The Official Diamondbacks Offseason Thread

[coyoteshockeyfan]

An Oakland source said the Diamondbacks have been the most aggressive team in the Dan Haren pursuit. Byrnes does have some chips to play with, most notably top prospect Carlos Gonzalez. We’ll see just how far he is willing to go.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/NickPiecoro/12131

 

[overseascardfan]

If the A's asking price is so high for Haren why don't we just go all out for Clement sign him to a 1 or 2 yr incentive base deal until Scherzer & Anderson are ready in '09. IMO Anderson will be the next Brad Penny, and Scherzer will end up being a solid #2. Keep Gonzalez in AAA the whole year and maybe trade him before the trading deadline for a piece that we need if we're in the playoff hunt. The A's are trying to fleece somebody with that asking price. If the Yankees package of Hughes, Cabrera & a mid level prospect was almost good enough to land Santana our package of Gonzalez, Scherzer & maybe Montero should be good enough for Haren.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

The Diamondbacks don't do incentive deals, making Clement very tough to sign.

 

[overseascardfan]

The Diamondbacks don't do incentive deals, making Clement very tough to sign.

Well now that the Padres signed Randy Wolf it appears they probably won't pursue Clement. Sign him to a 1 year deal at a set salary if he doesn't pan out then he's gone after next year and we bring up Scherzer and maybe Anderson.

BTW saw in the LA Times that the Dodger's are after Haren or Blanton now and that the A's are believed to be asking for OF Matt Kemp, SS prospect Ivan DeJesus Jr., and minor league P James McDonald. Says A's could have had Blanton last year but refused to part with DeJesus. If the Dodgers get Haren and a 3rd baseman like Scott Rolen they have to become the NL favorites for the WS.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

If the A's asking price is so high for Haren why don't we just go all out for Clement sign him to a 1 or 2 yr incentive base deal until Scherzer & Anderson are ready in '09. IMO Anderson will be the next Brad Penny, and Scherzer will end up being a solid #2. Keep Gonzalez in AAA the whole year and maybe trade him before the trading deadline for a piece that we need if we're in the playoff hunt. The A's are trying to fleece somebody with that asking price. If the Yankees package of Hughes, Cabrera & a mid level prospect was almost good enough to land Santana our package of Gonzalez, Scherzer & maybe Montero should be good enough for Haren.

I was under the impression that Scherzer had much better stuff and is a potential #1 opposed to anderson projecting to a be a solid #2 or #3.

Obviously if thats the case I would much rather keep Scherzer like my main man JB.

 

[devilfan02]

I was under the impression that Scherzer had much better stuff and is a potential #1 opposed to anderson projecting to a be a solid #2 or #3.

Obviously if thats the case I would much rather keep Scherzer like my main man JB.

Scherezer is untouchable according to JB.

I don't see Scherzer being more than a #3-4 guy in our rotation. Many have said they think he will be a closer at the next level

 

[overseascardfan]

Scherezer is untouchable according to JB.

I don't see Scherzer being more than a #3-4 guy in our rotation. Many have said they think he will be a closer at the next level

Right now he's a closer, but he is a secondary pitch and change up away from being a solid #2. A #3 or #4 would not be untouchable.

 

[Mexican31]

I have a relative in the Dbacks organization and I can tell you that the Diamondbacks inquired about AJ Burnett, but nothing has passed the initial stages as of yet. Also, the Diamondbacks are a dark horse in obtaining Kosuke Fukudome to play 1st base.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

I was under the impression that Scherzer had much better stuff and is a potential #1 opposed to anderson projecting to a be a solid #2 or #3.

Obviously if thats the case I would much rather keep Scherzer like my main man JB.

Anderson's closer to being MLB ready than Scherzer.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

I have a relative in the Dbacks organization and I can tell you that the Diamondbacks inquired about AJ Burnett, but nothing has passed the initial stages as of yet. Also, the Diamondbacks are a dark horse in obtaining Kosuke Fukudome to play 1st base.

