now pitched in 61 games (27 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 12-18 with 2 saves, a 4.93 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. Hernandez was much better for the Orioles last year when they moved him to the bullpen and the D-Backs are banking on him repeating that success in 2011.

27-year old righty Juan Gutierrez will be bumped to a middle reliever role in 2011. He pitched in 58 games (0 starts) for the Diamondbacks last year and he was 0-6 with 15 saves, a 5.08 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Gutierrez has now pitched in 123 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the D-Backs and he is 4-9 with 24 saves, a 4.51 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP.

26-year old righty reliever Kam Mickolio is the Diamondbacks’ #17 prospect heading into this year according to Baseball America. Mickolio came over from Baltimore in the Mark Reynolds deal over the winter. He pitched in 5 games (0 starts) for the Orioles last year and he was 0-0 with a 7.36 ERA and a 2.18 WHIP. Mickolio has now pitched in 23 games (0 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 0-3 with a 4.32 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. He has 26 whiffs in only 25 innings in his major league career, which shows how good his stuff is. But, he has also walked 14 batters so far and that’s way too many.

36-year old righty Brian Sweeney pitched in 24 games (0 starts) for the Mariners last year and he was 1-2 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. He has now pitched in 73 games (2 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 4-2 with 2 saves, a 3.38 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Sweeney might work his way into a middle reliever in the D-Backs’ bullpen in 2011.

25-year old righty Sam Demel might help out the D-Backs in 2011. Demel pitched in 37 games (0 starts) for the D-Backs last year and he was 2-1 with a 5.35 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. He also pitched in 22 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 2-0 with 6 saves, a 1.26 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. The Diamondbacks are hoping that Demel will be much better for them in 2011.

26-year old lefty Clay Zavada had Tommy John Surgery last year which helps explain how poorly he pitched in AAA-ball last year. Zavada pitched in 5 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 0-1 with a 30.00 ERA and a 5.33 WHIP. He gave up 6 hits and he walked 10 batters in only 3 innings in the minors last year. Zavada did look good in 2009 for the D-Backs when he pitched in 49 games (0 starts) in which he was 3-3 with a 3.35 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. The Diamondbacks hope that Zavada can return to form in 2011.

26-year old lefty Zach Kroenke will battle Zavada for a job in the pen. Kroenke pitched in 3 games (1 start) for the Diamondbacks last year and he was 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.95 WHIP. He also pitched in 40 games (9 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 7-3 with 2 saves, a 3.51 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. The D-Backs hope that Kroenke will be a late bloomer.

26-year old righty Rafael Rodriguez pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the D-Backs last year and he was 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP. He has now pitched in 21 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the show and he is 0-1 with a 5.60 ERA and a 1.81 WHIP. He is going to have to start missing more bats if the D-Backs are going to give him a legit audition in 2011 as he has given up 52 hits in only 35 1/3 innings so far in his major league career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE DIAMONDBACKS BULLPEN IN 2011: C

The starting rotation is going to keep the Diamondbacks in a lot of games this year. 26-year old righty Ian Kennedy is going to top the D-Backs’ starting rotation in 2011. Kennedy started 32 games for the D-Backs last season and he was 9-10 with a 3.80 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. He has now pitched in 46 games (44 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 10-14 with a 4.33 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. If he pitches like he did last season, I think Kennedy is going to win a lot more games in 2011.

29-year old lefty Joe Saunders will likely slot #2 in the rotation for the Diamondbacks in 2011. Saunders started 13 games for the D-Backs last season and he was 3-7 with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He started 33 games overall last season for the Angels & Diamondbacks and he was 9-17 with a 4.47 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. Saunders has now pitched in 128 games (all starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 57-39 with a 4.29 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. I look for Saunders to pitch better in 2011 for the D-Backs.

