To Sign a Starter or Not?

by rfffr on Dec 15, 2011 11:52 AM EST

As of right now, the Diamondbacks have 4 established starters: Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson, Trevor Cahill, and Josh Collmentor. They're known to be pursuing Joe Saunders and Hiroki Kuroda both who would cost several million to sign. The question do we need either these guys?

The Diamondbacks have 4 major league ready prospects: Trevor Bauer, Tyler Skaggs, Patrick Corbin, and Wade Miley. Three of the 4 are left-handed. But all four are making approximately the league minimum which could save us money if we need to take some on during a trade. The Braves seemed to have success using Brandon Beachy in their fifth starter spot. (Their offense ran dry so you can't use the failure to get to the postseason as an argument)

Poll

Should the Diamondbacks sign a starter

Yes they have more experience

26 votes

No give the spot to a prospect

56 votes

82 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 36 comments | 1 recs |

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Comments

Money?

I always advocate spending when it’s someone else’s money. But for this hypothetical situation, if I didn’t sign Kuroda, would I get to spend the money elsewhere?

If not, I’d sign Kuroda. I think he is a difference maker above and beyond Saunders. And one year is perfect to account for pitcher attrition and prospect seasoning.

If I can spend the money elsewhere…..I’d still sign Kuroda. At this point in the off-season, we don’t have any more holes to fill or players worth targeting in the market.

by Counsellmember on Dec 15, 2011 12:43 PM EST reply actions

Kuroda or bust

I’d only want Saunders back if he took a big discount( 6 Million). I don’t want Saunders back in 2013 no matter the price.

Kuroda as our number 4# would be pretty epic. Then you’d have Collmenter as your 5th starter, which would take some pressure off of him.

Guys like Skaggs, Bauer, and Miley would easily slide into the rotation if an injury occurs or Collmenter struggles.

"Clearly the Brewers didn't realize that going into Beast Mode raised their testosterone levels."
by tcyoung

by txzona on Dec 15, 2011 1:20 PM EST reply actions

I like the rotation as is.....with either of those 4 (whoever wins the role in the spring)a s the 5th starter

If someone falters….go make a move in the summer for the playoff stretch. This is a strong rotation.

by Majabe on Dec 15, 2011 1:27 PM EST reply actions

If I can spend it elsewhere

I front load an extension for Miggy. and roll the dice with the kid pitchers. I’m more concerned about Drew (and to a lesser extent Hill) than I am our starting pitching.

by Craig from Az on Dec 15, 2011 1:43 PM EST reply actions 2 recs

good call on Montero

I’d love some news on that front. A 3-year extension would be perfect. I’d sacrifice my Kuroda dollars to that end.

by Counsellmember on Dec 15, 2011 2:46 PM EST up reply actions

Me too

But if it can’t be done, Kuroda it is

by CaptainCanuck on Dec 15, 2011 4:46 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

I'd rather have Kuroda

by CaptainCanuck on Dec 15, 2011 4:45 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Let Bauer

Or Skaggs or whoever wins the spot out of spring training. Use the money we would have used to sign Kuroda to extend Miggy, and keep him here in Arizona for several more years

Have you been good this year? I hope so, because Gibby. Is. Watching.

by imstillhungry95 on Dec 15, 2011 6:04 PM EST reply actions

Agree to keep Montero happy and in Sedona Red

very talented and enthusiastic young man. He showed me he knew how to handle pitchers last year, and that makes him worth his weight in whatever today’s spot gold price is.

Is it mid-February yet?

by NASCARbernet on Dec 15, 2011 6:43 PM EST up reply actions

Read on MLBTR that the DBacks have stopped going after Saunders and are just going after Kuroda (from John Heyman)

Professional Lurker... if you see this, there may be a problem..

by GuruB on Dec 15, 2011 6:59 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Rejoice!

