Arizona Diamondbacks
Manager: Kirk Gibson (fourth season).
2013: 81-81, second place in NL West.
Training Town: Scottsdale, Ariz.
Park: Salt River Fields.
First workouts: Feb. 7 (pitchers and catchers)/12 (position players).
He’s Here: OF Mark Trumbo, RHP Addison Reed, OF Matt Tuiasosopo.
He’s Outta Here: OF Adam Eaton, LHP Tyler Skaggs, 3B Matt Davidson, RHP Heath Bell, SS Willie Bloomquist, C Wil Nieves.
Going Campin’: After consecutive .500 seasons, the Diamondbacks decided some power was needed to protect star 1B Paul Goldschmidt, so they acquired Trumbo from the Los Angeles Angels in a three-team trade that sent Eaton to the White Sox and Skaggs to the Angels. Trumbo hit 34 home runs last season. After Goldschmidt’s 36, no other Diamondbacks player had more than 14. GM Kevin Towers wanted to acquire a front-line starter but as camp opened, that had not happened, and the prospects are dwindling. One of the biggest stories in the spring will be the competition at SS, where incumbent Didi Gregorius was superb on defense but faded at the plate last season. Chris Owings, just 22, hit .330 at Triple-A Reno before a late-season call-up to the Diamondbacks. Veteran infielder Cliff Pennington can back up both at SS and 2B. Another issue is whether top pitching prospect Archie Bradley will make the opening day roster. The seventh overall pick in the 2011 draft, the hard-throwing 21-year-old right-hander has soared through the minor league system. Still, the Diamondbacks may keep him in the minors at least to start the season. A lights-out spring could change that plan, especially if Arizona doesn’t acquire another starter.
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