Stephen Drew was supposed to be the next big thing for the Arizona Diamondbacks but things don’t always work out the way teams hope. In 2011, Drew only played in 86 games, finishing with a .252 average, five home runs and 45 RBIs. Now, he is questionable for Spring Training in 2012.

The big injury took place on July 20 while Drew was sliding into home plate. The break to the ankle was nasty and it was obvious that the shortstops season was over with. Drew underwent ankle surgery in July and doctors have not yet cleared him to play. He also underwent hernia surgery in the offseason. The ankle is a bigger concern but both medical procedures make him questionable when it comes to rebounding from his down year in 2011.

In 2006, the Diamondbacks thought they had a superstar on their hands. Shortstop is already a weak position in Major League Baseball and when a team finds a keeper, they have someone to treasure. In his first season in Arizona, he finished with a .316 batting average, five home runs and 23 RBIs.

It was the only year he finished over .300.

In his first season as a full-time starter, Drew finished up with a .238 average and an ugly .370 slugging percentage. He did hit 12 home runs and 60 RBIs but those did not discount from his disappointing season.

He rebounded the next season with career high numbers for a full season, including a .291 average, 21 homers and 67 RBIs. It looked like he was finally turning things around. He never hit those levels again and has a .270 lifetime average.

One thing that hurts Drew as he prepares to return was the play of Willie Bloomquist after his injury. The veteran came in and hit .266, his best batting average since 2008, with four home runs and 26 RBIs. They are not huge numbers but he also scored 44 runs and helped Arizona make it to the World Series. He also stole 20 bases, a tool that Drew never held.

Bloomquist is not the future at the position and the Diamondbacks still believe that Drew is. However, with Bloomquist on the roster, Arizona does not have to rush Drew back from his injury. It looks like he might not be ready for Opening Day, and if he misses that, it is okay.

Stephen Drew will be back. Whether he can ever be the star Arizona hoped he could be is another story.

Source: MLB.COM

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CARACAS, Venezuela, Dec. 30 (UPI) — Melvin Mora, who was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks in June, announced in Venezuela his retirement from Major League Baseball.

Mora, who was released from the Diamondbacks after hitting .228 in 127 at-bats and had earlier said he would return to baseball if the right opportunity presented itself, said while visiting his home country Thursday he will not be returning to the sport, The Baltimore Sun reported Friday.

Mora, 39, was traded to the Baltimore Orioles by the New York Mets in July 2000 and spent 1,256 of his 1,556 career games with the team, making two all-star teams and winning a Silver Slugger award and Most Valuable Oriole honors during his tenure with the team. He left the Orioles as a free agent following the 2009 season.

By Ryan Bafaloukos

– Intern

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Dec 29, 2011 – With 2011 quickly coming to an end SB Nation Arizona has decided to give out its first ever 2011 End of the year Awards or EOYAFSBNA’s for short. Over the next four days we will be giving out awards for the best of the best in Arizona Sports in the year 20111. First up is Arizona Coach of the Year.

The Choice: Kirk Gibson: Manager, Arizona Diamondbacks- Although there were plenty of outstanding coaching jobs done all over the state of Arizona in 2011, Gibby takes the cake.

In his first full season as the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Gibson went 94-68 and led the Diamondbacks to the NL West Division Title. Gibson led the snakes back to the postseason for the first time since 2007 and Arizona was one win away from advancing to the NLCS.

Gibson took a team that had been underachieving the past three years and got the best out of them. When their shortstop, Stephen Drew, was lost for the season, Gibson and his team did not miss a beat. Gibson knew when to be agressive this season, and he knew when to lay back and let his team play baseball.

The most impressive trait that Gibson showed in 2011 was the ability to get the best out of his players. Most would say the D-Backs did not have the most talent in the NL West. However, Gibson took what he had and got the most out of it. Guys like Ryan Roberts, Gerardo Parra and Ian Kennedy all had career years under Gibson. Even Aaron Hill put up major numbers after he was acquired from the Blue Jays.

It looks like Kirk Gibson will be with the Diamondbacks for many years to come which is a good thing for Diamondback fans. Right now, Kirk Gibson is the 2011 Arizona Coach of the year from SB Arizona.

Honorable Mention: Sean Miller, U of A Head Basketball Coach- Miller was a very close second. In his second season at the helm of the Wildcats Miller led the team to a 30-8 regular season record and was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year. Miller brought U of A back to basketball reverence in 2011 leading them to the Elite Eight, a loss against eventual national champion Connecticut 65-63. Miller is set up for years at U of A as he has the number one ranked recruiting class ranked by ESPN for 2012.

Who do you think is the 2011 Arizona Coach of the Year?

For all the latest AZ sports news, follow us on Twitter @SBNArizona and “Like” us on Facebook.

Read More: 2011 end of year awards, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona Diamondbacks

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As the calendar rolls over to 2012, everyone takes time to list out some New Year’s resolutions.

As a fan of the Arizona Diamondbacks, here is what I hope GM Kevin Towers and manager Kirk Gibson can resolve in the 2012 season.

Chris Young and Justin Upton

Center fielder Chris Young and right-fielder Justin Upton have both been All-stars—Young in 2010, and Upton in 2009 and 2011.

However, I would hope in 2012 that both Young and Upton decide to become All-stars together by hitting like they have before in the past.

Young’s most productive year was 2010 when he hit .257 while Upton’s best year was 2009 when he averaged .300.

If these two can get the power going like their All-star years, the Diamondbacks offense will certainly gain more power.

If not, Gibson has two left-handed batters, Jason Kubel and Geradro Parra, to use in the outfield.

