"The last time the Diamondbacks had a legitimate bullpen, CEO Derrick Hall recalled, was in 2007, when Tony Pena to Brandon Lyon to Jose Valverde usually led to Game Over.

"And we know the results from that year," he said.

By finalizing a two-year deal with closer J.J. Putz on the second day of baseball's winter meetings, the Diamondbacks continued to shore up their beleaguered bullpen and believe they took another step toward a return to contention.

Putz joins newcomers David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio - the right-handers acquired in Monday's Mark Reynolds trade with Baltimore - and holdovers Juan Gutierrez and Sam Demel in what General Manager Kevin Towers believes could be a formidable unit.

"They're all big guys with power fastballs and quality secondary pitches," Towers said. "I'm pretty happy. We've kind of achieved what we hoped to achieve in reworking the pen. Now they have to go out and perform."

And Towers said he hopes to add at least one more pitcher, preferably a left-hander.

It was the kind of makeover Towers vowed to execute when he got the job in September, inheriting a bullpen that posted a 5.74 ERA in 2010, the third-worst mark in baseball history. The year before, the unit had a 4.61 ERA, never able to regain the dependability it had during the Diamondbacks' run to the NLCS three years ago.

"They weren't lying when they said they were going to try to improve the bullpen," second baseman Kelly Johnson said. "With the reputation that Towers has (for building bullpens), when it comes to finding that kind of talent and catching lightning in a bottle, you can't doubt it."

Putz features a mid-90s fastball and a "plus splitter," according to Towers, who said he got Chicago pitcher - and former Padres starter - Jake Peavy's take on the closer before doing the deal."