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D'backs spring training free of surprise

ASSOCIATED PRESS

TUCSON, Ariz.-With just one spot in the lineup uncertain and their five-man rotation set, the Arizona Diamondbacks begin their third spring training with little of the intrigue that surrounded their first two.

Two years ago, there was the excitement and freshness of an expansion team. Last spring, there was the influx of high-priced free agents and the realization that Arizona could contend for the playoffs.

This year, the Diamondbacks are the confident defending NL West champions. Barring injuries, the biggest questions this spring are who will play right field, how will Tony Womack do at shortstop and who will fill the right-handed setup role in the bullpen?

"We should be a lot further along than we were last year, that's for sure, " manager Buck Showalter said Wednesday as pitchers and catchers began filtering into the clubhouse.

They report for physicals Thursday night, with workouts to begin Friday. Position players report early next week.

Right field opened up with the decision to move Womack to shortstop.

Travis Lee, who lost his job at first base to Erubiel Durazo, is a candidate for Womack's old spot. Bernard Gilkey, on the final year of his contract, and David Dellucci, coming back from a serious wrist operation, also are in the mix.

"It's as open as it can be," Showalter said. "We're not counting Bernard Gilkey out. He's the one guy who has a track record of having done it. It's going to be very competitive. Anyone who's not ready to compete for it is making a mistake."

A likely scenario would have Lee or Dellucci, both left-handed hitters, going against right-handed pitchers with the right-handed Gilkey going against lefties.

Womack, a second baseman with Pittsburgh but moved to the outfield when he came to Arizona a year ago, played some shortstop late last season.

He did well enough that Showalter decided to shift him there.

"It was a way to get either Travis or Dellucci or Gilkey and Durazo in the lineup," Showalter said. "Durazo's the whole thing. With his emergence and hopefully Dellucci coming back, in order to get all those people in the lineup, we knew it would make us a lot better club if Tony can play shortstop. We'll see."

Arizona will keep a close watch on Todd Stottlemyre, whose partially torn rotator cuff is buried beneath a mass of muscle. The right-hander refused to have surgery, the normal treatment for his injury, opting instead for a rigorous weight-training program.

He came back to get Arizona's only victory in its first-round playoff loss to the New York Mets, but it remains to be seen how long the arm can hold up.

In the bullpen, the Diamondbacks will be looking at Russ Springer as a possible right-handed setup man to replace Gregg Olson, who left as a free agent and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Springer was with the Diamondbacks in their expansion year but pitched for Atlanta last season. He signed with Arizona as a free agent, an acquisition that became more important when Bobby Chouinard was charged with assaulting his wife and was released by the Diamondbacks at his request.

Arizona also has right-handed reliever Brad Clontz, obtained in a trade with Pittsburgh. Clontz filed for salary arbitration and the hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

When exhibition play begins in March, Showalter plans to start last year's NL Cy Young Award winner, Randy Johnson, in the first game, followed by Stottlemyre, Omar Daal, Armando Reynoso and Brian Anderson. Johnson, Daal and Anderson all are left-handers.