A Tale of Two Prados

Martin Prado has had an interesting 2013. Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Three games remain in the 2013 campaign. Three games is all that is left in the saga known as the Arizona Diamondbacks’s season. It really has been a strange ride, an interesting story that one day I might be able to tell my grandkids (if I can remember it in 25 years). One of the more fascinating chapters in this novel is something I like to refer to as “A Tale of Two Prados”, starring Martin Prado, the centerpiece in one of the biggest trades in team history.

When Prado came to the D-Backs from the Atlanta Braves, he fit right into the D-Back mold as a great teammate and for his ability to play multiple positions. Thus, much was expected from the Venezuelean native as Arizona expected a return trip to the playoffs after a one year absence. Instead, Prado struggled mightily to open the season, with a .266 OPB in April despite four home runs. He rebounded in May with a slash line of .313/.358/.374. On May 17th, the D-Backs finished the day in first place, a spot they would not relinquish until July 22nd.  During that stretch is when Prado endured his worst period at the plate. He hit .209 were with a lowly .267 OBP for the month of June. He started getting hot just as the Dodgers were in the midst of their surge and the D-Backs were hovering around .500. Prado then was named NL Player of the Month for August with 30 RBI’s and a sizzling .374/.425/.565 line. However, it was during this month the D-Back playoff hopes were placed on life support with the plug pulled basically the first week of September.

Overall, it was a very productive first season in the desert for Martin Prado. He set a career high in RBI’s and will end with his usaly solid slash line across the board. Was the big trade a win for the D-Backs? We will analyze that and the other moves made by the team in the coming weeks.

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