Dbacks Opening Day Roster Now More Like Episode of Where Are They Now
Nine of the 25 players on the Arizona Diamondbacks Opening Day Roster are no longer with the team and sitting in AAA Reno, on the DL, or are no longer part of the organization. That just goes to show just how much things can change over the course of a season. It also means that the Dbacks carried spring training failures over in April and shows now how they have turned things around.
The Departed:
Aaron Heilman – just released this past Tuesday. He has already found a home in the minor leagues with the Philadelphia Phillies
Russell Branyan – had a great spring, but it didn’t carry over to the regular season. He struggled and was sent packing. Currently with the Los Angeles Angels.
Melvin Mora – expected to be a solid contributor, he was early on and then had a hard time keeping steady ground in May and June.
The AAA-Bound:
Armando Galaragga – just wasn’t the right guy for the Dbacks starting rotation. He was designated for assignment in May. He took it like a child and went to AAA to earn, well, at least get paid, his major league paycheck. He said he didn’t have anything to work on. Words right from the mouth of a selfish, arrogant individual. Definitely not the characteristics of a winner.
Barry Enright – the anti-Galarraga. He knows he has struggled and has taken now both of his demotions with class. He was a stand up guy after getting shelled last Tuesday and immediately jettisoned back to Reno. I wish him well. He may be better off in a bullpen when and if he returns to the majors.
Kim Mickolio – after making the opening day roster, it was clear he still had some things to work on. Was sent back to Reno and currently has an 0-2 record with 4.19 ERA.
Juan Miranda – started out slow, gained momentum in May right at the same time as the whole team did, then really spiraled downward in June into early July. The Dbacks couldn’t afford to continue to keep his poor batting average and sub-par defense on the roster as they tried to stay in the NL West race.
The injured:
Stephen Drew – an unfortunate, gruesome, season-ending injury to Drew’s ankle was the most recent casualty to the Dbacks roster. With his surgery and subsequent rehab, you wonder about his availability for next season too?
Juan Guiterrez – some wonder why is he even still on the roster, but right now as he is injured, he isn’t going anywhere. However, should upon return from this lengthy DL stint he continue on the same path that put him at an ERA of 5.40, he won’t be around much longer.