Roster Changes

Remember my previous post on what I thought some good Diamondbacks roster changes before the All-Star Break would be? Well, here are some of the changes that I semi-predicted which have happened in the last week or so: 1. Tony Clark (1B) dismissed. They decided to simply drop him rather than try to keep him on board or trade him, which is a move I like. He just wasn't getting it done, had little trade value, and will be an asset to the organization in the future should he choose that path. The team called up Josh Whitesell who will be the more-or-less everyday starter to help share the time at first base with Chad Tracy. 2. Tony Pena (reliever) traded to the Chicago White Sox for minor league infielder Brandon Allen, the #1 minor league power slugger for the Sox organization last year. He was assigned to AAA Reno for the Diamondbacks. Tony Pena was a good man to trade. Another organization can certainly use him, and the DBacks were only delaying the inevitable by keeping him. Hopefully Allen can either be used to get a strong 2B or reliever in the offseason; otherwise, he might turn into a good slugger/infielder for the club next year or so. Leo Rosales was called up to replace him. 3. Felipe Lopez (2B) traded for 2 minor league prospects to the Milwaukee Brewers. I definitely like the club getting rid of him; he seemed too lazy - or perhaps a better word that I read about him today is "lackadaisical" - in his at-bats, on the basepaths, and playing defense. I just wish the club had picked up something more than a couple AA prospects for what was the DBacks' most legitimate leadoff hitter. Ryan Roberts was called up to replace him in the lineup. So here's what the club looks like now: C: Snyder (DL), Montero, Carlin 1B: Whitesell, Tracy, Jackson (DL) 2B: Ojeda, Roberts 3B: Reynolds SS: Drew LF: Parra, Romero, Byrnes (DL) CF: Young RF: Upton Starting Pitchers: Haren, Davis, Garland, Scherzer, Petit, Webb (DL) Relief Pitchers: Boyer, Rosales, Zavada, Gutierrez, Rauch, Qualls, Vasquez, Schoeneweis, Gordon (DL) One can only hope we are able to find some way to trade Byrnes, maybe Romero, and possibly Rauch for a new everyday 2B and relievers.