No other National League teams with a worse record than the Arizona Diamondbacks wanted to claim Adam Dunn.  It’s understandable that these clubs would not want to add the last two months of the $13 million Dunn will earn in 2008, but what hasn’t been mentioned is that Arizona received a quality addition to counter the surging Dodgers’ acquisition of Manny Ramirez.

Dunn strikes out a lot.  He plays sub-par defense.  But Dunn gets on base and hits for power.  At the time of the trade, he was in the top-30 of all Major League hitters in both on-base percentage (.373) and slugging percentage (.528).  Who cares that his batting average was .234 at the time of the trade?  He is getting out less this season than Ichiro Suzuki, who is hitting .308 but whose on-base percentage is .363.

In fact, Dunn is close to achieving an impressive feat.  For four consecutive seasons, he has hit over 40 homeruns and walked over 100 times.  With a month and a half to play in 2008, he has 32 homers and 83 walks.  In three of the last four years, Dunn has eclipsed 100 RBIs and 100 runs scored.

The Diamondbacks are second in the National League in strikeouts and have added a player who has struck out 124 times in 2008 in only 117 games.  Dunn led the National League in strikeouts from 2004-2006.  But Dunn isn’t like his new teammates.  Dunn immediately becomes the team leader in slugging percentage, second in on-base percentage (to Conor Jackson’s .388 mark), and leads the team in OPS.

  The Reds receive:  Dallas Buck and two players to be named later.

Dallas Buck is a 23-year-old right-handed starting pitcher who only 1-5 in starts between Class Low-A and Class High-A, but has a 3.55 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.

Oh, those elusive players to be named later.  They’re always the wild card of any player.  In these situations clubs give their counterparts options between a few players and those clubs will wait a few months longer to concluce the evaluation process on the minor league players.  Except this time, at least one of the two (and possibly both) players to be named later is reportedly not a minor leaguer.  Well, they may be in the minor leagues now, but they are part of the 40-man, Major League roster.  They must clear waivers like other Major Leaguers, meaning the trade may be completed after the conclusion of this season. 

So it seems as if the trade will be completed by one of the players on the 40-man roster, but not one of the 25-players currently on the actual Major League team.  This list includes Max Scherzer and Micah Owings.  It’s highly unlikely that the D-Backs part ways with Scherzer, but if the Reds can lure Owings away, it would be very beneficial for their franchise.  Owings struggled so badly in 2008 that Arizona had to send him back to Triple-A, but he’ll only be 26 next season and could still be a very useful piece to a Major League club. 

This trade, like most, is about money.  Adam Dunn is a free agent after the end of 2008 and should command a pretty hefty salary in the open market.  Cincinnati felt they had to get something in return other than a compensation pick in next June’s draft, so they made the deal.  They could end up receiving a Major League-experienced pitcher in Micah Owings, a piece they need badly.  Maybe the Diamondbacks can convince Dunn to stay in Phoenix beyond 2008.  If so, they win this trade easily because Dunn will hit 40 homeruns and draw 100 walks for several more years.  If not, they still have a guy with left-handed power and patience that could push them past the Los Angeles Dodgers and into the 2008 playoffs.

Sometimes a change of scenery makes all the difference in the world.  The early evaluations have been good for all sides so far in the major trades leading up to this year’s deadline.  Maybe the new environment and new opportunity for these players have been the catalyst for instant success.

  Yankees receive:  Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte. 

Xavier Nady was a second round pick of the San Diego Padres in 2000, who went straight to the Major Leagues upon signing as part of his contract and singled in his first MLB at bat.  Then the Padres immediately sent him to the minors to begin his development into a big leaguer.  Last season was Nady’s career high in OPS at just .806, but in 2008, as the 29-year-old Nady is enjoying a career year, hitting .330/.383/.535 with Pittsburgh.

Damaso Marte is a journeyman left-handed reliever.  He’s 33 now, but has had a solid career.  His career ERA (3.29) is over a run better than the league average of his career (4.52).  Only once in his eight MLB seasons has Marte failed to strike out less than a batter per inning.  He had 47 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings for Pittsburgh before the trade.

  Pirates receive:  Jose Tabata, Jeff Karstens, Ross Ohlendorf, and Dan McCutchen.  

