Lineup in flux as Spring Training arrives
PHOENIX -- Put A.J. Pollock in the leadoff spot, Paul Goldschmidt third and pencil in David Peralta for cleanup. Then your guess is as good as any where everyone else will be when it comes to the D-backs' Opening Day lineup.
With the D-backs pitchers and catchers reporting to Salt River Fields on Wednesday, we continue our Spring Training preview series, with a look at the projected lineup, rotation and bullpen.
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Don't read too much into what is below, because it is dependent on a lot of moving parts. Who wins the second base/shortstop competitions? Who is the starting third baseman? Only when those things are settled can you even begin to construct a lineup.
With the rotation, the first three spots are set, and we put Rubby De La Rosa and Robbie Ray in the final two spots simply because heading into camp, manager Chip Hale says they have a leg up given their performances last year.
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2015 record
79-83, 3rd in the NL West
Projected batting order
- CF Pollock:
.315 BA, .367 OBP, .498 SLG, 20 HR, 76 RBI in 2015 - SS Jean Segura:
.257 BA, .281 OBP, .336 SLG, 6 HR, 50 RBI in 2015 - 1B Goldschmidt:
.321 BA, .435 OBP, .570 SLG, 33 HR, 110 RBI in 2015 - RF Peralta:
.312 BA, .371 OBP, .522 SLG, 17 HR, 78 RBI in 2015 - LF Yasmany Tomas:
.273 BA, .305 OBP, .401 SLG, 9 HR, 48 RBI in 2015 - 3B Jake Lamb:
.263 BA, .331 OBP, .386 SLG, 6 HR, 34 RBI in 2015 - C Welington Castillo:
.237 BA, .296 OBP, .453 SLG, 19 HR, 57 RBI in 2015 - 2B Chris Owings:
.227 BA, .264 OBP, .322 SLG, 4 HR, 43 RBI in 2015
Projected rotation - Zack Greinke, 19-3, 1.66 ERA in 2015
- Shelby Miller, 6-17, 3.02 ERA in 2015
- Patrick Corbin, 6-5, 3.60 ERA in 2015
- De La Rosa, 14-9, 4.67 ERA in 2015
- Ray, 5-12, 3.52 ERA in 2015
Projected bullpen
Closer: Brad Ziegler, 30/32 saves, 1.85 ERA in 2015
RH setup man: Tyler Clippard, 2.92 ERA in 2015
LH setup man: Andrew Chafin, 2.76 ERA in 2015