Patrick Corbin Beats Marlins While Trevor Bauer Waits

Arizona Diamondbacks rookie Patrick Corbin started today in place of Josh Collmenter and picked up his first Major League win in his debut as the D-backs beat the Miami Marlins by a score of 9-5 to improve to 12-11 on the year.

Corbin got plenty of support from the offense in the win getting two-run home runs from Cody Ransom and Justin Upton against Marlin starter, Mark Buehrle.  Beuhrle dropped to 1-4 on the year while Corbin improved to 1-0.  Corbin threw very well against the Marlins only allowing 3 runs in 5 2/3 innings of work, allowing eight hits, walking three, and striking out six.  The key play in the game came in the first inning when Corbin worked out of a jam by getting Omar Infante to ground into the inning-ending 1-2-3 double play with the bases loaded.

Corbin pitched well enough for the win, but it remains to be seen if he has staved off the Trevor Bauer talk.  Bauer was widely thought to have been the first Diamondback pitching prospect who would have been called up this season, but it was not to be.  Both pitchers were dominating Double-A ball with the Mobile Bay Bears.  Bauer has a 5-0 record with a 1.26 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP while Corbin was 2-0 with a 1.67 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP.

Corbin seemed to have luck on his side, being the only prospect who could have pitched with full rest on Monday in place of Collmenter.  Luck may not have been the only factor that played into the decision as fellow left-handers Joe Saunders and Wade Miley also dominated the Marlins during the series.  Corbin also has a little more experience and was the last pitching prospect sent down to the minors during spring training.

As long as Corbin continues to pitch well during his time with the parent club, he will stave off the calls for Bauer.  One thing is for certain, as long as Corbin does well and when Bauer comes up, the Diamondbacks will have a logjam in the starting rotation.  That is a pretty good problem to have if you ask me, but it will mean the Diamondbacks will either have to make room for Bauer by trading or moving another pitcher down.

I could see them moving Collmenter down to make room for Bauer or even moving Miley back to the bullpen if Hudson takes longer to recover from his injury.  The Bauer hype is reaching Stephen Strasburg levels and my only hope is Kevin Towers lets Bauer develop without rushing him up to sell tickets, but with the way Towers has handled this team, I say we are in good hands.

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