Diamondbacks ready for title defense

Victor Flores Jr. grooms the warning track at Tucson Electric Park, spring training home of the Diamondbacks and White Sox. AP

PHOENIX (AP) -- The offseason was short for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who won the World Series in just their fourth year of existence.

Less time off amounted to greater anticipation of a title defense, and spring training is finally here. Pitchers and catchers arrive Thursday in Tucson and conduct their first workout Friday.

"I think the majority of the guys would tell you this offseason just kind of flew by," outfielder Luis Gonzalez said. "At the same time, we're anxious to get going again. We all want to get started. That's the fun part, when everybody gets back together and can tell their war stories and what they did in the offseason."

A repeat, always difficult, will be even more so because of the team's age - aces Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling are 38 and 34, respectively, third baseman Matt Williams is 36 and first baseman Mark Grace is 37. The Diamondbacks also have to overcome the loss of Reggie Sanders to free agency, whose 33 home runs were second only to Gonzalez's 57.

But optimism is the universal state of mind in mid-February, and Arizona -- still basking in the glow of the victory over the New York Yankees in a World Series that didn"t end until Nov. 4 -- isn't ready to call it impossible.

"We had time off to enjoy the spectacular season we had last year," Grace said. "Now it's up to us and the veteran guys to make sure it's just that -- last year. We have targets on our backs, but it's a good feeling to be the team to beat, and I think we are."

Johnson and Schilling finished last season in excellent health, Todd Stottlemyre has been throwing easily after missing last season because of a malfunctioning nerve in his pitching shoulder and closer Matt Mantei is on schedule to return from elbow ligament surgery by May or June.

The Diamondbacks failed to sign David Wells after a handshake agreement between Wells and owner Jerry Colangelo, but added durable Rick Helling to the rotation and added left-hander Mike Myers to the bullpen.

"I'm more excited that we got Myers than Helling," Gonzalez said. "As a left-handed hitter, picking up one of the best left-handed relievers was good. But Helling is a solid player. He's always been consistent, he never misses a start and it's exciting for our team to get a guy like that."

After the full squad arrives early next week, the Diamondbacks will begin working through the question marks.

They will try to replace Sanders with World Series hero Danny Bautista, who got a three-year, $9 million contract to make sure he didn't look elsewhere.

Bautista, 29, batted .364 in the postseason and went 7-for-12 against the Yankees, including 5-for-8 with six RBIs in the last two games. But he hasn't been a full-time starter since 2000.

Jose Guilllen, another offseason addition, Erubiel Durazo and David Dellucci also are available for work in right field.

'The reason for the short offseason was the long postseason, so we're not complaining about it,' manager Bob Brenly said. 'We did have to cram a lot of the things that took us all winter last year into a very short period of time to get ready for this spring, but I think we're ready to go.'

 

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