Spring (training) has almost sprung
January results
Making up for last month’s confidence article being late, by being really punctual with this one! Obviously, the signing of Corbin Burnes, in a move which shocked the rest of baseball, had a significant impact on confidence. As it should, considering he was seen as one of the top pitching free-agents this winter. Snagging him gave the D-backs a rotation which would be the envy of anyone. Well, anyone outside the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, anyway. The team also addressed the first-base position, trading for Josh Naylor, and thereby also addressing another area of need. What effect did this have on the first vote of 2025? No prizes for guessing, I suspect.
- 0% – 1 (not confident in the slightest)
- 0% – 2
- 2% – 3
- 1% – 4
- 1% – 5
- 15% – 6
- 37% – 7
- 34% – 8
- 11% – 9 (very, very, VERY confident)
Unsurprisingly, a sharp tick upwards in the wake of the new arrivals. Indeed only four percent came in at less than a six, which is the lowest amount of non-optimism (if you see what I mean!) since last April, when we were about to enter the season as the reigning National League champions. Before that? Try September 2017. The overall average shot up by more than a point and a half, going from 5.74 at the beginning of December, to 7.27 as we start the new year. S’funny what among the biggest free-agent contracts in franchise history will do. It’s actually marginally higher than we were last January – again, as reigning NL champs – and is the best figure ever for this time of year.
Below, you can see the breakdown for the past 12 polls’ results, followed by the line graph showing the trends over this and previous seasons. If you can’t spot the latest result, it’s the pink dot towards the top left.
February poll
Since the calendar turned to 2025, however… Nothing of significance. There’s a general consensus that the team still needs a right-handed hitter, and some bullpen help, but in January, these were notable by their absence. There were some minor 40-man additions, in the shape of Grae Kessinger and Rene Pinto, but not exactly what we were expecting. With the Dodgers continuing to vacuum up every baseball player on the planet, does the lack of additional action bother you, perhaps harking back to the post-Greinke doldrums? Or are you still confident Mike Hazen is looking to move Jordan Montgomery, in order to free up resources for those remaining needs?
That would be what the poll is for. As ever, feel free to explain your choice in the comments, especially if it has changed from the previous one.