This season has been an exciting one for Arizona's MLB team. The Diamondbacks are playing above expectations and there is excitement around the club hat hasn't been there for years. I realize that there is still a few weeks left to go, but many thought this team would be at the bottom of the division at this point. How are they doing it? Here's how.
CORBIN CARROLL IS AS GOOD AS ADVERTISED
CC7 (I coined that nickname, by the way) came into this season as one of the top prospects in the game and the D-Backs wisely put him on the main roster. They also signed him to an eight-year extension before the season started. Carroll has become the talk of the town and is the runaway winner of the NL Rookie of the Year award. He is about to become a 20/40 (20 home runs and 40 stolen bases) guy. This is Arizona's franchise player.
ZAC GALLEN WILL BE ONE OF THE BEST PITCHERS IN BASEBALL....EVENTUALLY
Remember Brandon Webb? He was a Cy Young winner who was a workman-like hurler. I mean, he could get you out any way possible. This is what Zac Gallen is. He doesn't need to rely on just strikeouts to sit ya down, just a healthy dose of groundouts and flyouts to get the D-Backs some quality innings from him. He will be a Cy Young contender and could win the award in the near future. Beware National League.
CERTAIN TRADES HAVE PLACED THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
In the off-season, the D-Backs traded fan favorite Daulton Varsho to the Toronto Blue Jays for Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno. Many fans were upset because Varsho was beloved by D-Back fans, hence the fan favorite moniker. However, Gurriel is a solid player who made the All-Star this season and Moreno is the franchise's long-term answer at catcher after being one of the top prospects in Toronto's farm system. During the trade deadline, they traded Josh Rojas and a couple of prospects to Seattle for Paul Sewald. The D-Backs needed a closer, BADLY. The Mariners already had Andres Munoz as their save specialist and was getting some depth back. Everybody wins here.
THE PRODUCT POOL IS STACKED
Arizona has one of the most intriguing prospect bundle in baseball. Carroll leads the charge with Jordan Lawlar, Druw Jones, Brandon Pfaadt, Tommy Troy and Alek Thomas. These six have "experts" thinking of many fruitful seasons for the Diamondbacks down the road. Only Jones and Troy are still in the minors for more seasoning but expect these two to join the other four in the show by next year.
MIKE HAZEN IS ONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED GM'S IN BASEBALL
It's been a tough couple of years for Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen. (Prayers for his family) He has tried to build a foundation that will give Arizona a chance to battle to the top of the NL West....or second place to the Dodgers? He is the architect of this surprising squad with the trades, draft picks and free-agent signings he conducted to give the club future joy.
TOREY LOVULLO IS THE MOST UNDERRATED MANAGER IN BASEBALL
In 2017, Hazen hired Torey Lovullo as manager from the Red Sox system. He has shown the organization that he can bring the best out of his players. He helped the team make the playoffs in his first season, after many thought they would finish last. Sure, there have been terrible season in-between. It is Lovullo who is getting the squad together to play hard and with a young talent infusion, they could tap that potential down the road.
THE OWNERSHIP DOESN'T SUCK
With the unflattering situations going on for sports owners here in the Valley, hearing nothing shady coming from the Diamondbacks is a breath of fresh air. Majority owner Ken Kendrick and CEO Derrick Hall are running the business side of the franchise and Hazen is running baseball operations. THAT'S HOW YOU RUN A SPORTS FRANCHISE! No meddling from what we hear. Keep it that way.
So, if this season is an omen for things to come, then Arizona's MLB team is going to be good and fun to watch. Lord knows, we need some good teams here.
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