Lenny Ignelzi / AP

Javier Vazquez's change of scenary from the Bronx to Arizona could help him regain the form that made him a dominant pitcher with the Montreal Expos, says Ted Robinson of NBCSports.com. 

Beefing up the rotation 
Despite the subtraction of Johnson the Diamondbacks have an impressive and deep starting rotation.

Shoring up the starting pitching was a top priority and it appears like that goal has been achieved.

Vazquez was one of the premier pitchers in the National League before going to the Yankees.

He had six good seasons with Montreal, but experienced a very tough second half of the season in the Bronx and that led to his changing addresses for this season.

For Vazquez escaping the Bronx may be all he needs to recapture the top form he displayed with the Expos.

Joining Vazquez in the rotation are Ortiz, Halsey, Brandon Webb, and Shawn Estes.

Ortiz is a workhorse who wins ugly.

Webb pitched in some hard luck last season and is seeking to return to his form of 2003 when he went 10-9 with a 2.84 ERA for Arizona.

Estes drew the interest of the Diamondbacks after winning 15 games with Colorado last season to resurrect his career.

Not to be sold short
Arizona can compete in its division.

The offseason overhaul added some talent but also some questions.

The answers to those questions -- at least in the early going this season -- have for the most part been positive.

If they remain that way Arizona can hang around and make things interesting in the NL West -- and that would be a far cry from last year when the Diamondbacks stumbled into oblivion.

More news

Tony Gutierrez / AP

More heroics from Hamilton

Josh Hamilton fights off illness to hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 13th inning, lifting the Texas Rangers to an 8-7 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Angels win as Pujols HR streak up to 3 games

SEATTLE (AP) - Albert Pujols hit a home run in his third straight game and pinch hitter Alberto Callaspo came through with a grand slam in the sixth inning to give the Los Angeles Angels a 5-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday.

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