No thanks to Burnett. Too steep of a contract and too injury prone for my liking.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Arizona has been the most aggressive suitor for Haren, with a package of up to five prospects, including outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, pitcher Brett Anderson and, as a possible player to be named, pitcher Max Scherzer, the 11th pick of the 2006 draft. Were the A's to conclude a deal with the Diamondbacks, it could happen early in the week.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/09/SPKNTQVTF.DTL

 

[Dback Jon]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/09/SPKNTQVTF.DTL

We'd better not give up all of that for Haren. He's not THAT good.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

We'd better not give up all of that for Haren. He's not THAT good.

The way the article says "possible player to be named" with Scherzer leads me to believe that part is speculation. I doubt that the Diamondbacks are willing to offer Anderson and Scherzer in the same deal (not to mention that they would be adding Gonzalez and two others for Haren).

 

[Diamondback Jay]

We'd better not give up all of that for Haren. He's not THAT good.

Agree to disagree on this one Jon. I think he IS that good. He's young, proven and still has some notable upside. He'd be the perfect number 2 pitcher on this roster. Won 16 with a crappy Oakland team. Here, he could win 20.

Yes, the price is steep but he's worth it.

 

[overseascardfan]

Agree to disagree on this one Jon. I think he IS that good. He's young, proven and still has some notable upside. He'd be the perfect number 2 pitcher on this roster. Won 16 with a crappy Oakland team. Here, he could win 20.

Yes, the price is steep but he's worth it.

No it is not. Our system is in the Top 5 in all of baseball and people on this board seriously undervalue our prospects. Why on Earth do we have to give up our Top 5 prospects for Haren when the Yankees & Red Sox only have to give up 3 in a deal for Santana. Let's just give up our Top 10 to the A's and let them kick us in the balls.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

No it is not. Our system is in the Top 5 in all of baseball and people on this board seriously undervalue our prospects. Why on Earth do we have to give up our Top 5 prospects for Haren when the Yankees & Red Sox only have to give up 3 in a deal for Santana. Let's just give up our Top 10 to the A's and let them kick us in the balls.

First thing, they're giving up 3 top prospects and two others in this variation of the deal.

Second, Gonzalez has no future in the organization, not with Upton and Young in tow and a newly re-signed Eric Byrnes still in the cards. If they're going to trade him, may as well get premium in return, and frankly I consider Dan Haren to be premium.

Third, I'll take a young, proven All-Star commodity like Dan Haren over two unproven prospects 99 times out of 100. He has still yet to fully reach his peak and he's already proven his capability to be an All Star pitcher. In 2007, Haren finished in the top ten in the American League in wins, with 15, strikeouts, with 192, and finished in the top three in the AL in ERA with 3.07. All this on a team with squat for run support. At 27, he's still got a lot of gas left in the tank, at least 7 good years left in him.

As for Santana, you claim Boston and New York have only been asked for three.. I retort by asking you then, if that's all it takes, why hasn't Santana been traded yet? To answer-- because Minnesota's asking price is FAR more than just three prospects. Plus, facts are Santana is a free agent at season's end, and is going to command at LEAST 18 million dollars a season. Haren has three years left on his current deal and is signed at a very reasonable price tag. In terms of value, he's actually a more valuable commodity than Santana for that reason alone. No, I'm not saying he's BETTER than Johan, I'm saying the fact that he's got 3 years left on his deal and is younger than Santana makes teams more willing to pay more for him than they would pay for Santana. Whoever gets him is going to have to pay a steep price PLUS have to hope that he re-signs.

Lastly, I'm not one that undervalues prospects. As a matter of fact, quite to the contrary.. I think a deep farm system is essential for long term success. However, what seems to be lost on many is the fact that in order to get something of value, you're going to have to GIVE something of value.

The Snakes have one of two options.. Trade some of that talent pool of prospects and go after a Dan Haren or go out and sign the middle of the pack pitchers like Kip Wells, Josh Fogg, or players of that caliber to one or two year deals all while hoping Scherzer and Anderson live up to their prospect billing.

