SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Diamondbacks won 94 games last year, and won the National League West. They went out and traded for Trevor Cahill, and signed Jason Kubel.

And . . .

"I feel like we're the underdog [this year]," manager Kirk Gibson said Wednesday morning.

Fine, so who's the favorite in the West?

"We're all underdogs," Gibson said.

The NL West does figure to be competitive. The Giants seem to have improved offensively, with Buster Posey back healthy and Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera at the top of the lineup.

Gibson, whose Diamondbacks have already played the Giants three times this spring, has noticed.

"I know their manager very well, and I know their staff very well," Gibson said. "They're very competitive people. They didn't like what happened last year. They want to beat my ass this year."

That's fine with Gibson. Remember, he wants his team to consider itself an underdog.

"That's the attitude you've got to take," he said. "I think we know we're good, but you've got to carry the lunch bucket every day."