Gerardo Parra and the D’backs are looking to improve on their base running in 2013. (US Presswire – Charles LeClaire)

Eric Young is gone as the team’s first base coach and primary “go-to-guy”regarding all things baserunning. It happens quite frequently, a player’s own success in the major leagues does not always indicate that player will become a great coach, leader or motivator. Young enjoyed significant success in baseball as a supreme stolen base threat within his 15 year career totalling 465 stolen bases while playing for 7 teams. As it goes for some of sports best, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Magic Johnson, some of sports biggest and most talented names ever, found it tough to teach and coach what they did in their careers.

The D’backs struggled on the base paths in 2012 making mental mistake after mental mistake and at times, ran themselves out of innings and out of opportunities. The organization has hope that a coaching change will be a step in the direction of improvement for 2013. The team hired another career stolen base threat in Steve Sax with hopes to improve the teams running game. Sax complied 444 stolen bases in his 14 year career and looks to play a pivotal role in eliminating some of the issues Arizona faced last year on the basepaths. Let’s hope Sax’s approach resonates with the current D’backs roster and that the team sees growth in 2013.

With the team assembled as is, improvement in this crucial facet of the game is imperative. With the recent changes and new faces, it appears the organization has identified this as an area of improvment and is taking action to improve.

D’backs Kirk Gibson went to the bullpen with Eric Young, who was let go by the D’backs. Image: Jennifer Stewart-US PRESSWIRE

The Arizona Diamondbacks will be looking to fill two coaching positions before the start of next season.

Even after a disappointing 2012 season, the D’backs brass felt comfortable with bringing most of the veteran coaching staff back. However, Eric Young, the first base coach, was released from his duties.

The firing of Young should not be much of a surprise. Many noted during the season that Kirk Gibson leaned on Young to control the running game. Well, that running game faltered. The D’backs stole 93 bases, which left the team ranked 23^rd in the league. But that wasn’t the big problem. The D’backs also were caught stealing 51 times – only the Pirates were caught more with 52. That 65% stolen base percentage was also second to last. The team also ran into outs on the basepaths with over-aggressive running.

Gibson should have put a stop to it at some point in the season but never did. Maybe that cost Young his job. Whatever the reason, the D’backs will have to improve in that area next season.

In addition, the D’backs have added another coaching position – an assistant hitting coach that will work under current hitting coach Don Baylor.

A few teams have added this position recently – the Cardinals for example – and it seems to be a growing trend. Perhaps the D’backs thought Baylor could use the help after a season that saw star Justin Upton struggle for five months.

March 21, 2012; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Aaron Hill (top) turns a double play while avoiding Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks (23) in the fourth inning at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-US PRESSWIRE

So I am about six weeks into my gig as a staff writer for Venomstrikes covering the Arizona Diamondbacks.  I have to say it has been a lot of fun following a team that is not from New York, particularly a team that calls Phoenix home.  It is an easy way to make winter go by quicker knowing every day you get an update from an area where the daytime temperature hits 60 degrees and higher.  Why am I bothering to tell you all of this when you want some actual team news and insights?  I feel as though something needs to get off my chest.  Please allow me this opportunity to do it today.

While I am a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, I don’t feel quite the same about them ever since the real Yankee Stadium was laid to rest at the end of the 2008 season.   This is not to say I am a full-fledged D-Back fan now.   I have been to Phoenix (Scottsdale, actually) once in my life and that was in November.   I won’t speak for fellow Venomstrikes writer Christopher Czar but I can tell you that if Arizona was to win the World Series, there is no way I can celebrate their success like a normal Diamondbacks’ fan.  I have been covering the team since February; how can I be considered a real fan by celebrating a World Series title without having to endure the mess of the 2009 and 2010 seasons?  Day One D-Back fans and Venomstrikes writers Tyler Roberts and J. Levi Burnfin would have every right to have me thrown off the staff.   Plus, while my Yankee feelings have cooled a bit, how can I forget the ending of the 2001 World Series?   That loss hurt as badly as any I have had as a fan.  Perhaps the only other game that hurt as much as that Game 7 is St. John’s losing to Ohio St. in the Elite Eight during the 1999 NCAA Tournament.   

It will be easy for me to start cheering for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012.  Besides all of the young and exciting talent they offer, their coaching staff reminds me of fond childhood memories watching as much baseball as I possibly could.  Kirk Gibson, Don Baylor  and Alan Trammell were big stars in the 1980’s and Matt Williams, Charles Nagy  and Eric Young  were standout players the following decade.   While I may not buy D-Back pillow cases just yet, I am finding that the more I write about them, the more I like them.

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