Grace just said if by All-Star break the D'Backs are still not hitting

[Nasser22]

They were talking about somebody that held out that they need to sign.

It's a good problem to have. I like Tracy more than Jackson, also defensively at 1st base, but we'll see who's better by the time they have to make that decision. Does Upton have a lot of experience at 3rd so he could go in and do that when he comes up if they don't switch him in the minors?

 

[HooverDam]

^I don't know if he has any experience at third, probably not, but he used to play SS, so its not like it would be a huge change (hell if Arod can do it, so can he! ).

I (and I think most people) like Jackson more than Tracy, he's got a lot more upside. I think Tracy has more or less topped out, and we know what he's going to do, which is put up nice numbers, but nothing mind blowing.

I also heard that Mark Reynolds played some 2B at one point, so maybe if he is the real deal there could be a future Dbacks line up of:

CF Chris Young
SS Stephen Drew
3B Justin Upton
LF Carlos Gonzalez
RF Carlos Quentin
2B Mark Reynolds
1B Conor Jackson
C Miguel Montero

with Alberto Callaspo as your back up at half of those positions.

Who knows, in all likely hood some of these guys aren't going to pan out, so its really not too much of a concern.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

They moved Upton out of the infield because the team believes he can't play the position at the big league level. With how well Upton is tearing through the minor leagues, they aren't going to stall his progress and move him back to the infield.

 

[HooverDam]

They moved Upton out of the infield because the team believes he can't play the position at the big league level. With how well Upton is tearing through the minor leagues, they aren't going to stall his progress and move him back to the infield.

Well thats a fine argument and all, but if you are the Dbacks, what do you do if they both pan out? Do you move Gonzlez who's actually rated higher than Upton by some? Move Quentin? can Gonzalez play the infield? Call up the commish and get the Dbacks switched to the AL?

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

These sort of things with prospects have a tendency to work themselves out. While its still early, Upton is busy silencing his critics this year and if he keeps this up nobody will have him rated below Gonzalez. Whether or not a player will need to be moved remains to be seen (we'd probably have a heck of a bargaining chip if this course of action is indeed taken), but I am fairly confident that the solution will not be to play Upton or Gonzalez (who to my knowledge has zero infield experience) in a position that they simply can't play.

 

[Nasser22]

Well thats a fine argument and all, but if you are the Dbacks, what do you do if they both pan out? Do you move Gonzlez who's actually rated higher than Upton by some? Move Quentin? can Gonzalez play the infield? Call up the commish and get the Dbacks switched to the AL?

Trade one for a younger pitcher...high ranked prospect for high ranked prospect. We could use another starter for the future.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

high ranked prospect for high ranked prospect.

GMs very very rarely do such a thing, they would rather hold on to their guy rather than trading him and risk losing an all star. That is the type of move that if it backfires can cost a GM his job, which is why you never see it happen.

 

[Nasser22]

High ranked prospect with other lower but still good prospects and Byrnes/Tracy for an already proven, but still fairly young pitcher that'll help us win the World Series?

 

[Gaddabout]

For all the chatter about GMs desperate for pitching, you will rarely see a GM trade an every day player for one. The rule is you trade starters for starters, closers for closers, and everyday players for everyday players. It's not a rule well-kept, but that's the basic logic.

Think of the Penny/Mantei trade. How much did the D-Backs get in return? He didn't get the D-Backs a title in '99 or '00, and wasn't until he got hurt and Kim was unveiled at the closer that the D-Backs got to the World Series. Penny's been hurt, too, but he's a starter. One of the best right now.

*shrug*

I dunno. I say unless you're a trade away from being a real contender, you stick with the "rules." This is a young team. They're not a trade away from being a contender. They need some of these young guys to start growing up. That takes patience, and keeping the front office phones unplugged for a year or two.

 

[HooverDam]

^Can you imagine if the Dbacks had Webb, Penny and Capuano all still on the team? That would be amazing.

 

[asuhoopnut]

They were talking about somebody that held out that they need to sign.

It's a good problem to have. I like Tracy more than Jackson, also defensively at 1st base, but we'll see who's better by the time they have to make that decision. Does Upton have a lot of experience at 3rd so he could go in and do that when he comes up if they don't switch him in the minors?

They were probably talking about RHP Max Scherzer who was the Diamondbacks first round draft choice in the 2006 draft. He has not yet signed and could go back into this years draft. If that does happen, we will get a supplemental pick between the first and second round (sandwich pick). He is a Scott Boras client.

 

[Nasser22]

Yeah, I just read that in the newspaper. He seems like a good prospect but it seems like we aren't close to signing him. Oh well...

 

[HooverDam]

Yeah, I just read that in the newspaper. He seems like a good prospect but it seems like we aren't close to signing him. Oh well...

Same thing happened w/ Drew, I think they'll get the deal done, its just the Boras way, he's a tool. I don't know why he wouldn't want to sign here, the organization is certainly on the up and up, its a good sized market, you can see when they are a winner how good the fans are, and they certainly need young starting pitchers. I think he'll sign, but it will be very 11th hour.