The disappointment from last season still weighs heavily on Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo. In harsh tones, he places the blame for his club’s mid-season struggles on his shoulders, as well as the responsibility for improvement.
“Last year was a reflection of what kind of leader I was,” he said, “and I don’t want that to happen this year.”
On the surface, it would appear to be a pivotal year for Lovullo. His teams have fallen short of expectations in two of the past three seasons, missing the postseason all three times. His clubs have stumbled at inopportune moments, unable to pull themselves out of lengthy tailspins.