Major League Baseball

With Branyan, Diamondbacks have 3-way race at 1B

Published Feb. 24, 2011 12:34 a.m. ET

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One of the biggest questions to be answered this spring for the Arizona Diamondbacks is, 'Who's on first?'

The arrival of Russell Branyan makes the competition at least a three-man race, giving the club a veteran option to youngsters Brandon Allen and Juan Miranda.

Manager Kirk Gibson calls the competition ''wide open'' and indicated no decision on an everyday player at first will be made until the season begins, and perhaps not even then if he opts to go for some sort of platoon system.

''It's too early to even think about that,'' Gibson said. ''We've got a lot of first basemen. That's going to take some time to iron out for sure.''

The position is open because the organization decided not to try to re-sign Adam LaRoche.

Initially, that seemed to clear the way for the 25-year-old Allen, who had worked his way through the minors after, at age 18, he was chosen by the Chicago White Sox in the fifth round of the 2004 draft.

But last November, the Diamondbacks sent 19-year-old pitching prospect Scott Allen to the New York Yankees for Miranda, a 27-year-old left-handed hitting first baseman from Cuba who appeared in 33 games with the big league club last season.

Then last week, general manager Kevin Towers made Branyan the latest of a long list of older players added to the Arizona clubhouse. The 35-year-old slugger signed a minor league deal and is a non-roster invitee.

''I still think I've got something left in the tank,'' Branyan said. ''I'm 35 years old. I feel great. ... Having an opportunity to possibly play every day or fit into a platoon situation and stay fresh, I think that's the big thing.''

Allen has played in 54 major league games, Miranda 46, Branyan 991.

Branyan said he appreciates Towers' efforts to add experience in the team's clubhouse.

''I think it definitely needs it, every team needs it, especially when you're trying to bring along younger players,'' Branyan said. ''And sometimes the younger players that you have your eye on, they may not be what you need them to be that year. They may be a year or two away, so I think it's always nice to have that veteran presence, that guy that's been there, that guy that's paid his dues, been through the league and has the experience.''

Branyan has a .234 average with 189 home runs for eight teams in 13 seasons. Just two years ago, he played in 116 games for Seattle, batting .251 with 31 home runs and 71 RBIs, both career highs. Last season, splitting time with Cleveland and Seattle, he hit .237 with 25 homers and 57 RBIs.

Allen insists he does not mind the team adding not one, but two players to compete with him for the first base job. He said he feels no sense of entitlement to the position.

''I don't feel that way at all,'' Allen said. ''I feel like everybody has a fair shot and the best performer will get the job. That's baseball. Nobody has it set in stone.''

The Diamondbacks acquired Allen from the White Sox in 2009 for reliever Tony Pena. Allen hit .298 that season with 20 home runs and 70 RBIs for Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte and Reno. Last year with Reno, Allen hit .267 with 25 home runs and 86 RBIs.

But his brief exposure to major league pitching has been difficult. In 2009 with the Diamondbacks, Allen hit .202 with four home runs, 14 RBIs and a whopping 40 strikeouts in 104 at bats. Last season, the average improved to .267 but he fanned 20 times in 45 at bats.

Miranda came as a left-handed option to the right-handed hitting Allen.

He defected from Cuba in 2004 and signed a four-year, $2 million contract with the Yankees in December 2006. Miranda appeared in 33 games with the Yankees last season, batting just .219 with three home runs, 10 RBIs and 12 strikeouts in 64 at bats.

Miranda's numbers were far more impressive with Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, where from 2008 through 2010 he hit .287 with 46 homers and 177 RBIs. He has been exemplary in the field, with a .991 fielding percentage in his four minor league seasons. He committed four errors in 508 chances with Wilkes-Barre last season.

With teammate Armando Galarraga serving as interpreter, Miranda also said he had no problem with additional competition.

''I just came here to work hard,'' Miranda said. ''I never thought 'Oh, the job is mine.' I just thought there was more opportunity to play here. I'm just looking for the opportunity.''

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