Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Henry Blanco talks strategy with rookie pitcher Patrick Corbin during Corbin's MLB debut against the Miami Marlins Monday. Corbin went 5 2/3 innings to earn the win as the D-backs won 9-5. (Image: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE)

Corbin got plenty of support from the offense in the win getting two-run home runs from Cody Ransom and Justin Upton against Marlin starter, Mark Buehrle.  Beuhrle dropped to 1-4 on the year while Corbin improved to 1-0.  Corbin threw very well against the Marlins only allowing 3 runs in 5 2/3 innings of work, allowing eight hits, walking three, and striking out six.  The key play in the game came in the first inning when Corbin worked out of a jam by getting Omar Infante to ground into the inning-ending 1-2-3 double play with the bases loaded.

Corbin pitched well enough for the win, but it remains to be seen if he has staved off the Trevor Bauer talk.  Bauer was widely thought to have been the first Diamondback pitching prospect who would have been called up this season, but it was not to be.  Both pitchers were dominating Double-A ball with the Mobile Bay Bears.  Bauer has a 5-0 record with a 1.26 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP while Corbin was 2-0 with a 1.67 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP.

Corbin seemed to have luck on his side, being the only prospect who could have pitched with full rest on Monday in place of Collmenter.  Luck may not have been the only factor that played into the decision as fellow left-handers Joe Saunders and Wade Miley also dominated the Marlins during the series.  Corbin also has a little more experience and was the last pitching prospect sent down to the minors during spring training.

As long as Corbin continues to pitch well during his time with the parent club, he will stave off the calls for Bauer.  One thing is for certain, as long as Corbin does well and when Bauer comes up, the Diamondbacks will have a logjam in the starting rotation.  That is a pretty good problem to have if you ask me, but it will mean the Diamondbacks will either have to make room for Bauer by trading or moving another pitcher down.

I could see them moving Collmenter down to make room for Bauer or even moving Miley back to the bullpen if Hudson takes longer to recover from his injury.  The Bauer hype is reaching Stephen Strasburg levels and my only hope is Kevin Towers lets Bauer develop without rushing him up to sell tickets, but with the way Towers has handled this team, I say we are in good hands.

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Aug. 10, 2011; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero against the Houston Astros at Chase Field. The Diamondbacks defeated the Astros 8-5 in 10 innings. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

Throughout much of this offseason and now into the early days of Spring Training, the chatter has been centered on a selected list of topics. The Miami Marlins  garnered early headlines with their signings of Jose Reyes, Heath Bell  and Mark Buehrle.  There was the Los Angeles Angels  double barrel signing of Albert Pujols  and C.J. Wilson.   Who could forget the two month “Where will Prince Fielder  go”  saga before he finally landed with the Detroit Tigers?  People are excited about the foundations (with good reason) being built by the Kansas City Royals  and Washington Nationals.   Absent in all of the hoopla, save for a trade, was coverage for the team that won 94 games and the National League West,  the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Maybe manager Kirk Gibson  and players such as Justin Upton  prefer to fly under the radar.    However, for a team with such a young nucleus, a proven General Manager in Kevin Towers and a rising manager in Gibson, you would think there would be some more talk about the D-Backs.  They did bolster their rotation by acquiring Trevor Cahill  from the Oakland Athletics  but the bigger story was not about the Arizona acquiring Cahill but why Oakland traded him in the first place.  Other divisional foes have received more ink than the Diamondbacks.  Buster Posey’s  return to the San Francisco Giants  will be watched closely.   Just how good are Matt Kemp  and Clayton Kershaw of  the Los Angeles Dodgers?  One gets the feeling that (A)-many people still question the legitimacy of Arizona and/or (B)-the Phoenix market impedes more coverage of the team.  By that I mean, if this were Chicago or New York, there would be more buzz around them.

That’s OK, with the exception of the 2009 New York Yankees, the teams that make the biggest splash in the offseason usually don’t reach the World Series that year.  How many people last year at this time had the Boston Red Sox  and Philadelphia Phillies  playing in the World Series?  Let’s look at the Phillies.  They made the World Series in 2009 and traded for Roy Halladay.  They reached the National League Championship Series  in 2010 then signed Cliff Lee.   Last season, they were eliminated in the Divisional round.   In November, they signed Jonathan Papelbon.    Perhaps they miss the playoffs?  Now look at the Texas Rangers.   They reached the 2010 World Series and lost Cliff Lee.  Who would have thought they would be a strike away from a World Series Championship after that happened?

People will fall asleep again on the Arizona Diamondbacks because of all the news generated this Winter by other teams.  However when the calendar turns to October, don’t be surprised if all of the teams that made the biggest noise from November through February are home watching the D–Backs pouring champagne after wrapping up the National League pennant.