2014 Outlook: Arizona Diamondbacks

I continue to be just flabbergasted at the Arizona Diamondbacks.

And not in a good way.

Just when you think the D-Backs couldn't have a worse off-season from the year before, they do.

I really don't want to be down on this team, but their front office, quite frankly, makes it too easy.

I know this is an outlook for 2014, but it will sound a lot like a "what could have been" piece.

Last year the organization shipped out what was one of the most highly regarded right arms in the game (Trevor Bauer) for what was basically nothing. Didi Gregorious (below), who I admit, I like a lot, is not a good return for a top prospect.

Then the team deals the face of their franchise, Justin Upton! Not only is he the face of their franchise, but he's one of the game's established and elite sluggers. (Keep in mind, this was before Paul Goldschmidt put himself on the map) And again, the deal was basically for nothing. Not to mention this team gave up Chris Johnson in the same deal, who was a batting-title contender last year.

(Deep breaths)

Anyone familiar with the TV show "The Office"? More specifically the episode where Michael fake fires Stanley? If I could bottle the amount of stupidity the D-Backs front office shows and put it into words, it would be something like this:

Michael: That's it. And uh... do you have anything to say to me?

Stanley: Oh yes, I do. You are out of your damn, little pea-sized, mind. What is wrong with you? Do you have any sense? At all? Do you have any idea how to run an office? Every day you do something stupider than you did the day before. And I think, "there's no possible way he can top that." But what do you do?! You find a way, dammit, to top it! You are a professional idiot!

I key in on the part where "there's no possible way he could top that. Then what do you? You find a way, dammit, to top it!"

Well the Dbacks truly outdid themselves this winter. It wasn't bad enough they dealt one of the top pitching prospects they had. Then you really start to wonder what they were doing dealing Justin Upton. Then the year starts and the Dbacks weren't as bad as I guess we thought. I don't know about you, but in the back of my mind, I knew their success wasn't sustainable.

Then the winter comes and you look at the idea of having a left side of the infield of Chris Owings, one of Triple-A's real surprises, and Matt Davidson, one of baseball's top slugging third base prospects. Capped with one of baseball's real surprises in Patrick Corbin and Tyler Skaggs.

But what do the Dbacks do? They find a way, dammit, to top [last year's offseason]!

They once again literally give away coveted players most teams would die for. The Angels who needed pitching help, got one of the game's elite pitching prospects (Tyler Skaggs) for an average slugger, Mark Trumbo, who strikes out too much to be useful.

They move two of their top hitting prospects, Davidson and Eaton, in the end, for a closer.

When you look at what could be one of the most feared line ups for years to come, you are looking at a middle of the order of Goldschmidt, Miguel Montero, Trumbo, and Aaron Hill.

I don't know the feelings of Diamondbacks fans, but I can't image many are thrilled about this when you coulda had Goldschmidt, Justin Upton, and Davidson.

I just fail to see how the Diamondbacks are going to be good.

I question if Patrick Corbin can do what he did last year. And what's worse, after Corbin, this rotation is a crapshoot. Bronson Arroyo is a nice pitcher, do not get me wrong, but he's your next best option, and he's not a number two pitcher in any rotation. Now the Dbacks front office is going to sell him as a #2 starter.

I have to say, if you are a Dbacks fan, and you are through the roof about Bronson Arroyo because “he's a winner”, I encourage you to look at his career stats and get back to me on that.

Now, I must admit, I like Wade Miley (left) this year. He had a good first year in the bigs, and then dropped off slightly, what I call the sophomore slump. But I think he turns back into a decent number two.

I've heard projections Randall Delgado could finally pan out. OK. That is fair, and I could see it. But the guy's been disappointing enough to this point in his career, I can't buy it 100%.

I look back at my prediction of the Padres and Rockies finishing below this team, and I am now second guessing myself. Not only is the present not so bright for Arizona, once you get past Archie Bradley in this minor league system, there is literally nothing there to be excited about.

I may be so down on the Diamondbacks, not only now, but for the future, that no team, dammit, could possibly top it!