The Diamondbacks are three games back with over 90% of the season remaining, so it'd be silly to write them off. Still, let's take a look at who they might make available in trade if they're out of contention a few months from now.
Brandon Webb, coming back from shoulder surgery, isn't eligible to come off the disabled list until May 25th. Barring a setback, he should have a month's worth of big league starts before the trade deadline. If he's able to conjure up vintage Webb, he'll have plenty of suitors. But as we saw with Erik Bedard in years past, there are no guarantees he'll have trade deadline value.
Catcher Miguel Montero should return from knee surgery before the end of May. Chris Snyder could be placed on the trading block once again, if Montero shows no ill effects. For his part, Snyder has several weeks to prove himself as a healthy starting catcher. He's owed $11.25MM for 2010-11.
Adam LaRoche, Chad Qualls, Aaron Heilman, Bob Howry, Kris Benson, and Rodrigo Lopez will be eligible for free agency after the season. The D'Backs could move the majority of them if things are looking bad come July. LaRoche might fetch something useful. Augie Ojeda is under team control for 2011, but would probably be available as well.
Something is wrong with Chad Qualls this year. He used to be pretty good, but every time he enters a game, he gives up 3 runs.
and now its juan g’s job. its the reason why i doubt moving qualls would bring much back if they choose to do so
I think the only player we would get much value for is Adam LaRoche. Although I hope this scenerio does not take place this year haha. Get healthy Brandon!!
I checked Cot’s Contracts on Adam LaRoche’s deal, and am very confused:
* 1 year/$6M (2010), plus 2011 mutual option
* signed by Arizona as a free agent 1/15/10
* 10:$4.5M, 11:$7.5M mutual option ($1.5M buyout)
* 2011 buyout increases to $9.5M if traded
So if LaRoche is traded, the buyout (and total guaranteed money) increases by $8M?
If so, that would make him virtually untradeable.
If that’s a typo and it’s the mutual option that increases (from 7.5 to 9.5M), does that mean that the buyout also increases by $2M (to 3.5M)? In that case, if he is traded at the deadline, the acquiring team would be responsible for $5M (1/3 of the 4.5M salary plus the 3.5 buyout). Not very palatable for only 2 months of rent – that’s an annual pay rate of $15M – plus any trade value given to Az.
Even Sabean would turn that one down.
That has to be a typo, there’s no way that AZ would make the buyout worth more than the option, that would be one of the dumbest things ever.
I emailed Jeff at Cots and he has since corrected the LaRoche entry. The bolded text above now reads: “2011 option increases to $9.5M if traded”.
Thanks Jeff for clarifying.
Since a mutual option by itself has very little value these days (it’s the buyout that provides the value to the player in the form of deferred guaranteed money) to either side and is rarely exercised, I don’t see how this clause will materially affect LaRoche’s tradeability. Unless (and there is no documentation to indicate this) the buyout is significantly bumped as well after a trade.