Jose Tabata has been the Yankees’ best position prospect for at least two years–until this year.  He is still very young–only 19–but the projection of his talent has been hampered by injuries.  Last season, it was a hand injury.  In 2008, it’s been a hamstring problem.  The outfielder has always been pushed, playing with much older players, but he was probably a bit overwhelmed as a 19-year-old in Double-A this season where he hit only .248/.320/.310 for the the Yankees’ Double-A affiliate (Trenton).  Pittsburgh has put him in Double-A as well and he’s gone just 2 for 13 for Altoona. 

Jeff Karstens is an average right-handed starting pitcher.  He’s 25 years old and threw well in Triple-A for the Yankees in 2008.  A Triple-A pitcher for the Yankees is good enough to be a starter for Pittsburgh, though, and Karstens is 2-0 in two starts since joining the Pirates’ rotation, including the game of his life on August 6 when he threw a complete game shutout, allowing only two hits and one walk.

Many in the organization thought Ross Ohlendorf would be the guy to take Joba Chamberlain’s 8th inning slot when Chamberlain moved to the rotation.  However, Ohlendorf has given up 50 hits in 40 innings pitched and had an ERA of 6.53 with New York.

Dan McCutchen is a solid starting pitching prospect and will get a shot in Pittsburgh.  He has a 3.33 ERA in 148.2 IP with 127 strikeouts and 35 walks allowed.

Verdict:  It seems the Pirates traded Nady at his highest value for Tabata at his lowest value.  The Pirates received usable parts and lost Nady’s salary, but they should have asked for Ian Kennedy as well, even though he’s been terrible at the Major League level in 2008.  Also, Nady’s 2008 salary is only $3.35 million and he’ll be eligible for free agency after the 2009 year.  He has raked for the Yankees, hitting .339/.403/.679 with 5 homeruns in 16 games.  Nady’s .942 OPS in 2008 is tied for 11th best in all of Major League Baseball.  A right-handed power hitting outfielder is just what the Yankees needed and they haven’t had a viable lefty bullpen option since Mike Stanton.  Advantage: New York Yankees.

  Dodgers receive:  Manuel Aristides Ramirez.

   Pirates receive:  Andy LaRoche, Bryan Morris, Brandon Moss, and Craig Hansen.

  Red Sox receive:  Jason Bay.

Manny Ramirez didn’t play hard for his last ten games in a Boston Red Sox uniform to the tune of .351/.467/.622 including two bombs, eight walks (three intentional), eight runs scored, and an OPS of 1.089.  He’s the best right-handed hitter in the 50-year gap between Joe DiMaggio and Albert Pujols.  At the time of the trade, Ramirez’s OPS was .927  That would be his second-lowest for a full season in his illustrious career, yet still good enough for 7th in the American League at the time. 

Jason Bay has already put together a pretty solid MLB career.  A terrible 2007 season in which he still hit 21 homeruns is the aberration in a career that Bay has displayed both plate discipline and power.  His career line is .282/.375/.515 in five full seasons.  Bay is signed through 2009 and is due to make $7.5 million next year, much less than half of the $20 million option for Ramirez.

Brandon Moss hit his first MLB homerun in the opening series of 2008 in Japan.  He is underrated as a player and should have a solid career, but he’s yet to have regular playing time.  He’ll get just that in Pittsburgh.

Andy LaRoche should have been playing third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers all along.  He injured a ligament in his thumb during spring training and found his spot occupied when he returned to action.  He has yet to receive regular MLB at bats, but his minor league numbers show the potential for an exceptional hitter.  In three and a half minor league seasons, LaRoche has hit .294/.380/.517 with 95 homeruns.  The 86-point difference between his batting average and on-base percentage shows that he’s quite selective at the plate along with a .223 isolated power number proving his pop.

Craig Hansen was a first rounder in 2005 St. John’s University and signed to a Major League contract.  He was going to be the Red Sox closer until command issues hampered him and Jonathan Papelbon emerged.  He’s a right-hander who throws 95 mph, but recorded only 25 strikeouts to 23 walks in 30.7 innings for Boston before the trade.  His periphreal ratios in Pittsburgh has been even worse.  He’s yet to record a strikeout, but walked six in four appearances.  He does have a save and a 3.86 ERA for the Pirates.

Bryan Morris could be the wild card in this trade for Pittsburgh.  The Dodgers took him in the first round in 2006 and he did well in rookie ball.  Then he had to have Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2007.  In 2008 in the Class-Low A Midwest League, Morris has shown flashed his potential.  He is still gaining arm strength, but had a 3.20 ERA in 81.7 IP (17 starts) before the trade.

