Brad Cesmat
What strategy will the Diamondbacks take with free agency? A season ago, they opened up the saddle bags to land Zack Greinke to a $200 million dollar contract. Could the team back up the Brinks truck again this offseason? GM Mike Hazen has to go to work. Here’s a few thoughts as it pertains to the Diamondbacks and this years free agent crop.
Bullpen
Aroldis Chapman(Cubs)-We all saw what Chapman did in the postseason for the Cubs. The Diamondback pursued Chapman during the 2015 season. At some point does the velocity drop below 103 mph? New manager Torey Lovullo doesn’t have an answer coming out of the bullpen in the 9th inning right now.
Kenley Janzen(Dodgers)He saved 47 games(1.83 ERA) for the Dodgers in 2016. If you had to choose between Janzen or Chapman, is one better than the other? It’s hard to imagine that either player would come to Arizona, since the Diamondbacks are not a contender. However, are there intangibles that we may not know about that could bring one or the other to Chase Field ?
Could Brad Ziegler return to Arizona? He was with Hazen and Lovullo in Boston to end the 2016 season.
Position Players
OF Yoenis Cespadas(Mets) -Hit 31 home runs last season in New York. One of the few stars in this years free agent class.
What will the Diamondbacks do with their outfield logjam? Yasmany Tomas hit 31 home runs, but struck out 136 times in 140 games. Is he the one that gets traded? A.J. Pollock, David Peralta, Brandon Drury, Socrates Brito, and Peter O’Brien also are in the mix. But it’s clear that the Diamondbacks outfield isn’t set.
3B Justin Turner(Dodgers) He is the only top-tier third baseman out on the market. He will command a contract worth 4yr. 60-million? Is sticking with Jake Lamb at 3rd base the right more for the future? Half of the infield is set with Paul Goldschmidt and Jean Segura, but the other side is still in a state of flux.
