Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Trevor Cahill (35) pitches in the first inning at Wrigley Field. Image: David Banks-US PRESSWIRE

Cahill’s ERA has risen steadily since his season low ERA of 3.08 on June 10th to an unimpressive 3.86 after his last performance. The 24 year old hasn’t won consecutive starts since June 15th and June 20th and his record sits at 8-9 overall. Inconsistent- Problem #2.

So what are we expecting from the 24 year old? Here’s what GM Kevin Towers had to say following the acquisition of Cahill back in December:

“In Trevor’s situation, we’ve acquired a player that’s logged 400 innings over the last two years. He’s nine months older than Jarrod Parker, he’s been an All-Star, with 40 wins, a sinker-ball pitcher, which we think plays well at Chase Field. Proven winner, innings eater, young guy that we think is only going to get better. Heavy sinker with a plus-plus change-up.”

Essentially what Towers is saying there is that we needed a starter that has proven he can win at the major league level and the team wasn’t prepared to wait any longer to see if Parker would pan out based on his potential. Wins now are more valuable than wins in the future when you’re battling for a Division title.

So we are now 101 games into the 2012 season and Cahill has contributed 20 starts and 126 innings to the Diamondbacks producing mostly mediocre numbers. While his strikeouts per nine innings are currently at a career high pace of 6.5 per 9 innings he is also walking batters at a career rate of 3.5 per 9 innings as well. He threw for more than six innings in his last start marking only the second time in his last seven appearances he did so compiling a 3-4 record.

In fact, comparing Cahill’s current season to his 2011 campaign [through his last start against the Rockies] the results are eerily similar. Through July 22nd 2011: 8-9 3.77 ERA, 13 homeruns allowed in 136 innings pitched and through July 25th 2012: 8-9 3.86 ERA 12 homeruns allowed in 126 innings. If history is to repeat itself for Cahill in 2012 then we don’t have a whole lot of success to look forward to in his last two months. His final line in 2011 as an Oakland Athletic was 12-14 4.16 ERA 19 HR allowed in 207 2/3 innings. And that is pitching in a ‘pitcher friendly’ park at the Oakland Coliseum. Chase Field is ranked the 26th best park for pitchers- a far cry from Oakland’s 11th best rating. I don’t know about you but I would not consider that a successful season as a Diamondback and certainly not from a guy Towers and the team acquired to make sure they made another run at the N.L. West title this year.

On the other side of the trade for the Athletics things are looking pretty good. In exchange for Cahill and reliever Craig Breslow, the Dbacks offered up outfielder Colin Cowgill, reliever Ryan Cook and the Diamondbacks 9th overall pick in 2007 Jarrod Parker. Parker had the tag of a kid with a lot of potential at the time of the trade having only pitched in one regular season game last September (six shutout innings btw) and one relief appearance in a playoff game against the Brewers but has been very good in his starting role all season long posting a 3.36 ERA and 7-4 record in 2012. He’s given up one or fewer runs in eleven of his seventeen starts- Cahill has allowed one or fewer in six of his twenty starts. Cook has been even better out of the bullpen taking over the closer role just eight weeks into the season. He’s posted a 1.90 ERA while limiting opponents to a .134 average.

The Dbacks have been able to take advantage of the acquisition of Breslow in that trade by adding a left handed reliever to their bullpen.  He has a 2.76 ERA through 42 innings of work thus far and has been lights out at times for the team.

So as we close out the month of July and the Dbacks are still flirting with a .500 record you would have to think the A’s feel as though they stole one against Towers. However, if Cahill can find a way to regain his form a la 2010 (18-8 2.97 ERA) where he finished 9-5 with a 3.01 ERA in the second half of that season we may be having a different conversation in October.

As of now though, the two positive things he has going for him are unrelated to his successes on the mound: he is young (24) and his contract is very affordable for a #3 starter in the major leagues. The beauty of baseball is that at any point in the season the exact turnaround that we are discussing here can happen and does happen. And that is why we will watch with hopeful eyes that the young right hander can be the starter we all expected when he arrived in the valley before spring training.

Cahill will have his shot at turning it around this evening as he kicks off a three game series against the first place Dodgers with the Dbacks trailing by 4 1/2 games.

Marco Scutaro put the Rockies on the board first in the top of the first inning when he hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Dexter Fowler from third base, and putting Colorado on top 1-0.

Arizona responded in the bottom half of the inning when Jason Kubel blasted his 22nd home run of the season to left-center field, to tie the score up at 1-1.

Colorado would add a couple runs in the top of the third inning when Scutaro doubled to left field, plating Colorado starting pitcher Jeff Francis and Fowler to extend their lead at 3-1.

Wilin Rosario homered to left field in the top of the fourth inning to add to Colorado’s lead, and put the Rockies up 4-1.

Arizona catcher Miguel Montero would blast a home run to right field in the bottom of the seventh to cut the Rockies’ lead to 4-2.

Unfortunately for Arizona, Colorado starter Jeff Francis kept the D-backs offense off-balance all night, limiting Arizona to only five hits and two earned runs through six innings pitched.

Arizona starter Trevor Cahill had a solid start, allowing eight hits and four earned runs through 6.2 innings pitched. He did not receive the offensive support that other starters had received in the past five victories at home.

Wade Miley will take the mound tomorrow as Arizona opens a four game series against the visiting New York Mets.

Paul Goldschmidt put the snakes on the board first with a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the second inning, putting the D-backs on top 1-0.

They would add a couple of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when Arizona pitcher Ian Kennedy tripled to deep center field, scoring Goldschmidt, Justin Upton, and Ryan Roberts, extending Arizona’s lead to 4-0. Kennedy would score on an RBI double by Willie Bloomquist.

Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Paul Goldschmidt (44) hit his 13th home run of the season in the 1st inning of Monday evening's game. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-US PRESSWIRE

Colorado would finally get on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning when Colorado shortstop Josh Rutledge hit a solo home run to left-center field.

The Rockies would cut the lead to 5-2 when Dexter Fowler would hit an RBI single to center field in the top of the eighth inning, scoring Rutledge.

Ryan Roberts would extend Arizona’s lead to 6-2 in the bottom half of the inning with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Upton.

Carlos Gonzalez would add a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning to cut the lead to 6-3, but would not be enough to mount a comeback for the Rockies.

Arizona Starter Ian Kennedy looked like the Arizona starter that won 21 games last season, as he struck out seven batters on the evening, while allowing only five hits and two earned runs through eight strong innings pitched. JJ Putz would come in the bottom of the ninth to shut the door for the snakes, earning his 18th save on the season.

With the victory, Arizona won their fourth straight game, and approached the .500 mark at 48-48 on the season. Arizona starter Joe Saunders will take the mound tomorrow evening in game two of the series.