Eric Chavez Will be the First Player to Depart the Diamondbacks

I believe that Eric Chavez will be heading to the New York Yankees soon. Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Diamondbacks are one of only three teams in baseball that are double digit games under .500.  To say this was unexpected is a bit of an understatement. As such, Tony LaRussa is now on board and you have to believe that at least some changes are coming during this just-about lost season. Not that I am offering the new powers-that-be some advice but I believe that their first move will be to trade Eric Chavez. There is a team in particular where I believe Chavy will go: the New York Yankees.

Remember, during the offseason Chavez said he wanted to play for a contending team and his two choices were thought to be the D’backs and the Yankees. Since things haven’t exactly panned out in Phoenix, perhaps the Bronx will become a destination later in 2014. What makes me think this? I watched ex-D’back Kelly Johnson play first base Friday night. His miscues cost the Yanks dearly during their 6-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Chavez will be the perfect backup at the corner positions as first baseman Mark Teixeira‘s nicks bear watching and at third, Yangervis Solarte will cool off at some point this season. With New York only two games out of first place in the American League East, it is the perfect spot for Chavez to perhaps close out his career with another playoff appearance.

What would the Snakes get in return? Probably not much as there isn’t a whole lot out there for a backup infielder. Their best hope is that two or three teams emerge as contenders. It’s not so much what Arizona would get back in a trade in that this would be a message to the rest of the organization that this is the first in a series of moves that signal big changes coming.