If Not Bronson Arroyo, D’backs Should Stand Pat
By Thomas Lynch
If the D’backs don’t sign Bronson Arroyo, I wouldn’t make any other moves. Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
So the Arizona Diamondbacks lost out in the Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes. While it is disappointing, there is no reason to be sad. The organization offered a competitive contract that was blown out of the water by a desperate New York Yankees team. They can save the money that was to go to Tanaka and put into improving other parts of the organization. While the goal is to land a starting pitcher, I am pretty comfortable with the rotation as is, particularly if we see Archie Bradley at some point in 2014. To me, if GM Kevin Towers wants another starter, the one and only name for me is Bronson Arroyo.
In this class of free agent pitchers, to borrow a line from Forrest Gump, you never know what you are going to get. To me, the most sure player of the lot is the 36 (soon to be 37) year old Arroyo. Even at this age, you know what you are going to get: 200 innings and 12-15 wins. Sure, Matt Garza has more upside and potential but he is a lot more expensive. Plus, can you guarantee you will get those numbers from him? The same applies to Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez. There seems to be even less certainty around them. As far as trades go, the team has already given up Tyler Skaggs, Adam Eaton and David Holmberg. While we know the farm system is fertile, do you really want the team trading away any more young players this offseason?
Personally, I feel comfortable going into the 2014 season with the rotation as it stands. I feel confident that Trevor Cahill and Wade Miley will supply an additional six to eight wins. In a contract year, perhaps this is the season Brandon McCarthy gets 30 starts or more. Even if you don’t believe Patrick Corbin can’t duplicate his 2013 season, do you really expect that much of a dropoff? Randall Delgado will be fine as the fifth starter. Seeing Bradley at some point and signing Arroyo would make this staff one of the best and deepest in all of baseball. As it stands now, it is still pretty darn good.
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