Who knew I’d be rooting for Edwin Jackson again after his disappointing performance for the D-backs in his stint in Arizona? Image: Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE

I am betting that the Arizona Cardinals’ 4-0 start has distracted many Arizona fans from the disappointment of the D-backs’ season; but still, having a team, or individual players, to root for in the playoffs makes watching the playoffs sans the D-backs a tad more fun.

For me, I mostly root for NL teams once the D-backs are eliminated. I’m betting I’m not alone in that. So, who should D-backs fans root for out of the Giants, Reds, Cardinals, Nationals and Braves?

Obviously, the Giants are out. I mean, at least it’s not the Dodgers, but I can never bring myself to rooting for the Giants. I’d say the Cardinals are out. They won the series last year and I can’t imagine the hyperbole if they win again without Albert Pujols. So they’re out.

That leaves the Braves, Nationals and Reds. I could see rooting for the Braves. It is Chipper Jones’ swan song and it would be fun to see him make a run in his last year. But for me, I’ve also seen how the guy tweets (@RealCJ10), and I don’t want any of that in the World Series. Seriously, it’s like he has taken every single baseball cliché and smashed it into a single Twitter handle. I thought that was John Kruk’s job.

So that leaves the Reds and Nationals. I was having a hard time deciding between these two teams until I remembered Mat Latos pitched for the Reds. I  HATE that guy! Nats all the way! Okay, maybe that is purely personal feelings but I don’t care; because, if you DON’T hate that guy, you should!

Besides, the Nationals are just a fun story. They are built for a few years from now probably but their pitching is just way too good and it accelerated their time table. Yes, Stephen Strasburg is not pitching in the playoffs (how asinine is that?), but they still have Jordan Zimmerman, Gio Gonzalez and surprisingly effective Edwin Jackson.

It would just be fun to watch them make a run to the series. Especially if the Orioles provide the second-biggest shock of the season (besides them actually making the playoffs), and meet the Nationals in the World Series. Can you imagine the hysteria in that part of the country? That would just be too much fun to NOT root for it. So, hop on the Nationals bandwagon and get some of the NATitude. On second thought, don’t use the word NATitude. Please. Seriously, stop saying it!

Other guys to root for: Ryan Roberts with the Rays and Jarrod Parker and Ryan Clark of the A’s. Obviously, all three guys were Diamondbacks at one point and I would like to see all of them succeed in the postseason.

Feb 24, 2012; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks executive vice president and general manager Kevin Towers during spring training at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

With Spring Training games set to begin this weekend and the focus here at Venomstrikes is giving our readers opinions on the state of the Arizona Diamondbacks  and its players, perhaps it is time to shine a light on the Man Behind the Curtain, so to speak. That would be General Manager Kevin Towers hired by the D-Backs on September 22, 2010. While many of the parts were already in place for Arizona’s meteoric rise to the 2011 National League West Championship, there is no doubt that Towers added some ingrediants to the recipe.   D-Back fans should be comforted by the fact that there should be stability in Management for the foreseeable future.

Towers is best known for being the GM of the San Diego Padres from 1995 through the 2009 season. During that span, his teams won four NL West Championships as well as the 1998 National League pennant, only the organization’s second World Series appearance in its history. Two of his early Padre trades, the first for Greg Vaughn at the 1996 trading deadline (they later won the division) and for Kevin Brown in December 1997 directly led to the Padres reaching the World Series in 1998. His trades before and during the 2006 season for Adrian Gonzalez and Cla Meredith as well as the signing of Mike Piazza ensured the Padres of a second straight division title. Notable draft picks by Towers included Jake Peavy, Xavier Nady, Jason Bartlett and Mat Latos. His tenure as the Padres GM and the team’s performance during that time could arguably be called the most successful stint in club history. (Author’s note: Many thanks to http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/gm_trade_history/  for providing this information).

So how do we properly evaluate the reign of Towers so far as GM of the D-Backs? Justin Upton was drafted by Arizona while Towers was still in San Diego. Their best pitcher, Ian Kennedy, arrived in a 2010 trade with the New York Yankees  while Towers was an assistant to Brian Cashman. Josh Collmenter and Paul Goldschmidt were called up in 2011 but were drafted by former Arizona GM Josh Byrnes. Towers’s most important contribution for 2011 was remaking the bullpen starting with the signing of closer of J.J. Putz and the trade for David Hernandez. The in-season trade for Brad Ziegler added depth to an already strong area of the team. The deals for Lyle Overbay and Aaron Hill were wise moves as well, fortifying the infield. Maybe the biggest move of all was not for a player but deciding to keep Manager Kirk Gibson. Many times, new GM’s want to select their own guy but Towers chose wisely by leaving the skipper’s spot unchanged. Only time will tell if the signings during the Winter will pay off in 2012.

You can bet if the Diamondbacks are once again contenders in 2012 that their GM will make every sensible move possible at the deadline to ensure postseason success. I would feel very secure as an Arizona fan knowing Kevin Towers is calling the shots for my team.

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Dec. 10, 2011; Chandler, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy in attendance during LOORRS round 15 at Firebird International Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

It is here. Finally, FINALLY Spring Training has arrived.  And for the Arizona Diamondbacks and their fans, they have been waiting since the final out of the World Series  for this day to come.  Personal note:  I am equally thrilled not just because I am a rabid baseball fan.  I have had it with both New York football teams and their fans, Lin-sanity (the player is a blast, the media hype is a bore) and the soon-to be aired Academy Awards.      

Back to the D-Backs.  You have visions of Justin Upton launching balls to Mars.    Or, you are wondering how many fastballs Ian Kennedy will throw on his way to another mound masterpiece.   Perhaps you are waiting for the first back-hand stab at third by Ryan Roberts.  The old saying goes that every team thinks they have a shot once Spring Training starts.  Well, if you are an Arizona player or fan, how can you not be giddy KNOWING you have one of the best teams in the game?  The only real big question at this point is the health of Stephen Drew.  He missed a big chunk of 2011 and the team still won the National League West.   You can only imagine what the Diamondbacks will be like if he plays 140 games instead of 86.

I understand the division will be tough.  The San Francisco Giants boast Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, a devastating one-two punch at the top of the rotation.  The Los Angeles Dodgers finished 2011 strong and return Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw, perhaps the best player and pitcher, respectively in the division.  Carlos Gonzalez  and Troy Tulowitzki  when healthy, provide the Colorado Rockies  a top-notch duo in the middle of their lineup.    By trading Mat Latos, the San Diego Padres were able to add some useful pieces for both now and in the future.

No team in the West appears to be as complete as the Arizona Diamondbacks.  While the Giants may have better top line starters and Tulowitzki and Gonzalez may are better than any Diamondback twosome, no team can match the overall depth of Arizona.  Plus, the D-Back bullpen led by J.J. Putz, is stronger than all others in the division.   The countdown to Spring Training began in November.  The fun begins today.