PHOENIX -- As usual, Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers was clear and concise about his offseason plans. Add a power bat. Tweak the bullpen. Create a more aggressive mind-set on the pitching staff. If only the leaders in Washington were as direct and committed. The new bat -- and with Towers' track record, you know it will arrive -- will most likely come from the outside, and the bullpen changes from within. But a staff remodeling appears to be first on his list, so let's start there, although nothing is likely to happen until the middle of the month. On his radio show Tuesday, manager Kirk Gibson did not rule out coaching changes. Gibson said he wanted veteran bench coach Alan Trammell to return, "of course," but tempered that by saying, "You have to sit back sometimes and you have to look at what's best for the team as you move forward," he told KTAR. "There's so many things you have to take into consideration." Gibson and Trammell spent 12 years together as players with Detroit, and Gibson was bench coach when Trammell managed the Tigers from 2003-05. One possibility could be shifting Trammell to a different role -- an opening could occur if third base coach Matt Williams leaves for a managerial job -- while bringing in a bench coach with a different set of experiences to augment Gibson. Pitching coach Charles Nagy seems less secure. The D-backs last season gave up a National League-high 176 home runs (four teams in the nine-hitter AL gave up more) and led the league with 29 blown saves. Towers made it a point in his postseason wrap to say he wants his staff to challenge opposing hitters inside, a strategy that should lead to less comfortable at-bats and fewer home runs.
"I'm not going to get into anyone's names specifically," Gibson said on the radio regarding Nagy, who joined the staff with Trammell, Williams and hitting coach Don Baylor in 2011. "We've evaluated them all. We will continue to evaluate them." The big bat is likely to come on the trade market, Towers indicated Sunday, and it could be a third baseman or corner outfielder. First base is covered. Gerardo Parra seems set in right field, but if the D-backs believe they could slide him into center, that would open both corner outfield spots for consideration. It should be fun to watch, because this is what Towers does best, spin good pieces into better ones. If he wants to aim high, Miami's Giancarlo Stanton is the biggest name out there, although the Marlins are making noises that suggest Stanton will not be moved. The Marlins control Stanton through 2016. He could command as much as $7 million in arbitration this winter and 150 percent of that the next, but Miami maintains that is within budget. The Marlins could use a third baseman. It never hurts to kick the tires, and the D-backs have pieces to offer. Colorado has listened on Carlos Gonzalez before, but he, too, appears untouchable, on both sides. He is owed $63.5 million over the next four years, a steep price even for a team that could up its payroll in 2014. The Rockies badly need starting pitching, but the D-backs have said no to all offers on 98 mph right-hander Archie Bradley, the jewel of their system. Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager could be an interesting name. The D-backs and Mariners have had ongoing dialogue the last two offseasons, mostly centering on Justin Upton, who used his no-trade provision to veto a trade there last winter, and they know each other well. The D-backs have young infielders Chris Owings and Matt Davidson as possible trade pieces, as well as young starters and relievers. The Mariners struggled in the bullpen this season. They got good mileage out of shortstop Brad Miller, but there could be a match. Seager, who had 22 homers last year, is controllable for four years. With Martin Prado able to play left field, third base and second base, the D-backs have lots of flexibility in what they can consider.
Outfielder Mike Morse, third baseman Chase Headley, outfielder Curtis Granderson and outfielder Nelson Cruz have expiring contracts and will be free agents, but the price and contract-length commitments on all but Morse would be very high. The D-backs have the pieces in place inside the organization for a fix, Towers indicated. It is just a matter of finding the right fit. J.J. Putz threw the ball well in non-save situations after he returned from his midseason elbow injury, and he expects to be the closer in 2014. He was back up to 93-94 mph late in the season, the velocity needed to make his split-finger pitch most effective. He plans to alter his spring-training routine to throw in game situations rather on a back field or simply in a bullpen session. Sidearmer Brad Ziegler joked that he does not fit most perceived notions of a closer because of his high-80s fastball and off-speed arsenal, but he showed that he can function well there. David Hernandez pitched like himself the final month, and those three could form the back end of the pen in some order. It remains to be seen what will happen with Heath Bell, who gave up 12 homers. The D-backs owe him about $5 million next season, with the Marlins also picking up some of his contract. Matt Stites, who hits 98 mph on the radar gun, was a key piece in the Ian Kennedy deadline deal July 31, and he could be a fit. So could 2012 third-round draft pick Jake Barrett, a former Desert Ridge High and ASU right-hander who also hits the high 90s. Both will get long looks. The D-backs believed Joe Thatcher, another component of the Kennedy trade, would address the need for a situational left-hander, but he was not as his best after the deal. He had a 6.75 ERA in 22 short appearances -- 9 1/3 innings -- with the D-backs, but his resume indicates that was an outlier. Rookie Eury De La Rosa was generally effective with his four-pitch mix. Follow Jack Magruder on Twitter
