Diamondbacks 2017 spring training: By the Numbers

It’s only spring, they say.

True, but better to have positive statistics hinting at positive performances than negative numbers leading to worry once the regular season begins.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have much to prove after a disappointing 69-win campaign a year prior, and many of the numbers this spring allude to a better-than-expected 2017 season ahead. At least, the D-backs hope that’s the case.

Here is the spring of 2017, by the numbers:

0

Following his disastrous 2016, Shelby Miller attacked spring with a fastball jumping off his hand and surpassing 98 mph on several occasions. While his 6.46 ERA (11 earned runs allowed in 15.1 frames) might be reason for concern, he was the only D-backs starter who gave up zero home runs in spring ball.

0.00

After a less-than-stellar performance in 2016, the Arizona bullpen will look different this season. GM Mike Hazen brought in veterans on minor-league deals late in the offseason and a few of them will be on the Opening Day roster. One of them could be J.J. Hoover. The former Cincinnati reliever was signed to a minor-league deal in mid-January and got an invitation to big-league camp. He impressed. The 29-year-old pitched 9.2 innings out of the D-backs’ pen and didn’t allow an earned run. He struck out 12 and walked only one.

2

A pair of Diamondbacks ranked among MLB’s top 25 in spring batting averages. Brandon Drury came in 21st by hitting .339, while infielder Chris Owings hit .345, finishing 17th. Don’t think that matters much? Last year, then-Diamondbacks infielder Jean Segura was second in average by batting .469 before going on to become just the second snake to surpass the 200-hit mark for a single season.

4

Former D-backs manager Chip Hale often said a poor pitching performance at Chase Field happened because of one or many pitches left up in the zone. FanGraphs’ Jeff Sullivan points out that the D-backs have been trying to pitch low in strike zones at a higher rate than the league-average since 2009 and last year led MLB with 59 percent of their pitches in the five lowest zones that Baseball Savant tracks. That has changed this spring, where Arizona’s pitchers are throwing the ball in the lowest five zones at the fourth-lowest rate.

5

Lefty Patrick Corbin put together five starts and 18.1 innings of spring work and allowed a fifth-best 0.93 walks and hits per inning pitched (WHIP) among starters. He was simply hard to hit, as batters only hit .212 against him, the eighth-best mark for a pitcher.

16.0

Taijuan Walker’s strikeout to walk ratio was impressive. His 32 total strikeouts were the second-most in baseball this spring, and through 22.1 innings, he only walked two batters.

35

The D-backs clubbed 35 home runs in Cactus League play, which ranked 11th among teams in Arizona. Only the Padres, Rangers, Mariners and Angels had fewer dingers. Third baseman Jake Lamb and minor league outfielder Oswaldo Arcia each had four to pace the Diamondbacks.

90.76

Velocity was talked about a lot this spring concerning D-backs’ pitchers. Whether it was Shelby Miller’s increased speed (he hit 99 on the gun several times) or Zack Greinke’s reduced velocity. Greinke said midway through the Cactus League schedule that the decreased zip was “not ideal,” but Arizona higher-ups are convinced it’s not a concern. However, Greinke’s average four-seam fastball, which he threw on about 40 percent of his pitches last season, was down nearly two miles per hour from the end of last year, clocking in at an average of 90.76.

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