Last season for example, everybody thought that Boston would be great and Baltimore would be terrible – in reality, it was the complete opposite and skewed the so-called pre-season strength of schedule.

That being said, looking at the Diamondbacks’ 2013 schedule, the powers-that-be seemed to do no favors for the Snakes.

The D’backs face the entire NL East – a division notoriously difficult and only seems to be even more so in 2013 – and then the Rangers in interleague play.

Those six teams combined to average 85.5 games in 2012, equivalent to a .528 winning percentage. Those numbers are slightly dragged down by Toronto’s 73 wins and Boston’s 69 wins, who both should be improved in 2013 – especially Toronto with all of their big additions this offseason.

So, if the AL East is once again the best division in baseball, by a pretty wide margin, the D’backs will face at least four really good squads there. In addition, Texas is a possibility to falter with the off-season attrition in their roster, but it’s not a good bet, either.

Regardless, its a tough road to plow in 2013 in interleague play and those 20 difficult games, in which the D’backs would be happy going .500, could be the difference between a wild card spot and out of the playoffs.

Just something fun to look at with no real meaning towards what might happen in 2013 is the fact that the D’backs and Blue Jays have only played nine times before. The D’backs have a slight edge with five wins and four losses. In addition, the Diamondbacks best statistical record against any team is their 9-3 mark against the Orioles. That’s where the success in the NL East stops though as the D-backs are 5-7 verse the Sox, 4-8 against the Rays and a putrid 3-9 in contests with the Yanks.

And their 8-17 against the Rangers isn’t very good, either. A full list of the D’backs all-time records against the 29 other teams can be found here.

The biggest stretch of the D’backs schedule as it looks right now, is the final month of the season. The Snakes play 14 of their last 30 games against the Dodgers and Giants – seven games against each club – presumably, the two teams the D’backs will have to surpass to win the NL West. Series against the Blue Jays, Rockies, Padres and Nationals make up the remaining 16 contests in September.

Venom Strikes’ Thomas Lynch takes a broader look at the schedule here, in which he highlights some of the quirks in the D’backs schedule because of the interleague play.

D’Backs outfielder Justin Upton is on the trade block, but should the D’Backs move the two-time All-Star outfielder? Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

With the Winter Meetings coming to a close this week, some are surprised that Justin Upton is still a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The rumor mill was afloat this entire week with the names of possible destinations for the 25 year-old, two-time All-Star outfielder. Texas and Cleveland were the two teams who seemed to be linked the most with the D’Backs as the main components of a trade seemed to fit best with those two franchises (Upton, pitching, shortstop).

Arizona GM Kevin Towers has been steadfast in his refusal to discuss trade particulars, but has acknowledged that the Diamondbacks are listening to other teams in talks regarding Upton. This has been a non-secret since the last trade deadline. when Upton’s name was floating around in trade rumors.

There are a number of things that Kevin Towers has going for him in any possible trade negotiations regarding Upton.

First, Towers does not have to move Upton. He is locked up through the 2015 season. Upton really has no leverage, even if he wanted to leave. While Upton’s contract will make him difficult to trade down the road, he is a bargain next season. If he has the season’s that many think he will have as he moves into the prime of his career, his contract could make him downright affordable.  In 2012, Upton is due $6.75 million, in 2013 that jumps to $9.75 million and for the 2014-15 seasons he will make just over $14 million per season.

While the D’Backs would like an upgrade at shortstop, Upton does provide a proven bat in the middle of the lineup if he stays put. His defense could be better, but it is an effort issue versus a technique issue with Upton. If Manager Kirk Gibson can get Upton’s head screwed on straight, Upton could be an excellent defensive player.

Second, the D’Backs should be in no hurry to trade Upton. Arizona should not be desperate and be raked over the coals in any deal involving the right fielder. I do not think that an Upton-Cabrera swap with the Indians is equal in value and would require more from the Cleveland Indians to obtain the mercurial right fielder. The same can be said for an Upton-Andrus deal with the Texas Rangers. Both have been proposed as potential deals and while both strengthen the Arizona middle-infield, you lose a lot of offense inserting Gerardo Parra in right field every day and a lot of range defensively by inserting Jason Kubel in right field every day.

Asdrubal Cabrera is one of a multitude of trade targets that have been linked with Arizona this offseason. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

The bottom line is, the D’Backs should be in the driver seat on any of these negotiations for Upton. If they come across a deal that they feel that they cannot turn down, take it. But, be wary. This is a five-tool outfielder that they would be giving away and it could come back to haunt the franchise. The last thing the franchise wants to be known as is the franchise that gave away a guy that could be a potential future MVP of the league.

If they decide that they cannot find the right deal, the first thing they could do is stop shopping him and repair any harm that has been done to the relationship up to now. That will take some time, but it’s never to late to start to try to fix the ill will that has been created over the past two tumultuous seasons in Arizona.

Either way, the D’Backs do not need to move quickly on this. Patience is a virtue and it seems like after the Winter Meetings, that veteran GM Kevin Towers has quite a bit of that virtue stored away for this type of situation.

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Justin Upton in Pinstripes? Probably not but this is me in the role of GM. Image: Jennifer Stewart-US PRESSWIRE

Now that we are pretending to play general manager, here are three landing spots for Mr. Upton.

New York Yankees:  There is a potential opening in right field with Nick Swisher probably not back and perhaps Ichiro Suzuki as well.  Our cohort Joe F over at yanksgoyard proposed the Yanks get Upton for Catcher Gary Sanchez, 2B David Adams, SS Eduardo Nunez and RHP Brett Marshall.  It is a prety good deal when you consider that Sanchez is the Yanks’ #1 rated prospect according to mlb.com.  The problem is that the D’Backs are locked into Miguel Montero at catcher and Nunez, while an excellent hitter, is a butcher in the field.  A more realistic trade for Arizona would be Upton for starting pitcher Phil Hughes, lefty reliever Boone Logan and outfield prospect Tyler Austin.  Logan would be the lefty in the bullpen the team is seeking and Hughes would strengthen the rotation particularly if the team decides to start Tyler Skaggs and Trevor Bauer at Triple A Reno..  Austin is New York’s #3 rated prospect and can realistically start in right field in 2014.

Texas Rangers:  With super prospect Jurickson Profar making his MLB debut last season, rumors are swirling that the Rangers would be looking to deal shortstop Elvis Andrus. Right field seems to be locked up in Texas with Nelson Cruz but trading for Upton could be a hedge for the Rangers in case they lose Josh Hamilton.  Arizona’s primary every-day need is at shortstop and Andrus is still only 24 and signed through 2014.  A trade sending Upton to the Rangers for Andrus, outfielder Craig Gentry and lefty pitcher Martin Perez would fill needs for both teams.

Pittsburgh Pirates:  One does not normally associate the Bucs and the acquisition via trade of a big name player.  Pittsburgh could make an exception in this case for Upton as his contract calls for slightly less than $10 million this season before jumping over $14 million in 2014 and 2015.  An outfield combination of Upton in right and Andrew McCutchen in center would make for one fearsome duo.  The Pirates’ #3 rated prospect is shortstop Alen Hanson who is probably at least two seasons away but has the makings of a superstar. Recently added Cliff Pennington would have to hold down the fort for the D’Backs until Hanson is ready.  Also to be included for Arizona would be Garrett Jones who would be asked to return right field and left handed pitcher Justin Wilson, the Pirates’ #7 rated prospect in their system.

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