...and deservedly so. After claiming the World Series in 2001, the Diamondbacks made a run at another record two years later for the worst MLB record ever. They came just shy but a depleted budget and huge debts still paying for their Championship left little future for the team and an almost certain bleak future for many years to come.
But the D-backs had one asset... the best minor league and scouting system in the majors. To the untrained or inexperienced eye, such an attribute would be a wealth that could have been exploited during these financially difficult times and tie you over to the day, Schilling and Johnson are no longer being paid. But such a tactic is risky. A rookie brought up too early and left in too long can destroy his self-esteem and render him useless in future years (I think of a dog my family owned once named Reggie).
Enter Melvin, in 2006 he took the helm of an entirely mediocre Diamondbacks team with some veteran players who were all approaching the downslide of their careers at the same time. Melvin began a systematic rotation of players from the minors to the majors, beautifully orchestrated to not run the team out of options on the player and still feel out their durability.
In 2007, the D-backs were expected to hold their own but not be able to pull ahead of 3rd place in the NL West. Melvin began his dance during spring training inviting up a very young Micah Owings and position swapping a number of minor league outfielders. As 2007 continued, the D-backs would end up feilding the youngest team in the majors with Chris Young playing full time at center, Carlos Quentin and Upton trading out at left and Reynolds coming in for an injured Tracy. The D-backs ended up winning the NL West and touting the best record in the National League.
Melvin fielded a team that had no major league experince and should have flinched everytime the pitcher they faced dropped the rosen bag. Instead, Young hit over 30 homeruns and 5 hole pitcher Micah Owings posting a slugging percentage of .683. In the end, Melvin has taken a financially ruined team and positioned them to take the NL West next year and make them contenders for many years to come.
6 comments:
I got the scoop from blandlife... nice!
I find writing ports articles harder because they need you to look up stats or pretend like you know them off the top of your head.
Tech artiles come much more easier because there is no measurable statistics to supplamant your argument.
I agree... but did you have a stroke or something will you were writing that last comment? Sorry I don't speak Pidgin.
i was talking to some dude... and then I realized you cant change posts, or at least I dont know how.
yeah, talking to "some dude" makes me stupid too... that's okay, I realized I put "will" instead of "while". In any event, congrats to BoMel or whatever.
The more I read your post, the more I take issue with your statement "best minor league and scouting system in the majors" The Dbacks have benefitted from successive #1 or high draft picks, and I wouldn't be so quick to brag about Carlos Quentin or Lil'JD Drew. Upton is a monster, and Micah Owings will have a good career as a three or four starter, but are you really ready to go with Jackson, Drew and Reynolds in your lineup? I don't see teams lining up at the Dbax door to score a trade for your young players. Drew, CoJax and Quentin should already be considered flops, and don't be surprised when Reynolds finds out he is a 185 lb white boy.
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