Diamondbacks' Zack Greinke: Labors through Cactus League start

Greinke served up three runs on six hits over four innings in his final Cactus League start Wednesday against the Mariners.

Analysis:

According to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, Greinke's fastball velocity sat mostly in the 88-to-89 mile-per-hour range Wednesday, about three ticks below what he's averaged over the past three seasons. Springtime velocity dips aren't uncommon for pitchers as they shake off the rust from the long offseason, but considering Greinke is embarking on his age-33 campaign, it's possible that this is just the beginning of the degradation of his arsenal. Those who were planning on targeting Greinke as a bounce-back candidate in drafts and auctions this season may want to consider revisiting that plan, as he's offered little confidence that a major improvement from last season's 4.37 ERA and 7.6 K/9 rate will be in order. He'll wrap up the spring with a 5.06 ERA and just five strikeouts over his 10.2 innings.