Diamondbacks will definitely be sellers at the Trade Deadline
May 17, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Tony La Russa addresses the media after being introduced as the Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks have struggled through most of this season, and most people cant figure out why they are so bad. Most experts thought they would at least play at or just under .500. No one expected them to have the second worst record in baseball with June about to end. Many factors have contributed. Losing ace Patrick Corbin and reliever David Hernandez before the season, and then losing Mark Trumbo in early April. The Dbacks recently lost A.J Pollock and Bronson Arroyo is on the D.L for the first time in his career. So the injury bug has defiantly hurt this team, but the rotation and bullpen haven’t been good either. They have a 4.45 team era which is the third worst in baseball. The Dbacks have committed 55 errors this season which is tied for the second worst mark in baseball.
Changes with the roster are coming, that much is clear with Tony La Russa in charge of baseball operations. When the trade deadline comes around, teams are either buyers or sellers, and it is clear that the Snakes will be sellers this season. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote about the Dbacks potential moves at the deadline:
“We’re meeting on it,” said Diamondbacks chief baseball officer Tony La Russa. “Figures we are sellers, not buyers.”La Russa has familiarized himself with the Arizona farm system. He certainly knows the major league roster and has seen what everyone else has — an underperforming team that was decimated by injuries right off the bat, including to No. 1 starter Patrick Corbin.La Russa is working with GM Kevin Towers and the rest of the staff on a plan for the future. But it sure looks as if teams can inquire about everyone except first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.Bronson Arroyo would have been an attractive piece for a contender, but he’s now hurt for the first time in his career. That’s how bad Towers’s luck has been. Need a power bat? Well, Mark Trumbo might have been one, but he suffered a stress fracture in his left foot in late April. He’s eyeing a July return, but teams won’t have enough of a sample size to see how well he’s recovered.Third baseman Martin Prado remains a name on the Diamondbacks’ roster that could attract teams at the deadline.”
The Diamondbacks should be more than willing to trade anybody except Paul Goldschmidt, A.J Pollock, or Chris Owings. This team needs to start over and rebuild over the young core they have in place. The Dbacks have plenty of talented arms, infielders, and outfielders in the minors and should have success in the future, that’s of course if the team doesn’t trade away all their young talent like they have during the Towers era. I think Aaron Hill should be traded, that opens the door for Didi Gregorius and Chris Owings to play every day. I think the Snakes should find a way to get rid of Brandon McCarthy. The Dbacks could also get good pieces for Arroyo. It will be interesting to see how much of the roster La Russa is willing to put on the market.