RSS
Home
Diamondbacks have little to offer
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Trades are a curious consequence of professional sports.
As trading deadlines approach, rumors heat up to lava pitch, and the sublime, the bizarre, the unlikely and the dreadful all seems to play some kind of role.
It appears rather strange most teams will unload players for the sake and excitement of making a player transaction. It's no secret deals are made to help teams during a championship run, but those players rarely come through to propel a team. Conversely, it's rare that the argument can be made that teams dump old wood and begin to think about the next season.
The latter may be the case of the Diamondbacks, and rumors swirl around several players. It seemed like Memorial Day pundits wrote off this team in 2009. That may have been evident when management dumped then-manager Bob Melvin early in the season, and wished for a miracle. Players have never responded to A. J. Hinch, his replacement, and now limp along to await their final curtain call of the summer.
With the July 31 deadline on the horizon, the Diamondbacks made one deal by sending second baseman Felipe Lopez to the Brewers July 19, and handed that position to the combined Ryan Roberts and Augie Ojeda. First base has been a revolving position, and the future of Connor Jackson, out with Valley Fever, merely exacerbates a problem yet to be intelligent addressed.
If the Diamondbacks are going to make a trade or several trades, the hot button position is pitchers. Left-hander Doug Davis leads the rumor mill list, but his value to a contender is limited. After losing 10-6 to the Rockies July 20, Davis' record stands at 4-10 with a 3.95 ERA. His numbers may be deceiving, but Davis has yet to put together a string of quality starts for wins.
Righthander Jon Garland (at 5-9, 4.45 ERA as of July 21), also has limited value. Here's a guy who says he can't pitch effectively at Chase Field, and has gone out of his way, on occasion, to publicly hint that he may have made the wrong decision to sign with Arizona as a free agent this past off season.
Collectively, the bull pen has been suspect, and general manager Josh Byrnes will likely find no takers here. Overall, the Diamondbacks do not have much to offer contenders, and if they do deal, don't expect any major transaction or blockbuster player exchange.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
