Javier Vazquez didn't need to go, he wasn't rumored to go, he
was going, and it appears now he's gone.
The World Champion Chicago White Sox will add depth to an already deep
starting rotation today when the Diamondbacks and Sox officially announce a deal
that will send Vazquez to the Sox for at least two, and possibly three players,
all of whom will make the opening day roster, and be expected to contribute.
The question becomes in what rolls? Orlando Hernandez was an
inconsistent, oft injured starter for the White Sox last season, and made his
biggest contribution to the team in a playoff long relief role. He will of
course become a starter in Arizona, but he is hardly the 'Ace,' or even
'Potential Ace' that Vazquez was.
Would it even be possible that the Diamondbacks could move Hernandez into the
bullpen? If they wanted to give Bill Murphy and Dustin Nippert a chance,
and depend on Brad Halsey and Russ Ortiz to stay effective and healthy, it would
be a possibility, but if Luis Vizcaino is included in the deal, it becomes an
almost impossibility, because the Diamondbacks made another move, on Tuesday,
that along with Vizcaino, would virtually set the bullpen.
No one is quite sure which Jason Grimsley will report to Spring Training, the
potential closer who left Atlanta for the hitter friendly skies of Baltimore, or
the struggling, often injured pitcher he was when he got there. Grimsley
had Tommy John surgery in '04, and pitched sparingly for the Orioles down the
stretch, but if he does indeed return to form, and it appears from his final
month in Baltimore he might, then he and Vizcaino, would form a solid, if all
right handed, bridge from starters like Hernandez to Jose Valverde.
The jewel in this deal though is center fielder Chris Young. The
Diamondbacks have been searching for a middle man in their outfield for the
entire offseason, but rather than pining after high priced free agents like
Johnny Damon or giving away the farm for a burner like Juan Pierre, the
Diamondbacks took the move they had to make, trading Vazquez, and turned it into
the move they wanted to make, acquiring perhaps the best minor league center
fielder in baseball.
He immediately vaults into the top five prospects in the D'Backs
organization, but won't stay there for long, because he will almost certainly be
the starting center fielder for the Diamondbacks in 2006. He just turned
22 in September, and he's ready for the big leagues today. Maybe not ready
for All Star status, and yes, he will disappoint at times because his long swing
still strikes out too much, but he's learning, and will get the opportunity to
learn on the job, probably hitting in the seven spot in the order, for the
D'Backs.
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