D-backs manager Kirk Gibson: ‘Consistency’ key for Wade Miley in 2013

For all intents and purposes, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Wade Miley deserved to be the 2012 National League Rookie of the Year.

He may have lacked the hype Bryce Harper had going into the voting process, but the 26-year-old left-hander did just about everything he could to pace an inconsistent rotation last season. While Harper and the Nationals had their fare share of notable moments in 2012, without Miley’s tremendous rookie campaign, the D-backs’ 81-81 record would likely have been a lot worse.

In 194.2 innings of work, Miley went 16-11 with a 3.33 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP.

While manager Kirk Gibson joked Sunday that he expects Miley to throw 230 innings over the course of the regular season, postseason and World Series, the fact remains that if the D-backs do have visions of a deep postseason run, they’ll certainly need help on the mound from their second-year starter.

“It’s just about consistency with what he’s done,” Gibson said on what he expects of Miley in 2013. “He just needs to come out and trust his stuff, trust his catcher, just continue to get better in all aspects of the game.”

Miley will definitely have some competition on his hands this spring, as general manager Kevin Towers made a concerted effort to bolster rotation depth this winter with the additions of Brandon McCarthy and Randall Delgado. Throw in youngsters Tyler Skaggs and Patrick Corbin, and it should be quite a battle for the No. 4 and No. 5 spots behind Ian Kennedy, Trevor Cahill and Brandon McCarthy.

For now, it’s a battle that Gibson isn’t ready to fully address just yet.

“It’s just kind of a developing story,” said Gibson. “They’re all doing the same thing right now. In my mind there’s nobody winning a job today or tomorrow. It’s a cumulative thing all throughout the spring.”