ESPN’s Boone: D-backs part of three-team race in the NL West

To say the Arizona Diamondbacks had a busy offseason would be a bit of an understatement.

But did they do enough to transform themselves from a third-place, 79-win team in 2015 to a playoff contender in 2016?

“They reside now though in a National League West that I think is going to be very top-heavy,” ESPN MLB analyst Aaron Boone told Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Wednesday.

Boone is very high on what the San Francisco Giants accomplished, with their big signings of pitchers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija, and though he’s a bit unsure of what the Los Angeles Dodgers did, noted they are banking on a very deep roster that could withstand injury as well as help precipitate a trade.

“But there’s no doubt that it looks like a three-horse race, and if the Giants and the Diamondbacks can stay healthy you’ve got three prime teams in the West,” he said. “It should be a lot of fun.”

In terms of integrating all of the new pieces, Boone said spring training is the time when relationships are forged and a clubhouse culture is established.

“I think a great culture can look a lot of different ways,” he said. “It can be a loving, awesome environment where everyone gets along; it can also be a little bit contentious at times.

“That’s where the spring training is, for the Diamondbacks, as important for anything is those key players, core players that they brought in, that they can start to really get entrenched in the organization and start to gel with their teammates.”

The most important player the D-backs brought in, of course, is Zack Greinke, as he signed a six-year, $206.5 million contract to leave the Dodgers and join Arizona. Last season, the right-hander posted a 19-3 record with a 1.66 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in 222.2 innings.

Boone chose the word “stud” when trying to describe the pitcher, and pointed out how there were questions about Greinke’s mentality earlier in his career but not so much today.

“I think what he’s starting to really cement a reputation for now is just how intelligent he is and how much of a, kind  of baseball junkie and savant that he is,” he said. “He really understands the game. He understands strengths and weaknesses of players.

“The stories I’ve heard about him already diving into video of his teammates so that he can kind of be a better mentor, a better leader of these guys — those are stories you’ve started to hear out of L.A. the last couple of years, just how dedicated he is to the craft and to the preparation and to the understanding of his team and to the guys he’s getting ready to go up against.”

There’s a reason Arizona gave Greinke the richest contract in franchise history.

“The Diamondbacks have them a bona fide ace now at the top of the rotation, there’s no question about that,” Boone said. “And he’s one of the reasons why now when you talk West, the Diamondbacks are right in the middle of that conversation.”

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