As Sam Sees It

The home opener for the Arizona Diamondbacks did not end the way the sell-out crowd would have hoped. The St. Louis Cardinals pounded starter Armando Reynoso and the relievers who followed him for 12 runs on their way to handing the D'Backs a 12-9 loss. For the first time, the team's Achilles heel made its appearance. Arizona is in trouble if the starters falter.

The second game of the series was another long contest in which the Arizona starter and subsequent relievers couldn't get the job done. The result was a second straight loss and more worries about an over-worked bullpen.

Not to worry, the "Big Unit" Randy Johnson was going on Sunday and he would get past the fifth inning. Right? As it turned out, he did, he just shouldn't have. Johnson gave up more earned runs than at any time in his National League career: nine in 5 2/3 innings. He should never have pitched in the sixth. Trailing 6-2 in the bottom of the fifth, Johnson struck out. He didn't have his good stuff and was being hit hard. The team needed to score and get back in the game. A pinch-hitter seemed the logical move.

Manager Bob Brenly knows the game of baseball and will make the right move more often than not. He didn't this time. He chose to "rest" his relievers and hope Johnson could somehow find his effectiveness and go another inning or two. It was not to be. Not only was the chance to score and get back in the game eschewed, but Johnson only got two more outs and the embarrassment of his most ineffective start in the league.

Baseball is a long season. There is plenty of time to make up the few games Arizona trails in the standings. The league leaders will probably change many times before the regular season draws to a close. There should be no panic in the front offices or among the fans. However, one of the weaknesses of this team has already been revealed in the lack of an effective bullpen. Another potential weakness has shown itself in the trouble the starters had in all of the Cardinals series and the last game of the Dodgers series.

With Todd Stottlemeyre and now Bobby Witt on the disabled list, the starter situation looms larger. There is reason to hope that Johnson's outing was a fluke and that he will return to form in his next start. Curt Schilling looks solid. Brian Anderson took his lumps at Los Angeles, but still should prove effective on most occasions. Reynoso is about as solid as you can expect from the fourth man in the rotation. Witt has yet to convince me and Stottlemeyre's retirement is almost as logical as is his return.

We read a lot about the financial difficulties of the team and how that could effect any effort to shore up team weaknesses. Frankly, I don't know much at all about the finances in Major League Baseball. However, we all know that pitching is the name of the game. You can win with a fairly weak team if your pitching is good enough. That should tell you where the spending priorities should be and which weaknesses most need addressing.

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