The Arizona Diamondbacks are just one team in the NL West that has looked to improve itself in the off-season.  All the others have made moves to try to do the same.  Even after winning the division, there is always room for improvement.  Here is a look at the biggest additions and losses for each NL West team through this weekend.  I would suspect that some teams, even the Dbacks, are not done making moves yet.  We shall see.

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Not much has changed.  Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez is still Manny Ramirez the Dbacks killer.  He hit a home run in the fourth inning to break a 1-1 tie and it was all downhill from there.  Kennedy also gave up home runs to Dodgers third baseman Casey Blake and outfielder Matt Kemp.  Outfielder Andre Either added a shot off of reliever Esmerling Vasquez in the sixth. 

The Dbacks offense wasn’t as explosive as it was on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.  By the time the offense put together anything worth nothing, they were down 9-2 with time running out in the game.  Dbacks third baseman Mark Reynolds did manage a two-run homer in the seventh inning, his second of the season. 

The Dbacks are going to have to find some decent starting pitching if they are going to contend at all.  In seven games, really there have only been two quality starts, Dan Haren’s opening day start against the San Diego Padres, and Rodrigo Lopez’s gem on Friday night against the Pirates.  Edwin Jackson still gave up four runs and eight hits on Sunday and only won because of the offense.  The bullpen will be the bullpen.  Their struggles are well documented.  I was hoping it wouldn’t have to be documented as much this season with the promise of a decent starting rotation.  That is not happening right now.  The offense is the main reason the Dbacks see themselves at 4-3 and not 1-6 or 2-5. 

Scott Allen