Footprints in the Snow: Diamondbacks

Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.

Since the moment they were swept out of the 2007 NLCS, the Diamondbacks have been waiting. Waiting on their impressive collection of young talent. Waiting on their dynamic rotation duo of Dan Haren and Brandon Webb to deliver a playoff spot. Waiting for everything to come together.

It hasn't happened yet. Arizona was passed by the Dodgers in late 2008 after holding the NL West lead for much of the season. Then, this past year -- one filled with calamity, including a major shoulder injury to Webb that limited him to one start -- saw the Diamondbacks dip all the way to last place.

Arizona is still waiting. There is still promising young talent on hand, including the terrific Justin Upton. There is still hope. It's just tempered by all the work that needs to be done to get the Diamondbacks back in contention.

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Who Might Leave

Doug Davis, LHP; Scott Schoeneweis, LHP; Chad Tracy, IF; Daniel Cabrera, RHP; Tom Gordon, RHP; Chris Snyder, C; Eric Byrnes OF

Shopping List

For a last-place team, the Diamondbacks don't actually need a whole lot of pieces, but the pieces they do get will be critical to their hopes of contending next year.

Offensively, the right side of the infield could use work. Arizona needs reliable options at first and second base (assuming Conor Jackson, who should be ready to go this spring, sticks in left field). There are a number of decent first base options out there -- Nick Johnson, anyone? -- and the second base market isn't bad either, with two of the top free agents there -- Felipe Lopez and Orlando Hudson -- already familiar with the club.

The Diamondbacks may not have the money to fill both holes on the free-agent market and take care of their primary need -- pitching -- but at least they'll have options.

About that pitching. With Doug Davis departing and Webb coming off a major injury, Arizona could use reliable rotation-filler, even if the club thinks about putting the recently acquired Aaron Heilman in the rotation. The good news is with Haren and Webb on hand, the D'backs don't need a top-of-the-rotation arm, just a guy who can eat innings. There's a paucity of elite starting talent on the market, and Arizona probably couldn't afford a guy like John Lackey anyway.

Money Matters

Like many clubs, the Diamondbacks are looking to shed payroll. Arizona has been looking to move Eric Byrnes, who is in the final year of a regrettable three-year, $30 million deal, for the better part of two years and is certain to try again this winter. It has also put catcher Chris Snyder squarely on the block, nearly trading him to Toronto at the outset of the offseason.

Look for the D'backs to get creative as they try to move money around. Their coffers are not deep, and they have holes to fill on the roster and younger players already on it who are due raises or merit long-term extensions. Stephen Drew is in his first year of arbitration and Conor Jackson is in his second, while Justin Upton and Mark Reynolds are a year away from arbitration eligibility themselves.

Can they pay all four on a limited budget going forward? Unless they are able to clear significant payroll, probably not. A guy like Drew might have to be sacrificed in trade so the club can take care of a special talent like Upton and keep him in Arizona for years to come.

Offseason Goals

The Diamondbacks are one of the more intriguing clubs to watch this winter. They have special talent in guys like Haren, Upton and Reynolds -- players that, surrounded by average talent elsewhere, could make Arizona contenders all by themselves. Of course, the club isn't that complete. That's why it struggled last year and why there is work to be done by general manager Josh Byrnes this winter. Byrnes will have to get creative to turn the Diamondbacks into a first-division team, and he should. It'd be a waste for them not to be contending with unheralded, but outstanding talent like Haren and Upton around.