Is Rain the Only Thing That Can Slow Down Arizona?

Looking across the harbor today at a brisk, breezy, cloudy downtown San Diego, I see the majestic stadium lights of Petco Park shining brightly for a day game. An unusual sight indeed. Rain has made it's way into the forecast and is likely the only thing that can stop the Arizona Diamondbacks from beating up on the San Diego Padres.

Yesterday, a sore thumb kept Justin Upton out of the line-up. No bother, Paul Goldschmidt and Chris Young picked up the slack. Young had the game winning 2-run home run in the top of the 11th to keep the D'Backs perfect season in tact.

Today, with arguably the D'Backs worst (yet most veteran) pitcher on the hill, there is a chance this game is postponed. And looking at the weather forecast for tomorrow, more rain is expected. So with 2 games to be played in the next two days and rain possible for both, what will the outcome be?

Part of me hopes for a double-header tomorrow as I already have tickets to the night game and have never attended a double-header. Another part of me says let's just get these games in because the D'Backs are Sedona-Red hot. I mean really, is Corey Luebke going to be able to shut down this Arizona line-up? Doubtful. Anthony Bass on Thursday? Who? And Thursday's game would be against Ian Kennedy. No chance there for the Friars. So rain, rain, go away, come back another day, when the D'Backs leave Padres. 6-0 baby.

As a side note, I've finally realized what my mind does when ever I hear and or see the name Corey Luebke. First let me preface this by saying, much like the grey skies of SD today, you are entering my brain, which can be a dark, mysterious place. So with that being said, Luebke. Whenever I see it, I think brakes, cars, struts, suspension, etc., and I just went to google a few keywords to try to answer why. See, it is a combination of Jiffy Lube and Meineke. Get it, Lube-ke?

I warned you.

162 to Go: MLB Opening Day

Well, kids, baseball is officially here. We won’t talk too much about Opening Day for two reasons. 1) Technically it’s already occurred. In Japan. Lame. Although we here at WSCdto like that the Seattle Mariners and Oakland A’s were involved. 2) The other Opening Day, yes there were two, is tonight and there are no West Coast teams playing. Double lame. I will say this though… on paper, the Miami Marlins have quite the line-up.

So the 2012 Cactus League has officially closed it’s books, doors, stadiums, work out facilities, etc all. Sigh. I’ll have to wait until next year to enjoy one of my favorite past-times. I had a good run though with plenty of fun and highlights. My favorite moments was probably Yu Darvish’s 6 inning, 11K performance yesterday. At that pace he’s going to have about 600 strikeouts this season. That would be a record.

What I’m looking forward to over the next 2 days:

Los Angeles Dodgers v San Diego Padres – Cy Young Clayton Kershaw and Matt Kemp versus the SD’s newest pitcher Edison Volquez. One thing I know for sure, take the under. Petco Park + 2 quality pitchers + one anemic offense + another one with question marks = low score. Or not. Either way.

San Diego State’s Stephen Strasburg versus Theo, Jed and the new look Cubs. (BTW, the Nationals are my upset pick to make the playoffs this year. Yeah, I know I’m not the only one.)

San Francisco Giants v Arizona Diamondbacks. Lincecum v Kennedy. Can we just fast forward to September and play this one for the NL West title?

Rockies v Astros. I kid. But really? This is one of your Opening Day matchups? What a joke. If ever there was a case for MLB contraction this is it. Yes I know they are realigning. No that won’t fix the problem.

Seattle Mariners v Oakland A’s. Where have I seen this before?

KC Royals v Los Angeles Angels. Believe it or not, this could shape up to be the best Opening Series. Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Billy Butler, Alex Gordon and the young up-start Royals versus Pujols, Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and C.J. Wilson.

Settle in. Your team has got 162 to go.

Game 2: D'Backs v Cubs

"Welcome to the quietest stadium in America." - Salt River Fields, beer vendor

Today was my first visit to Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. I arrived at the Stick around 12:30pm, just in time to see the players running and stretching along the side lines. Also, it turned out, just in time to watch them throw some game at all the pretty ladies along the foul lines.

I must admit, I was a little disappointed. On my drive over, I was so excited about seeing the new stadium, I could hardly contain myself. Hence, why I arrived early. I gotta say though, I just wasn't feeling it. It's nice, don't get me wrong. And it's big. It just doesn't have the character and feel of Scottsdale Stadium, Hohokam or Phoenix Muni. Also, note to the concessions stands, more jalapenos and cheese, less chips.

