Watch Arizona Diamondbacks vs Chicago White Sox Online Live

Watch Arizona Diamondbacks vs Chicago White Sox Online Live

The Diamondbacks had some spring injury issues that opened a few roster spots, but the core of the team remains intact. There is enough talent to consider them a solid contender to defend their National League West title and even go further than last year, when they lost to Colorado in the NL Championship Series.

All-Stars Brandon Webb and newcomer Dan Haren will anchor a rotation that should be among the best in the NL, a group that includes Randy Johnson, Doug Davis (a career-high 13 wins last season) and 2007 rookie two-way performer Micah Owings (the Silver Slugger winner).

It appears Johnson may be delayed a week or two out of spring training while recovering from August disk surgery. He did not make his first spring start until mid-March, but he has reported no health issues. The bad news for the rest of the league is, in Johnson's short window of health last season, he was his dominant self, albeit through six innings instead of nine.

Left fielder Eric Byrnes and center fielder Chris Young jump-started the offense last season, when Byrnes became the 11th player to record 20 homers and 50 stolen bases in the same year and Young became the first rookie in history to hit 30 homers and steal 25 bases. Running may be less of an option this season if the young hitters continue up the learning curve, as the Diamondbacks project.