The 5: Things we’d like to see from D-backs over final month
Sep 2, 2016, 6:30 AM
Note that no matter what happens the rest of the way, the 2016 Arizona Diamondbacks season will go down as a failure.
Expected to contend for a playoff spot after a busy offseason, the team instead struggled with consistency and battled injuries on the way to what is likely to be one of the worst seasons in franchise history.
Fans and media alike are looking for people to hold accountable, and no matter what happens the rest of the way, it would not be a shock to see some changes made at the end of the season.
But from where we sit, with 29 games remaining and the D-backs essentially playing their final month of games, there are still some things that can be accomplished. Here are five things that could make this season a bit more palatable.
Shelby Miller pitches well
No one will accuse Miller of having a good 2016, and truthfully there is no way for him to really erase the disaster that was his performance. Acquired in a deal that saw the D-backs part with a top pitching prospect, a starting outfielder and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, he was expected to be a co-ace. Instead, landed on the disabled list after mechanical issues led to him scraping his hand against the pitching mound and then, after he returned, struggled to get outs and ended up being demoted to the minor leagues. He is back in the rotation now, and if the 25-year-old can flash the form he showed in Atlanta last season over his final handful of starts, then the D-backs may very well yet get something out of the right-hander.
Robbie Ray establishes himself
Last season, Ray got off to a fast start before control issues ultimately led him to finish with a decent-but-not-great season. He struggled out of the gate this season, but was brilliant in August, posting a 2-2 record with a 2.70 ERA in five starts. He struck out 38 batters in just 30 innings that month, and showed the kind of consistency that could see him go from someone who is best suited for the back of the rotation to one who can pitch near the front. If the left-hander can build off his August and post a strong September, it would provide evidence that the 24-year-old has turned a corner and is ready to become an upper-echelon starting pitcher.
Jake Lamb finishes strong
Let’s get this out of the way: Lamb deserved to be an All-Star this season. He batted .291 with 20 home runs and 61 RBI before the break, and looked every bit of the good, young third baseman the franchise has never really had. The 25-year-old has not been the same player since the break, though, and has seen his average drop to .259 as he has hit just six home runs and driven in 20 in 143 post-break at-bats. Lamb’s ascension was one of this season’s best storylines, and a good finish that has him looking more like the All-Star he should have been would be a nice sight to see. After all, who wouldn’t feel better about next year’s team if they know the D-backs had a young, All-Star-level third baseman in the middle of the lineup?
A.J. Pollock flashes All-Star form
Pollock going down with an elbow injury just days before the opener was a crushing blow, one from which the D-backs never really recovered. They scrambled to fill his spot in center field, going as far as to use infielder Chris Owings and backup catcher Chris Hermann. It was not ideal. Pollock is back now, and while watching him do well would sting in that it would show everyone what the team was missing, him regaining the All-Star form he displayed last season would be a nice sight leading into the offseason.
Yasmany Tomas reaching 30 home runs
By now it’s clear that Tomas really does not have a place on the field for the D-backs, unless of course they want to trade Paul Goldschmidt and open up room at first base. That won’t happen, of course, and because of it the team has tried to hide the Cuban slugger in the corner outfield spots. No doubt the 25-year-old is a bit clunky in the field, but at the plate this season he has been a bit of a revelation. Entering play Friday he is batting .260 with 27 home runs and 64 RBI. He came to Arizona billed as someone who could mash, and seeing him display power to all fields has served as a bit of validation to what the organization saw in him. Now, will he ever be worth the six-year, $68.5 million contract he was given? Is there a position for him on the field other than first base or DH? Maybe not, but as long as he can hit the ball over the fence, there will be a spot for him in an MLB lineup.