Founder and Chairman of the Send Dan Some Pizzeria Bianco Commission (SDSPBC). SDSPBC is a totally, definitely for-profit organization.

by Dan Strittmatter on Dec 15, 2011 8:19 PM EST up reply actions

And then rejoice again!

by CaptainCanuck on Dec 15, 2011 8:24 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

and a rec

by AzDbackfanInDc on Dec 15, 2011 9:36 PM EST reply actions

Kuroda tied to Darvish

I imagine we’ll have to wait on Kuroda until after the Darvish bid winner is announced. My money is on the Yankees for Yu…all their “we’re not interested” talk is such an obvious smokescreen.

I think if NY is awarded the bid we’d have a really nice chance of getting Kuroda.

by Counsellmember on Dec 15, 2011 10:56 PM EST reply actions

Sad but true

I hate to see NY sign the big fish, but if it means our team is next in line for another big fish. I’m all for it.

"Clearly the Brewers didn't realize that going into Beast Mode raised their testosterone levels."
by tcyoung

by txzona on Dec 15, 2011 11:19 PM EST up reply actions

i'm not sure

why NY would lie about not being that interested in Darvish though

the posting system is blind. maybe NY thinks they can trick the Rangers/Blue Jays into bidding lower, but that’s awfully risky if they are actually interested in Darvish, because the bids are blind so no-one knows who bid what until it’s announced.

presumably everybody will just bid what they think Darvish is worth, and if they can’t sign him that will be that.

by blue bulldog on Dec 15, 2011 11:24 PM EST up reply actions

The bids are going to be huge.

Smokescreens would be rather pointless. One team won’t define the entire market.

Founder and Chairman of the Send Dan Some Pizzeria Bianco Commission (SDSPBC). SDSPBC is a totally, definitely for-profit organization.

by Dan Strittmatter on Dec 16, 2011 1:54 AM EST up reply actions

huh

why would NY lie? I ask why wouldn’t they lie. This is a team that took Carl Crawford out to dinner as a FA when they had no intention of signing him, just to raise the price for the Sox. Now they say they “might not even make a bid” on the best SP FA on the market? I don’t buy it. The yankess have two weaknesses as a team IMO: old age and #2 starter. Darvish solves both those problems. Darvish is young and allows them to keep all the prospects other teams are trying to pry away. Sabathia/Darvish could be the best 1-2 punch in the majors…certainly in the weak American League.

I really wish they would announce the bids every team submitted. That would be great fun. Still, I think the team that has the power to outspend anyone in the league will do so in this case. We’ll see.

by Counsellmember on Dec 16, 2011 12:41 PM EST up reply actions

but the way the posting system works

makes lying pointless

everyone makes a blind bid. just because NY says they aren’t interested, doesn’t mean the Rangers will lower their bid, because the Rangers also have no idea what the Blue Jays are bidding, and vice versa. and if NY really wanted Darvish in the first place, they aren’t going to risk a low bid, just because they think their lies have induced other teams to bid lower. so what’s the point in NY saying they aren’t interested? what’s the benefit NY gains from saying they aren’t interested?

like you said, by taking Crawford out to dinner it raises the price of Crawford to other teams when they had no intention of signing him. how does saying “i’m not interested in Darvish” benefit the Yankees at all?

by blue bulldog on Dec 16, 2011 2:20 PM EST up reply actions

I get your point

but I think that if a team like the Rangers or Blue Jays believe the biggest payroll juggernaut in the league is not making a serious bid, they would most likely lower their own bids with the hope of saving some money. It’s not like all teams start on the same footing; every team knows that the Yankees can outbid anyone if they so desire.

Here is the reverse situation. If the Yankees really were not interested in Darvish, I would expect them to say they were going to make a “serious” bid, just so teams in their own division would be forced to up their own bids to beat the Yankees. Exactly what they did with Crawford.

The beauty and frustration is that we’ll never know. I love this kind of poker game that goes on between teams. Baseball is a game, after all.

by Counsellmember on Dec 16, 2011 2:32 PM EST up reply actions

The Rumor mill is saying that Toronto and not the Yankees have the high bid for Darvish

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by GuruB on Dec 16, 2011 10:30 AM EST up reply actions

As

a big fan of Justin Upton, and hence a fan of the Diamondbacks, I’d love to see y’all sign Kuroda and let him stick to the Dodgers for the next few years.