 

[overseascardfan]

Second, Gonzalez has no future in the organization, not with Upton and Young in tow and a newly re-signed Eric Byrnes still in the cards. If they're going to trade him, may as well get premium in return, and frankly I consider Dan Haren to be premium.

I didn't say I wouldn't trade Gonzalez, I just wouldn't trade him and 4 other top prospects.

As for the Santana thing. The NYY offered Hughes, Cabrera and one other prospect, the Twins & Yankees couldn't agree on the 3rd player, this is a well known fact. Let's say they want more than 3, I guarantee the Yankees weren't going to give up anybody else above A ball unless it was a useless prospect.

BOS would only offer 1 of their elite prospects (Lester, Bucholz, Ellsbury) but would not include more than 1. The other 2 prospects they were willing to give up were 2B Jed Lowrie & one other prospect or Coco Crisp.

I agree with you have to give up something to get something but I do not believe in mortgaging your farm on 1 guy. If they included another P then maybe I would give up 5. Willis & Cabrera netted the Marlins 6 prospects which I could deal with because they got 2 pretty good players. I would have traded the 5 prospects the A's are asking for Haren for Willis & Cabrera in a heartbeat.

 

[devilfan02]

ESPN rumor mill is reporting that we are waiting for a response from the A's in our latest offer for Haren. They said our offering package included Gonzalez, Bonafacio, and Anderson. There could have been more prospects invloved. Get it done

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

The package offered does not concern me, it's a fair deal for both sides for a starting pitcher. What worries me is Oakland's track record of chewing up pitchers and then spitting them out with nothing left in the tank. Haren was second in baseball in pitches thrown last year and was top 10 in the AL in 2005 and 2006 as well. That's very concerning stat for a young pitcher.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Only question I have in regards to trading Bonaficio is this-- does this mean the D-Backs are serious about retaining the services of Hudson?

 

[devilfan02]

Only question I have in regards to trading Bonaficio is this-- does this mean the D-Backs are serious about retaining the services of Hudson?

I agree due to the fact that Bonaficio showed briefly that he was our future at 2B. You would have to think we would extend Hudson if we move Bonaficio which I would like due to his defense and above avg bat. We all know how important our defense is up the middle for guys like D Davis and B Webb.

I'm not too concerned about Haren being worked too hard but it's definitely worth noting. Mulder obvioulsy has his injury problems after several years in Oakland. If we don't get a deal done for Haren we're in big trouble. I want nothing to do with Fogg, Benson, Clement, etc...

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

The Diamondbacks, who appear to be the most ardent suitor for Dan Haren, spent the weekend waiting to hear from Oakland on their most recent trade proposal.

The D-Backs’ package still is believed to include top prospects Carlos Gonzalez, Emilio Bonifacio and Brett Anderson.

Contrary to published reports, 2006 No. 1 draftee Max Scherzer is not part of the deal, major league sources said.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/103794

 

[Diamondback Jay]

I agree due to the fact that Bonaficio showed briefly that he was our future at 2B. You would have to think we would extend Hudson if we move Bonaficio which I would like due to his defense and above avg bat. We all know how important our defense is up the middle for guys like D Davis and B Webb.

I'm not too concerned about Haren being worked too hard but it's definitely worth noting. Mulder obvioulsy has his injury problems after several years in Oakland. If we don't get a deal done for Haren we're in big trouble. I want nothing to do with Fogg, Benson, Clement, etc...

True.. And Zito, at least in year one, has been awful since leaving Oakland.

On the flipside of that, Tim Hudson's done nicely in Atlanta so we'll just have to see how things with Haren pan out.

Agreed with everything you said about the importance of keeping Hudson if Bonaficio is dealt.

 

[Dback Jon]

Only question I have in regards to trading Bonaficio is this-- does this mean the D-Backs are serious about retaining the services of Hudson?

That was my first thought.

 

[DWKB]

Only question I have in regards to trading Bonaficio is this-- does this mean the D-Backs are serious about retaining the services of Hudson?

Alberto Callaspo