Sigh. The things I have to deal with.

Anyway, good game. Ian Kennedy dominated. J-Up, Justin Upton, tore the cover off the ball twice and had two doubles. Paul Goldschmidt hit a mammoth home run to straight away center field that I'm saying went at least 440 feet. Miguel Montero almost knocked the wall down in right field with the world's longest single and aside from Ian Stewart and his mac-central status, the Cubs looked pretty much uninspired.

Not that I expect much from the Cubs this year anyway. The D'Backs on the other hand, look like serious contenders.

Cactus League Spring Training Preview: Arizona Diamondbacks

Here at WestSide Culture, we like to save the best for last. So, our final Cactus League Spring Training Preview will be the Arizona Diamondbacks. Last year, the D'Backs came from nowhere, pulling the worst-to-first rabbit out of their 59FIFTY caps. This year Los Diamondbacks have el gigante target (yo no se the spanish word for "target") on their backs.

Arizona's pitching staff is stacked like the dishes in my sink. Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson, Trevor Cahill, Josh Collmenter have all proven themselves at the big league level to be very, very good. Kennedy was in the running for the NL Cy Young a season ago. His record of 21-4 with a 2.88 ERA is downright disgusting. Others to watch on the AZ staff are prospects Tyler Skaggs and Trevor Bauer, who apparently has 9 big league pitches. Both feature top-notch, ace like stuff. Joe Saunders will eat up innings, probably some doughnuts, too. The bullpen is lights out with David Hernandez and closer J.J. Putz.

Any excuse I have to show Kate Upton playing baseball, I'll use.Expect the D'Backs offense, which finished 2011 ranked 9th overall in runs scored, to be even more powerful this year. Justin Upton (not to be mistaken for Kate 'meow' Upton) is an MVP candidate. J.D. Drew will be back from an injury which forced him to miss much of 2011. His bat, along with new D'Back Jason Kubel's stick, give the Snakes serious venom.  

NL Manager of the Year, Kirk Gibson, promises his team will remain hungry. I say, "If hungry is what they need, than let them fast." D'Backs win over 95 games and repeat as NL West Champs.

Bet on it. Just don't blame me if you roll Snake eyes. 

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D'Backs Strong Arming the NL West

MLB.com recently came out with a list of the top 100 prospects in all of baseball. The Arizona Diamondbacks have 3 of the top 21 best prospects and they all are pitchers. It would have been 4 in the top 25, but the D'Backs traded away their best prospect, Jarrod Parker. Parker, the #8 overall prospect, was sent to Oakland in exchange for the former ace of the A's staff, Trevor Cahill.

The top prospects in the D'Backs organization are as follows: Trevor Bauer (#9 overall in MLB), Archie Bradley (#20 overall) and Tyler Skaggs (#21 overall). Add them to the mix with dominating righties Ian Kennedy, Trevor Cahill, Josh Collmenter and Daniel Hudson and you begin to see why the D'Backs are becoming known for their pitching.

Bauer's delivery, like Collmenter's, is all kinds of funky. The D'backs won't change a thing.Trevor Bauer is from North Hollywood, CA and went to UCLA. The D'Backs drafted him with the #3 overall pick in the 2011 MLB draft and he has a very good chance of making the big league club this season. Find out more about him on twitter @baueroutage.

Tyler Skaggs is from Santa Monica, CA and was originally drafted by the Angels. Skaggs along with Joe Saunders were sent to Arizona in exchange for Dan Haren. Skaggs started the 2011 All-Star Futures game in Phoenix, along with Paul Goldschmidt. Follow him on twitter @TylerSkaggs23.

Archie Bradley was drafted with the #7 overall pick in the 2011 MLB draft, which along with Bauer, gave the D'Backs two of the top 7 overall picks. Bradley is all kinds of nasty and is big. He throws 98-99 MPH and check out this breaking ball. Unlike Skaggs and Bauer, he is just 19 and not quite major league ready. Bradley's twitter handle is @archiebradley7.

These 3 players legitimately give the D'Backs 6 potenital aces, including Cahill, Kennedy and Hudson. Provided they all can stay healthy and the prospects live up to projections, Arizona has an incredible front line of arms, unmatched by the rest of the NL West.