SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Pitcher Andrew Chafin is getting a feel for his facial hair. His Diamondbacks are figuring out a deep but untested assortment of arms vying for open starting positions.
Chafin is first up in the D-backs' opening spring training game Tuesday against Arizona State, and he comes into spring as a forgotten man, of sorts. The 24-year-old isn't one of the D-backs' top-100 prospects like Archie Bradley, Braden Shipley and Aaron Blair, nor he is one of the more proven members of the staff.
In spring training, Chafin's mustache has arguably gotten more mention than his chance to win a starting job. It's thick, as thick as the competition he finds himself in for a starting pitching job.
"I kind of bite it off, now and then. That's my version of trimming," Chafin said of his 'stache. "I feel like it's a quality mustache, so I figure I'd run with it, see how it plays out. I tried it a couple years ago, it wasn't very full. Now it's a little bit more full, and I'm taking it serious."
If we keep this metaphor between quality mustache and team building together, Arizona is likewise going to let its pitchers go. With so little practice time before the D-backs finds themselves in competition, manager Chip Hale expects rust from his pitching crew.
Chafin, for example, essentially enters the ASU game with only one live batting practice under his belt. The Kent State product, who the D-backs selected 43rd overall in the 2011 amateur draft, spent 2014 putting up a 1.96 ERA in nine outings with Double-A Mobile and a 5.34 ERA in 17 games with Triple-A Reno. The little time he saw in the majors was something in between. Arizona called Chafin up from the minors to start in three late-season games. He pitched 14 innings and went 0-1, giving up six earned runs, walking eight and striking out 10.
"We like his competitiveness," Hale said. "He's got good stuff. He's a left-handed pitcher and, left-handed pitchers, we need them. We know he's a type of kid, his competitiveness will really show through in his game."
With Patrick Corbin still recovering from Tommy John surgery, Chafin joins Vidal Nuno and Robbie Ray as the only left-handers in the starting pitching mix.
"Right now, I just want to stay healthy, basically give myself the best chance I have to go out and compete for a position," Chafin said. "Just going to go out and have fun with it, see what happens."
The same can be said of his mustache.
"I figure, why not?" Chafin said.
Chafin is expected to pitch two innings in Tuesday's game, with six other pitchers scheduled to take the mound.
Hale said the team will use a DH because he doesn't expect his starting pitchers to remain in the game long enough where they'll be up to bat.
Here it is. The first #Dbacks lineup of 2015. #DbacksVsDevils tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/rmAZOg70sD
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) March 2, 2015
"Until we get to three, four innings of (using) a starter pitching, there's no use of a pitcher hitting," he said. "Once we get to a certain point, we'll want to have the pitcher hit."
Jake Lamb will get the start at DH and hit fourth. Yasmany Tomas draws the first start at third base and will hit seventh.
The entire starting lineup is as follows:
The D-backs planned for rain over the last four days, and when it finally came Monday, it didn't cost them much preparation.
"We sort of had a contingent plan in place, and we were lucky to get everything we did the last four days," Hale said. "Today was a nice little rest for them."
Pitchers got their work in before the drizzle turned to rain at Salt River Fields. Position players practiced slides then got in a loose hitting competition before calling it an early day.
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