I was reading this article yesterday, in which the Rockies ponder how they would cope in the event of an extended absence for Troy-boy, and it made me wonder how we would cope under similar circumstances. It's a little different for the Diamondbacks, as they don't have an obvious "star" at the level of Tulowitzki, but it's still a question worth pondering. How does our depth stack up, and who is the more irreplaceable starting player?
Firstly, here's who I reckon would be the candidates to replace each of our starters. Obviously, the bench roles are largely up for debate at the moment, but this is the way I see it shaking down:- Catcher: Miguel Montero - backup, Henry Blanco
- First-base: Juan Miranda - Russell Branyan
- Second-base: Kelly Johnson - Willie Bloomquist
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Short-stop: Stephen Drew - Willie Bloomquist
- Third-base: Melvin Mora - Willie Bloomquist
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Left-field: Xavier Nady - Brandon Allen
- Center-field: Chris Young - Gerardo Parra
- Right-field: Justin Upton - Gerardo Parra
- Starting Pitching: Daniel Hudson - Aaron Heilman
- Relief Pitching: J.J. Putz - Kam Mickolio
Which of these scenarios do you think would have the worst impact on the team? It's not just a simple question of who is the 'best' player, but the one where there's the biggest drop-off between the expected starter and his replacement. Who can the team least afford to lose?