24-year old righty Daniel Hudson will likely start the year as the D-Backs’ #3 starter, but by the end of the year he will be the ace. Hudson started 11 games for the D-Backs last year after the Edwin Jackson deal with the White Sox and he was 7-1 with a 1.69 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP. Hudson only gave up 51 hits and 16 walks in 79 2/3 innings while whiffing 71 batters, which shows how nasty he is. He pitched in 14 games (all starts) overall last year with the D-Backs and White Sox and he was 8-2 with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. Hudson has now pitched in 20 games (16 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 9-3 with a 2.61 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Hudson has a huge upside, so don’t be surprised if he makes a run for the Cy Young Award in 2011.

24-year old righty Barry Enright burst onto the scene for the D-Backs last season. He started 17 games for the D-Backs last year and he was 6-7 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He also pitched in 14 games (all starts) in AA-ball in which he was 4-1 with a 2.88 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Enright will likely win the #4 or #5 job in the rotation this spring.

29-year old righty Armando Galarraga also has a good shot of winning a job in the D-Backs’ starting rotation in 2011. Galarraga pitched in 25 games (24 starts) for the Tigers last season and he was 4-9 with a 4.49 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. He has now pitched in 87 games (78 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 23-26 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. I think Galarraga’s stuff will play a lot better in the N.L.

32-year old righty Aaron Heilman is having a nice spring so he might just win a job in the D-Backs’ starting rotation at the start of the 2011 season. He pitched in 70 games (0 starts) for the D-Backs last year and he was 5-8 with 6 saves, a 4.25 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Heilman has now pitched in 445 games (25 starts) in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 31-45 with 16 saves, a 4.25 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. He might be a big surprise for the D-Backs in 2011.

27-year old lefty Zach Duke has a broken left hand (injured in spring training), so he’s going to likely miss at least the first month of the 2011 season. Duke started 29 games for the Pirates last year and he was 8-15 with a 5.72 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. He has now pitched in 160 games (159 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 45-70 with a 4.54 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Duke isn’t too great so the D-Backs should be able to withstand his loss.

25-year old righty Kevin Mulvey pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the D-Backs last season and he was 0-0 with a 6.00 ERA and a 2.33 WHIP. He also started 27 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 7-8 with a 4.65 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Mulvey has now pitched in 10 games (4 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 0-3 with a 7.90 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP. He is a longshot to get any starts for the D-Backs in 2011.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE DIAMONDBACKS STARTING ROTATION IN 2011: B

23-year old righty swinging starting RF Justin Upton took a step backward in 2010 after having a really good 2009. Upton played in 133 games for the D-Backs last season and he was 135 of 495 (.273 avg, .799 OPS) with 73 runs scored, 17 homers, 69 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. He has averaged 78.5 runs scored, 21.5 homers, 77.5 RBIs and 19.0 stolen bases per year over his last two seasons. The Diamondbacks need Upton to start showing more in 2011. Upton had 1 error in 128 games in RF last season while showing off good range. His arm is a tad weak for RF as he only had 4 assists. The Diamondbacks tried to deal Upton over the winter, which shows that they aren’t believing totally in him at this point in his career.

Gerardo Parra played in 36 games in RF for the D-Backs last season and he had 1 error there while showing excellent range. Parra also had 2 assists in RF as he showed off a pretty good arm. I see Parra getting most of his P.T. in LF this year.

33-year old righty swinging Willie Bloomquist will likely get some P.T. in RF this year for the Diamondbacks. Bloomquist played in 83 games for the Reds & Royals last season and he was 50 of 187 (.267 avg, .679 OPS) with 31 runs scored, 3 homers, 17 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. Bloomquist played in 27 games in RF last season and he didn’t make any errors while showing average range. He also had 2 assists from RF as he has a infielder’s arm (which means it’s strong). Bloomquist’s speed & versatility are the qualities that are going to get him his fair share of P.T. this year.

29-year old righty swinging Wily Mo Pena will also have a shot to win a job on the D-Backs’ bench this spring. He played in 40 games in AAA-ball last season and he was 46 of 142 (.324 avg, .946 OPS) with 28 runs scored, 9 homers and 34 RBIs. He is a career .253 hitter in the majors with a .753 OPS in his first 7 years in the majors.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE DIAMONDBACKS RF IN 2011: B