Starting Pitching

Last years top two starters, Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson were 37-16. The rest of the staff was at or under .500 —Josh Collmenter, 10-10; Joe Saunders, 12-13; and a few others who made some starts, but never pitched well to get through the season.

Towers brought in Trevor Cahill from the Oakland Athletics to shore up the number three slot. Cahill was 12-14 in 2011, but pitched on one of the worst AL offensive teams. In 2010, Cahill was 18-8 and an All-star. In three years, Cahill has an ERA of 3.91 compared to Saunder’s 4.16.

According the Diamondbacks depth chart, as of December 28, the rotation will be Kennedy, Hudson, Cahill, and Collmenter.

Early offense

Granted, a win is a win, but come on, let’s not wait until the end of a game to put someone away.

In 2010, the Diamondbacks led the league with 48 come from behind wins. I know they’re exciting to watch as fans especially when the Diamondbacks came from behind to beat the Houston Astros not once, but twice on May 27 and August 9, and beat the Los Angeles Dodgers with a come from behind extra inning grand slam on September 27.

With key additions like Kubel and Aaron Hill and the return of injured short stop Stephen Drew along with Young and Upton maturing together, the Diamondbacks should have more pop in the bat.

Jason Marquis and the Minnesota Twins agreed on a deal for the pitcher to join the team for the 2012 MLB season. Marquis is currently rehabbing after fracturing his right fibula while pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011.

Through the season, Marquis went 8-6 over 23 starts with a 4.43 ERA as the Diamondbacks made their surprise surge for an NL postseason appearance.

The injury occurred on August 14 in a game against the New York Mets. Angel Pagan hit a line drive that nailed Marquis in the third inning of the game. Marquis remained in the game, and seemed fine, but in the fourth inning he fell to the ground, grasping his right leg after hitting Josh Thole with a pitch.

Trainers had to help Marquis off the field with an injury that, at first, looked like a rolled ankle. The injury, which takes several weeks to heal, put Marquis on the 15-day disabled list and they replaced him in the rotation. On August 23, the Diamondbacks went ahead and placed Marques on the 60-day DL, effectively ending Marquis’ season.

Since Marquis was about to become a free agent, both sides agreed he had played his final game as a Diamondback.

It didn’t take long for the 33-year old pitcher to latch on with a new team. The Minnesota Twins needed a fifth starter and are looking to rebound from a disappointing last place finish in the AL Central in 2011. The Twins will give Marquis $3 million in a one year contract that will allow him to pitch in the American League for the first time in his career.

One big positive for the sinker ball pitcher is a nice, big pitcher’s park in Target Field to play. In the first two seasons the Twins have played there, the ballpark has been one of the most difficult for home run hitters. Of course, over his 12-year career, Marquis has made a name as a ground ball pitcher.

Marquis has played in Atlanta, St. Louis, Chicago (NL), Washington and Arizona over his career. His career ERA sits at 4.51 but he dropped his yearly ERA almost two runs when he moved from the Nationals to the Diamondbacks.

In 2012, Minnesota hopes Marquis will help them turn their fortunes back around.

Source: ESPN

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Phoenix— The Arizona Diamondbacks have reached agreement on a two-year, $15 million contract with free agent outfielder Jason Kubel.

General manager Kevin Towers confirmed the deal late Monday afternoon, saying it was contingent on Kubel passing a physical. The contract includes a mutual option for a third year.

The addition comes as something of a surprise because it would send left fielder Gerardo Parra to the bench as the Diamondbacks’ fourth outfielder. Parra had a breakthrough season a year ago, batting .292 and winning a Gold Glove as one of the game’s best defensive outfielders.

Kubel would add a lefthanded-hitting slugger to the batting order in home run-friendly Chase Field. He had 104 home runs and 429 RBIs in seven seasons with the Minnesota Twins.

The 29-year-old outfielder was limited by injury to 99 games last season, batting .273 with 12 homers and 58 RBIs. In 2010, Kubel hit .249 in 143 games with 21 home runs and 92 RBIs. His best season came in 2009, when he batted .300, hit 28 home runs and drove in 102.

The Twins had talked about re-signing Kubel but chose instead to sign ex-Oakland slugger Josh Willingham. Kubel is the third longtime Minnesota player to leave as a free agent this offseason. Closer Joe Nathan signed with Texas and outfielder Michael Cuddyer signed with Colorado.

The Diamondbacks apparently would try to get Parra a significant amount of playing time as the backup in all three outfield positions. The reigning NFC West champions have Chris Young in center and Justin Upton in right. When Arizona plays interleague games on the road, Kubel probably would be the designated hitter, opening more playing time for Parra.

The move also gives the team depth in case of injury.

Until now, Towers’ offseason moves have centered on pitching. He acquired right-handed starter Trevor Cahill, lefty reliever Craig Breslow and cash from the Oakland Athletics for leading pitching prospect Jarrod Parker, reliever Ryan Cook and outfielder Collin Cowgill.

The team signed 41-year-old reliever Takashi Saito to a 1-year, $1.75 million contract.

Towers also re-signed second baseman Aaron Hill and utility infielder John McDonald, both acquired in a late-season trade with Toronto.

Mets get Francisco

Reliever Frank Francisco has signed a two-year contract with the New York Mets.

Francisco, 32, went 1-4 with 17 saves and a 3.55 ERA in 54 games with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011. The right-hander has appeared in 50 or more games in each of the last five years. He had 25 saves with the Rangers in 2009.

Francisco is 18-19 with a 3.72 ERA with 368 strikeouts in 334 innings in seven years with Texas and Toronto. The deal was announced Monday.