(Bumped…because I want Walt Jocketty to see this.)
… I’m on the phone to Jerry DiPoto right now. DiPoto, you may have noticed, is the Diamondbacks’ interim GM. Over the weekend, he traded Dan Haren, a most excellent pitcher (having a superficially bad year, but pitching well), signed to a reasonable contract for the next two seasons, in return for the mediocre Joe Saunders and the proverbial handful of magic beans.
Walt obviously could’ve put together a package similar to what the D-Backs got.  We don’t have anyone exactly like Saunders, but talent-wise the prospect package would look something vaguely like:  Matt Maloney,  Carlos Fisher, Brad Boxberger, and an additional young arm.  (That package is a little light, but Saunders also makes $4M).
DiPoto may not be entirely to blame (the D-Backs owner is nuts), but in his press conference, he cited not only Saunders’ W-L record, but his “postseason experience” (15 IP, 5.40 ERA – but the D-Backs aren’t going to play in a post-season game anyway). Most incredibly, DiPoto touted the minor league W-L of one of the prospects. Yeah, that’s relevant.
So, why should Jocketty be on the phone with Jerry DiPoto?  Because if the D-Backs are trading Dan Haren for nothing, it means they’re probably also willing to trade shortstop Stephen Drew, a 27-year-old under team control for a couple more years. Drew’s not an exceptional upgrade over Orlando Cabrera right now, but the team doesn’t have a SS under contract for next year (it does have one bat boy who can play there, but that’s a different story).
