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Diamondbacks series preview: Tough series coming

By Joseph Jacquez
This D-backs Cubs tilt features two of the best first baseman in baseball: Anthony Rizzo and Paul Goldschmidt. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
This D-backs Cubs tilt features two of the best first baseman in baseball: Anthony Rizzo and Paul Goldschmidt. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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After losing two of three games to the Colorado Rockies, the Arizona Diamondbacks continue their homestand with four games against the team favored to win the World Series and break their 100 plus year curse, the Chicago Cubs.

If the Diamondbacks are going to contend in 2016, the rotation will have to be a lot better. Zack Greinke, Shelby Miller, and Patrick Corbin occupy the top three spots in the rotation for a reason: the team is supposed to win games when they start– especially against bad baseball teams.

All three starters simply left to many pitches in the middle of the plate, and the Rockies didn’t miss hitting ten home runs. One example of this:

Photo Courtesy: InsidetheZona
Photo Courtesy: InsidetheZona /
Photo Courtesy: Inside the Zona
Photo Courtesy: Inside the Zona /

Diamondbacks starters need to pitch lower in the zone or else the same results will occur against the Cubs.

Tale of the Tape:

2016 record: Diamondbacks (1-2), Cubs (2-0)

2015 record: Diamondbacks (79-83, 3rd in NL West), Cubs (97-65, 3rd in NL Central)

Spring Training Record: Diamondbacks (24-8), Cubs (11-19)

Offense in 2015: Diamondbacks (.264/.324/.414, 2nd in NL runs scored), Cubs (.244/.321/.398, 6th in NL runs scored)

Team ERA in 2015: Diamondbacks (4.04, 9th in NL), Rockies ( 3.36, 3rd in NL)

This series will match up arguably the two best first basemen in all of baseball: Anthony Rizzo and Paul Goldschmidt.

Goldschmidt had an 8.8 WAR last season– the second-best mark in the NL– while Rizzo was sixth with a 6.2 WAR. Both finished in the top ten in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, runs, and doubles. For the year, Rizzo hit .278, and Goldschmidt finished third in the race for the NL batting title hitting .321. Among qualified National League first basemen, Goldschmidt and Rizzo finished one and two respectively in home runs and RBI.

Goldschmidt finished second in NL MVP voting and Rizzo finished fourth– and both are leading contenders for the award this season. If the Cubs meet preseason expectations, Rizzo has a great chance to win.This matchup is going to fun for everybody to watch, and its not just because of their offensive prowess. Both field their position well also.

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