Arizona Diamondbacks: Bullpen Needs to Come into Focus

The bullpen of the Arizona Diamondbacks is far from settled.

Any successful team must have a stellar bullpen, but that essential component may be difficult for the Arizona Diamondbacks to field.

Instead of letting players with limited experience grow and transverse through “the process,” Arizona general manager Mike Hazen has chosen to go another route. In signing veteran closer Fernando Rodney in the off-season, the plan is to go with a short-term solution. While Hazen had the option to easing Jake Barrett, Enrique Burgos, and possibility others into the mix, the plan now is to rely on Rodney.

If Rodney is in his prime and saving over 40 games per season, that would be a wise course. The two negatives against Rodney, who will be 40-years-old on March 18, is his age and durability. For his 14-year major career with seven teams, Rodney recorded 261 saves. He reached a career-best, and American League-best in 2014 with 48 saves with the Rays.

For a team to remain competitive in their division race, a closer should save between 40 and 48 games. That number can be flexible, but anything over 40 seems pretty much mandatory. Should Rodney go down with an injury which will put him on the DL for any considerable amount of time, Hazen could be forced to go with Barrett, Burgos or scan the waiver wire.

If the Diamondbacks are rolling the dice about their closer, the same can be said for the middle relievers. After two two commendable seasons in a set-up role and following two Tommy John surgeries on his right elbow, Daniel Hudson was not offered a 2017 contract. Instead, the native of Virginia Beach, Va. signed a two-year with the Pirates for a reported $11 million.