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by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Dec 16, 2011 1:48 AM EST reply actions

the Dodgers are sticking themselves at this point

That makes absolutely no sense but yeeeaahhh…….

by CaptainCanuck on Dec 16, 2011 3:00 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Haha

well it made sense to me.

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by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Dec 18, 2011 4:56 PM EST up reply actions

If they don't have Darvish money

(few do, but imagine a Darvish, IPK, Cahill, Hudson, Collmenter rotation), spending 6-8 on a backend guy is crazy.

"Hey, why don't you people watch the game?"-my mom after viewing a wave going around Chase Field.

by Reynolds rapper on Dec 17, 2011 10:33 PM EST reply actions

Let me clarify a tad:

I’m not mad about not being in on the Darvish Derby, I’m just saying that that’s the only pitcher out there worth signing at this point and certainly if money were no object, that would probably be the move.

"Hey, why don't you people watch the game?"-my mom after viewing a wave going around Chase Field.

by Reynolds rapper on Dec 17, 2011 10:36 PM EST up reply actions

The one thing is… is any single player worth $50+ Million just to talk contract?? I Don’t think so, it could flame out just like Dice-K in Boston.. so it was safe to not be out in those woods

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by GuruB on Dec 17, 2011 11:15 PM EST up reply actions

As I said, it didn't make sense and it'll probably blow up on

the Rangers on the Blue Jays but in a “money is no object” situation it still makes sense to take the risk.

"Hey, why don't you people watch the game?"-my mom after viewing a wave going around Chase Field.

by Reynolds rapper on Dec 17, 2011 11:24 PM EST up reply actions

Not like they have to pay the $50MM if they don't agree

It’s not completely lost money. If Darvish doesn’t sign, the fee doesn’t get pad.

Founder and Chairman of the Send Dan Some Pizzeria Bianco Commission (SDSPBC). SDSPBC is a totally, definitely for-profit organization.

by Dan Strittmatter on Dec 18, 2011 2:08 AM EST up reply actions

paid*

Founder and Chairman of the Send Dan Some Pizzeria Bianco Commission (SDSPBC). SDSPBC is a totally, definitely for-profit organization.

by Dan Strittmatter on Dec 18, 2011 2:08 AM EST up reply actions

That's a lot of money

for someone whom hasn’t thrown a pitch in the major leagues.

Is it mid-February yet?

by NASCARbernet on Dec 23, 2011 12:58 PM EST up reply actions

And that's only

what the team gets (If he signs).

"The kingdoms of Experience, In the precious wind they rot, While paupers change possessions, Each one wishing for what the other has got, And the princess and the prince, Discuss what's real and what is not, It doesn't matter inside the Gates of Eden." B. Dylan

by xmet on Dec 23, 2011 3:11 PM EST up reply actions

As xmet alluded

That’s just the posting fee to the Japanese club that will be paid if they sign Darvish to a separate contract – which will be in the $50-75MM range over five years, I imagine.

Huge price to pay for an uncertainty.

Founder and Chairman of the Send Dan Some Pizzeria Bianco Commission (SDSPBC). SDSPBC is a totally, definitely for-profit organization.

by Dan Strittmatter on Dec 23, 2011 3:41 PM EST up reply actions

In a word

insane.

Is it mid-February yet?

by NASCARbernet on Dec 24, 2011 7:17 AM EST up reply actions

In a few more words

the Rangers failures in the post season must be driving Nolan Ryan to some kind of madness.

Is it mid-February yet?

by NASCARbernet on Dec 24, 2011 7:17 AM EST up reply actions

Especially this year's,

when the reason they lost was Cruz’s misplay of a ball that should have been caught for the win. The rarefied air nearing the top of Mount Success must be extremely intoxicating. He must be betting that the the Darvish Bullet Train can reincarnate the Ryan Express..

by xmet on Dec 24, 2011 8:29 AM EST up reply actions