SnakePit Round Table: Miller time!

Romano

April is in the books. What did you learn about the 2025 D-backs?James: That last seasons concerns regarding depth still remain, though possibly with a bit less urgency than last season. The team is having issues scoring runners right now, but the offense is dynamic enough that it should still be in the running for being a top offense by the end of the season, especially if any of Moreno, Gurriel, or any outfielder not named Carroll gets going. Arm health is still a massive concern. Gallen has one foot out the door. This team is going to have to make all sorts of difficult choices come : I am not surprised by what is going on. Banking on a bounce back from the starting rotation was too much to hope for and the bullpen still relies on just a couple of : Im glad they kept Ryne Nelson stretched out because he is much needed depth to support starting pitching. Ben: We learned that Corbin Carroll can still carry a team and that Christian Walker should have stayed in Arizona Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Jersey. But we also learned for the umpteenth time that you can never have enough starting rotation depth. 1AZfan1: That we still need our heart medications fully topped off and ready on a nightly : Has this gone anything like anyone expected? The record is about where many would have guessed, but the method of getting there has varied wildly. If the rotation and the bullpen could be good at the same time, thatd be : They remain cursed and while the start has been ok, its not looking great in the NL for us. Dont write them off yet, but an awkward trade deadline could be on the horizon. Shelby Miller: From non-roster invitee to closer in 2 months. : I still have my reservations regarding Shelby Miller. The team has mostly been forced into this situation by arm injuries to both A. J. Puk and Justin Martinez. So far, hes the best choice and it doesnt seem like it is particularly close. That said, the moment he starts to wobble, they need to be ready to yank him from the role and stick him back in lower leverage situations. It will be nice if/when Drey Jameson forces his way back onto the roster. Same for Bryce Jarvis, assuming he finds his stuff again. If Miller can remain solid through at least the All-Star Game, Arizona should have enough reinforcements available that Millers contributions can be viewed in almost as positive a light as his prior meltdowns - almost. DBacksEurope: He was excellent through April last season but then he wasnt. Just like his FIP showed in 2022 he is probably better suited as a long relief low-leverage arm but the Diamondbacks can try and see how long he holds :Three thoughts:This season, his fastball velocity and strikeouts per 9 are good enough to be an effective 75% Got-The-Job-Done with a 1. 74 average leverage index showed he can handle the an informal focus on D-back relieversagainst right-handed Shelby Millers strength as a closer is well shown by this season, his. 259 OPS against LHB is great, but his. 282 OPS against RHB stands out! Ben: Another time my answer and opinion changed based on the Sunday game. Last week, it was Suarezs four-homer game. This week, a blown save from Miller slightly dented my opinion and confidence in him, but hes still absolutely lights out overall. So far this season, Miller has essentially become a two-pitch pitcher with ~90% of his arsenal made up of his four-seamerand split-fingerfor Matt Mantei. But Mantei struggled and was replaced by BK, who got moved into the rotation in 2003 and was replaced by Mantei. Jose Valverde was excellent for a few years, but was getting too expensive and traded for a package including Chad Qualls. Then there was JJ Putz, the Heath Bell Experience, and then Fernando Rodney started the parade of proven closers Hazen has brought in, and none of them since Rodney have been any is kind of ironic that Mariano Rivera saved over 600 games and was the greatest closer in baseball for the first 16 years the Diamondbacks existed, and if you add the top ten save totals in franchise history together its still a smaller number than Rivera posted just in the time he overlapped with the D-backs, but hey, he didnt get that one save, that one Ketel Marte now back, do you see a route for Jordan Lawlar to make the roster this year?James: He has the same routes in front of him now that he did during the spring. Hes waiting for an injury or a trade of an everyday infield regular. There is also a non-zero chance he could find reps in left field. However, he is going to have to light AAA afire to force the issue. Otherwise, he is waiting until the late-season, quite possibly once rosters expand. Suarez is a far superior defensive third baseman and, despite his wild swings in productivity at the plate, hes a more reliable batthan Lawlar as well. If Lawlar comes up earlier than September, then either Suarez or Perdomo has suffered a long-term injury, or Lawlar has started to do his best Gunnar Henderson : Of course. Hampson isnt worth much so he will definitely enter the roster before August. Before Augustit seems that it will all depend on how Pavin and Suarez :His 1. 163 OPS in 29 AAA games adds visibility to promotion season in AAA he played second base, third base, shortstop, and in one game designated hitter. His promotion path to second base may be blocked by Tim Tawawill be his ticket to the : There are multiple paths, none of them good. He is a very good player. But its hardto argue that hes better than Marte, Perdomo, Suarez, Naylor, or Pavin Smith right now. The least uncomfortable path would be Suarez not breaking out after the four home run game, which could enable a re-shuffling of the infield. But Lawlar hasnt gotten much time at third, so sliding Perdomo or Marte there would be the most likely scenario, and Im not sure thats what we : Absolutely. Injuries are the obvious way. But Geno is bad this year again. One way or another I expect he concludes his rookie eligibility this year. What MLB teams over/underperformance has impressed/shocked you most?James: For the over, Ill take the Athletics of nowhere in particular Casey Kelly Jersey.

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