Major League Baseball

Gibson prepares Diamondbacks to aim even higher

Published Feb. 19, 2012 10:42 p.m. ET

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The Arizona Diamondbacks were a last-place team two years running entering spring training a year ago, with manager Kirk Gibson cracking the whip to create an attitude of winning.

The difference on Sunday was palpable, when pitchers and catchers reported. These are the NL West champions, and after a couple of offseason additions, they are aiming higher this year.

Gibson, the NL manager of the year after the D-backs' worst-to-first run, says ''success can be very dangerous,'' though,

''We have to kind of continue to do the same things we did last year, plus more,'' he said. ''What we did last year was good, but obviously it wasn't good enough. We have to get better. We're going to work on a lot of things we worked on last year, plus more. We're going to make sure that we have a team that doesn't complain about it - they cherish what we do again and we'll move forward from there.''

The Diamondbacks lost to Milwaukee in a division series that went the full five games, the Brewers winning the deciding contest 3-2 in 10 innings. The team won 94 regular-season games.

''To reflect on that is probably helpful in certain ways, but the thing you have to understand is it means nothing for this year,'' Gibson said. ''It gives you a starting point of confidence, but if you're going to sit there and say we're going to win because of last year - we had what, 48 come-from-behind wins? That's pretty special. Boy, if we could do that again we'd be in good shape. That's pretty hard to duplicate.''

Players were mostly absent on Sunday at the team's swanky Scottsdale facility. Some phoned in. Others have been around for days. The first workout is Monday.

''There's been several players out here working out for some time,'' Gibson said. ''Their actions certainly seem like they feel like they have unfinished business. We're way ahead of where we were last year as far as we talked about certain cultural changes. One of those things was our preparation and workout regimen and stuff like that. They're on target and on task with that, and some of the new guys that we picked up, they've been out there and they're seen that and they're starting to get on that program, too.''

Arizona's two biggest additions are pitcher Trevor Cahill and left fielder Jason Kubel.

Cahill, acquired in a trade with Oakland, was 12-14 with a 4.67 ERA last season. But two years ago with the A's, the young right-hander was 18-8 with a 2.97 ERA. The addition leaves the starting rotation seemingly set with Ian Kennedy (21-4, 2.88) at the top, followed by right-hander Daniel Hudson (16-12, 3.49), Cahill, righty Josh Collmenter (10-10, 3.38) and lefty Joe Saunders (12-13, 3.69).

Gibson noted Cahill has thrown more than 200 innings two of his first three seasons in the majors.

''He's been here a couple of weeks now,'' the manager said. ''I've watched him and he looks good. Again, on paper it seems like we'd be better. We'd be stronger, and everybody knows about the young kids together? We like where we are today.''

Waiting in the wings are young right-hander Trevor Brauer and left-hander Tyler Skaggs. Barring something unforeseen, they could start the season in the minors. But Gibson said that doesn't mean they, or others, won't be up to help the team later on. As examples, he pointed to Collmenter, reliever Bryan Shaw and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. All were minor leaguers who were called up last season and became important parts of the team.

The other major addition is Kubel, signed as a free agent by general manager Kevin Towers. Kubel has 104 career home runs. He hit .273 with 12 home runs for Minnesota in a season limited by injury to 99 games last year. With rising star Justin Upton in right, Chris Young at center and Gerardo Parra backing up all three positions, Gibson called the outfield one of the team's strengths.

Gibson vows to work hard on bunting, calling last year's performance in that area ''brutal.'' But he will ease up a bit, perhaps, in other areas.

''We won't have to spend more times on certain things as we did last year,'' he said, ''so hopefully I won't have to beat them down as much.''

Still, he wrote the players a letter saying it said: ''if they were in shape they'd have a tough spring, if they weren't in shape they'd have a tough spring.''

''They know that from last year,'' Gibson said, ''but for the new guys we'll have a ton of things that we do. We'll keep moving all the time, mentally and physically both. One of our goals is to get physically tougher, just like it was last year. We came a long way last year, but we need to do better.''

Shortstop Stephen Drew, recovering from a broken ankle and ligament damage, will do some baseball activity for the first time on Monday, Gibson said.

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