#Dbacks GM Kevin Towers says his team's focus is: starting pitching, catching and outfield in that order.
— Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB) July 30, 2014
#Dbacks GM Kevin Towers says they are not looking to acquire any bullpen arms, but are being asked a lot about the ones they have.
— Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB) July 30, 2014
#DBacks GM Kevin Towers says other teams know what it would take to get deals done & now he's just waiting to hear back on them.
— Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB) July 30, 2014
Towers spoke to Arizona Sports. "I think it's about making your team better. Our depth in our system is in our bullpen, middle infielder and third base. Two of our better prospects are Jake Lamb and Brandon Drury, both third basemen. I think if you're just looking at it from a perception standpoint and thinking 'I can't move this guy, he was a key piece in a deal' -- if you think it's going to make your ball club better, you have to look at it." He also talked above whether he would move Martin Prado:
"We like Martin Prado a great deal and it would have to be a deal that we would feel very good about to move him. We have to look at what we have in the system and what's coming up behind him and how close they are. If you're able to acquire a starting pitcher or an every day player, and you have a lot of trust in guys like Lamb and Drury, you look at it. I don't really look at in a way that because (Prado was acquired) in a major trade, I think you have to separate those types of things. We like Martin a lot, but if a deal presents itself that makes us better in the near future and the future, I think you look at it. If not, you hold on to him."
You can add Gerardo Parra to the list of players being shopped by the #dbacks, according to one MLB exec.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) July 30, 2014
Baltimore are reported to be in the market for a left-handed reliever, with Perez one of the main names under consideration. They seem to be looking for a pitcher who can get outs of both sides, rather than pure LOOGY, which would fit both Perez and Neal Cotts of the Rangers.
We've already seen a couple of very big deals go down, most notably the A's sending Yoenis Cespedes to the Red Sox in exchange for Jon Lester and Jonny Gomes. They also traded Tommy Milone to the Twins in exchange for Sam Fuld, so it looks like the Athletics have decided this is going to be their year, and are going all in.
Stay tuned all day to this thread, as if there's any thing else of apparent significance, we'll update this thread.
UPDATE: This appears to be "of apparent significance"
OFFICIAL: #Dbacks acquire OF Mitch Haniger @M_Hanny19 and LHP Anthony Banda @anthony_banda3 from Brewers for OF Gerardo Parra
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 31, 2014
OFFICIAL: #Dbacks acquire C Peter O’Brien and either a PTBNL or cash considerations from the Yankees for INF Martin Prado.
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 31, 2014