The Mount Rushmore of the Arizona Diamondbacks

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Luis Gonzalez and Randy Johnson / Presswire

Time for us to figure out who is on the Mount Rushmore of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Here are the top 15 batters and pitchers, each by WAR:

Rk Player WAR/pos From To
1 Luis Gonzalez 28.3 1999 2006
2 Steve Finley 16.9 1999 2004
3 Chris Young 12.8 2006 2012
4 Stephen Drew 11.7 2006 2011
5 Justin Upton 11.3 2007 2012
6 Craig Counsell 11.1 2000 2006
7 Orlando Hudson 9.5 2006 2008
8 Jay Bell 8.7 1998 2002
9 Matt Williams 7.4 1998 2003
10 Miguel Montero 7.4 2006 2012
11 Damian Miller 5.4 1998 2002
12 Chad Tracy 5.2 2004 2009
13 Ryan Roberts 4.9 2009 2012
14 Junior Spivey 4.8 2001 2003
15 Mark Reynolds 4.7 2007 2010
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 5/14/2012.

Justin Upton has posted the 3rd-highest single-season WAR total among batters, and other surprising entries in the top 10 include Craig Counsell, Jay Bell, and Orlando Hudson. It’s also surprising that Mark Grace doesn’t show up on the list above.

Rk Player WAR From To
1 Randy Johnson 50.7 1999 2008
2 Brandon Webb 31.5 2003 2009
3 Curt Schilling 25.0 2000 2003
4 Dan Haren 12.5 2008 2010
5 Miguel Batista 10.9 2001 2006
6 Byung-Hyun Kim 7.9 1999 2007
7 Ian Kennedy 7.6 2010 2012
8 Doug Davis 6.7 2007 2009
9 Brian Anderson 6.7 1998 2002
10 Omar Daal 6.3 1998 2000
11 Jose Valverde 5.4 2003 2007
12 Daniel Hudson 4.8 2010 2012
13 Greg Swindell 3.8 1999 2002
14 Juan Cruz 3.5 2006 2008
15 Andy Benes 3.3 1998 1999
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 5/14/2012.

On the pitching side, the highest single-season WAR by a guy not named Johnson, Schilling, Webb, or Haren was 4.7, in 2011, by Ian Kennedy, and that’s good for only 15th on the list!

Alright, have a peek at the poll below. Vote for 4 guys.


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bstar
12 years ago

No Matt Williams? He is, after all, a part of the Legends Race pictured above that includes Gonzalez, Big Unit, and Mark Grace. Not sure why Grace is considered a legend in his time with the D-Backs.

Jacob
Jacob
12 years ago
Reply to  bstar

It’s mostly because Grace is currently
one of the team’s announcers.

Dave V.
Dave V.
12 years ago

I voted for RJ, Schilling, L.Gonzalez and Upton (who if he can have a year close to what he had last year, he’ll be pretty close to #2 on the D-bags, er D-backs hitting list with plenty of time to get to the #1 spot).

brp
brp
12 years ago
Reply to  Andy

Marlins are going to be interesting because most of their good players were only there for 3 or 4 years. Jeff Conine better be on there…

For the D-Backs I think Schilling/Johnson/Gonzo are a given and you can plug anyone in the 4th spot. For me I took Upton because of expected future production but Finley or Webb are better choices for “what have you done so far.”

mosc
mosc
12 years ago

Give me the diamondbacks as a team that wouldn’t put up 4 faces yet for $200 alex…

Tmckelv
Tmckelv
12 years ago

Randy Johnson (deserved) Luis Gonzalez (because of the bloop single to win the WS) Curt Schilling (because he probably won’t make it for Boston or Philadelphia) Brandon Webb (because he is the best of the guys you think of as a Diamondback first) Write-in candidates: Tony Womack and Bob Brenley In my post for the Devil Rays/Rays, I said how I thought it would be easier to choose 4 guys for teams with less reasonable candidates, as opposed to 100+ year teams (contrary to Andy who suggested it would be tougher). Now I see what he meant. It is tougher… Read more »

bstar
12 years ago

I’d go with heroes from 1999 and/or 2001, the D-Backs’ two most memorable years. In 1999 they won the NL West by 14 games and won 100 in their second year of existence. Obviously, in 2001 Luis Gonzalez’ single won them the World Series over the Yanks. So I’d vote for Big Unit, Schilling, Gonzalez, and Matt Williams.

PP
PP
12 years ago

I can’t stand Schilling so I picked Finley instead (with Johnson, Gonzlaez & Webb), I’d be a bad HOF voter, I know

Thomas Court
Thomas Court
12 years ago

Johnson, Lugo, Upton and a player to be named later.

Brent
Brent
12 years ago

I know Schilling was great with the Dbacks and helped win a WS, I just tend to think of Finley and Webb more as Dbacks than I do Schilling. I would say Johnson, Webb, Finley and Gonzo.