GM Kevin Towers to blame for Diamondbacks' mess

It started so promisingly.

The sun came out, the crowd came in and Chase Field felt the way most ballparks do in the middle of April: a haven for grass-fed optimism.

Too bad the Diamondbacks had to take the field.

This team has transformed from a group stumbling at the starting gate to one that has plunged into an abyss of awfulness. Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the New York Mets drops the Diamondbacks' record to 4-14, the worst start in franchise history.

Accountability, anyone?

With all due to respect to a man who has had a nice string of successes as a general manager, this one is on Kevin Towers. He has assembled a starting pitching staff that came into this game with a 7.82 ERA, the worst in baseball. The group has averaged an MLB-low 5.06 innings per start and has a 1.74 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

During the second inning, owner Ken Kendrick offered his support of Towers, just seconds before Mets catcher Anthony Recker launched a home run into left field. Three sections over, a fan watched the entire game with a paper bag over his head, the word "D-BAGS" scrawled across the top.

"I think you have to look at the people who are your leaders and their overall body of work," Kendrick said. "Kevin's got a real significant body of work. Most of his career he's had real success and has had success here.

"We're doing what you'd expect. We'll continue to evaluate the results. He's probably more disappointed in the results than anyone."

With Towers and manager Kirk Gibson both securing contract extensions in February, it will buy them some time. For how long? Thanks to the Suns and Coyotes missing out on the postseason, all eyes in this sports community are on the Diamondbacks. A sports community that loses interest quickly.

"We all feel responsible," Gibson said. "I'm an accountable guy. … I still look at it and say we can make history and this can be a special season. It's eternally how I think. I'll continue to do that. I'll never give in to the 'We can't do it.' I've been through a lot of things in my life and my career. I've witnessed a lot of things, and a lot good things have happened and can happen."

But even Towers isn't blaming this one on Gibson. During an interview on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Wednesday morning, Towers said, "My job is to provide the product" and said he has told Gibson "numerous times this year, 'Dude, I feel bad. I provided you this product. This product is not firing on all cylinders right now and it puts you in a very, very tough spot.' "

It clearly hurt the Diamondbacks when they lost Patrick Corbin for the season because of Tommy John surgery. For much of this franchise's early history, it had a true ace, a go-to starter like a Randy Johnson or Brandon Webb who would put the team on his shoulders, who would inject confidence in not only the rest of the staff but the rest of the team.

It is obvious in the body language of batters how much getting in early holes has impacted them. They press, lack patience.

Of greater concern, though, is the organization's overall vision regarding the starting staff.

It is easy to second guess, but it sure feels as if Towers has a propensity lately for giving up too early on young talent, and there is no greater example than Tyler Skaggs.

The Angels pitcher entered Wednesday game against Oakland with a 2.40 ERA. And he has worked at least seven innings in each of his starts.

He was part of a three-team trade that also sent promising outfielder Adam Eaton to the Chicago White Sox and delivered Mark Trumbo to the Diamondbacks. Trumbo brings power to the lineup, and while that was clearly a need, was it the right priority?

At this point, it doesn't look that way.

Some questioned the Angels for taking Skaggs because of the belief his velocity had dropped off, an issue the Angels say they have corrected by fixing a shortened stride in his delivery. The Los Angeles Times quoted Skaggs' former roommate, Mike Trout, saying he had wondered what had happened to Skaggs' velocity when he was with the Diamondbacks.

You have to wonder how much Towers' lack of patience has to do with sitting in a division with the rich and talented Los Angeles Dodgers, not to mention the San Francisco Giants, who are two years removed from a World Series.

The struggles are taking their toll on this team.

Before Wednesday's game with the Mets, in a pregame news conference, Gibson was downright upbeat. Hopeful. Afterward, he was accommodating but brief. And clearly frustrated.

If there is a nugget of good news, this does not appear to be a clubhouse of players who have turned on each other, as sometimes happens when things unravel. This is a group of professionals who may be underachieving but haven't stopped putting in the work.

Wednesday's loss wasn't even about pitching. McCarthy wasn't great but he went 5²/₃ innings, allowing three runs and striking out five. The problems were more about hitting, fielding (two errors) and even baserunning.

"I don't know what we're in need of, except playing better baseball — an exorcism or something," McCarthy said. "We've crossed over to that bad side."

Bad side indeed. And it could get uglier. The team starts a three-game series with the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Friday.

Anyone know a good priest?

Reach Boivin at paola.boivin@arizonarepublic.com and her on Twitter at Twitter.com/Paola Boivin. Listen to her streaming live on "The Brad Cesmat Show" on sports360az.com every Monday at 10:30 a.m.

Up next:Diamondbacks at Dodgers

When: 7:10 p.m., Friday.

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KPKX-FM 98.7, KTAR-AM 620, KSUN-AM 1400.

Pitchers: LHP Wade Miley (2-2, 5.04) vs. Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke (3-0, 2.76).

Projected starters

Saturday: At LA Dodgers, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Mike Bolsinger (0-0, 6.00) vs. Dodgers RHP Dan Haren (2-0, 2.04).

Sunday: At LA Dodgers, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Josh Collmenter (0-1, 3.75) vs. Dodgers RHP Josh Beckett (0-0, 4.00).