FanPost

Looking at the Edwin Jackson trade

I don't understand this trade from the Diamondback's perspective. I blogged about the Dbacks' needs for 2010 on a my site a few days ago and I did agree that pitching must be their main focus... yet

Arizona is giving up Max Scherzer,a valuable and relatively inexpensive piece of their rotation that is under contract until 2014, for Edwin Jackson who did post excellent numbers last season but is due for a major pay raise (last season he made 2.2M and is expected to recieve 5.5M after arbitration and is arb eligible again in his final year) and goes up for free agency after 2011.

I understand the Dbacks needed to shore up their pitching but I figured it would involve finding an innings eater to shore up the #4 spot since I believe Billy Buckner could hold down the #5 spot (and if not Buckner then Mulvey or Augenstein, although that would require them to pitch in the pros to a level somewhat similar to the success they've had in the minors; something that has alluded them. However, I do hold a bit of hope for Augenstein since he's 23 and does toss quite a few GB's when hit).

To me swapping out a young strikeout machine for one who succeeds more in terms of finding his control (Jackson who came up with the Dodgers as a young fireballer who seemed to walk everything has now found his nitch by harnessing his command in which this trend has fallen from a BB/9 4.92 in '07 to 3.78 in '08 to 2.94 last season. Of course, Edwin Jackson will fit fine as the #3 starter on Arizona - I just don't understand giving up a very good one and one who projects to be cheaper over the next few seasons in return. I know Detroit is in financial trouble but last I checked Arizona is also facing financial pressure and needs to discern where their projected payroll is heading.

The other piece of this trade headed to AZ is Ian Kennedy. I've always liked Kennedy and figured the Bronx wasn't a good match for him. Kennedy did undergo a major non-baseball related surgery to his pitching which seemed to cause no ill effects (in fact his velocity did go up a tick after waddling between 88-90 mph in previous seasons), Kennedy is a flyball pitcher which could get him in trouble at Chase Field but he has posted very good K/BB rates in both the minors and his brief stint in the AFL a few months ago.

I guess by giving up Scherzer they needed another rotation possibility; however, I can't help but think the D-backs are in the same position they were a few days ago... solid options from #1-3 but question marks as to who will be their #4 and #5 pitchers; this is the same situation however with a slightly higher payroll... I know we are only talking a few million here but outside of NY and LA (maybe LA isn't a good example given the McCourt divorce that seems pending) I would think a team like AZ would have to maximize their resources and look to utilize whatever limited money they have on improving this team overall. It just seems odd to me.

BTW: keep an eye on the two "prospects" that are reqiured to be shipped to the Yankees. I know they probably won't be major high-upside guys but AZ did give Ross Ohlendorf away as part of the let-us-take-him-off-your-hands Randy Johnson trade. Just thought I'd pitch that in.