Verdict:  Manny Ramirez could be the difference in the Dodgers winning the NL West.  He’s torched the NL for a line of .475/.543/.850 including four homeruns in just 10 games.  Jason Bay has hit a solid .326/.383/.488 in his first 10 games with Boston.  Andy LaRoche already has his first homerun as a Pirate and Jeff Karstens flirted with a no-hitter in his second start with Pittsburgh.  All of these teams should be pleased with the preliminary results of this blockbuster trade.  Boston did give up three players for one not as good as Manny Ramirez, though.  The Pirates gave up the second of their trio of outfielders who had an OPS over .900 in the 2008 season, leaving only Nate McLouth for 2009.  The Dodgers gave up too soon on Andy LaRoche, who only needs a chance at the MLB level to succeed.  That and a clean bill of health.  The Dodgers win this trade because the acquisition of the much-needed power bat in Manny Ramirez makes them a completely different team offensively.  It would be an interesting twist in irony if the Red Sox, who felt they had to deal Manny, end up missing the playoffs while his new team is catapulted to a playoff berth.

   Angels receive:  Mark Teixeira.

  Braves receive:  Casey Kotchman and Stephen Marek.

Mark Teixeira looks like he’ll hit right under .300 with around 35 bombs and post an OPS just under .950 for several more years.  He’s done pretty much that every year since coming into the league in 2003.  He’ll turn 29 in the second week of the 2009 season.  Agent Scott Boras knows all this and is sure to garner the switch-hitting first baseman a huge contract. 

Casey Kotchman was a rare first round first baseman taken in 2001.  He simply never developed the power the Angels thought he would.  His 12 homeruns so far in 2008 are a career high.  Kotchman is only 25 years old, so there is hope that he develop more power, but so far in 1,317 MLB plate appearances he’s only got on base at a .336 career clip.

Stephen Marek is a minor league reliever.  He is a right-hander in Double-A.  The 24-year-old put up solid numbers in the Texas League before the trade, striking out 57 and allowing only 39 hits in 46.7 innings pitched.  He will help out in Atlanta’s bullpen within two years.

Analysis:  Trading for Mark Teixeira makes the Anaheim Angels a very different team.  In 2006, they finished second in the AL West.  Last season, they won the West but were swept in the first round by Boston.  It was Vladimir Guerrero’s worst power season in the Major Leagues.  This season, Guerrero’s numbers have slipped even more.  Teixeira’s power will help this National League-style team–that is clearly good enough to win the West–compete with the powerful teams from the AL East for the American League pennant.  In fact, the addition of Teixeira may the piece that makes Anaheim the team to beat in 2008.  Atlanta was not going to sign Mark Teixeira.  They would’ve received a Type A compensation for losing Teixeira in next June’s amateur draft, but instead they sold him for pennies and acquired Kotchman and Marek.  Kotchman will be in Atlanta the next two seasons, but will also be arbitration elgibile.  While this move is adequate by Atlanta to get something (rather than just a draft choice) for the premium Major League talent in Teixeira, it’s a shame they gave up so much to Texas in acquiring Teixeira in the first place.  They gave up Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Elvis Andrus, and Neftali Feliz for a year’s rental of Teixeira.  The future of this deal is, of course, contingent on whether or not the Angels can secure Teixeira to a long-term contract.  Apparently Torii Hunter has already began to lobby Teixeira on behalf of the Angels organization.  They Angels clearly play in a market that could afford a player of his talent.  If they aren’t able to keep him after this season, the cost was still minimal and the return is a powerful, switch-hitting first baseman that gives the Angels a chance to win the 2008 World Series.

  Cole Hamels is one of the best starting pitchers in the game.  He ranks second in the Majors in strikeouts (133), innings pitched (150.7), and fourth in WHIP (1.01).  While Hamels should finish in the top-5 of the National League Cy Young Award vote, the other starters in Philadelphia’s rotation have not been good. 

Brett Myers, the Phillies’ Opening Day starter, has an ERA of 5.84 and had to be sent down to Triple-A.  Adam Eaton hasn’t been much better.  With the addition of Blanton, the Phillies are sending Eaton and his 5.71 ERA to the bullpen.  Second-year righty Kyle Kendrick is 8-4, but his ERA isn’t good either at 4.87.

45-year-old Jamie Moyer has been a solid sidekick to Hamels as he continues to get people out on very limited stuff.  He is 9-6 with a 3.90 ERA for the 2008 season.

Joe Blanton isn’t flashy.  He is a solid right-hander who throws just above 90 mph with an average breaking ball.  However, if Kyle Kendrick has won twice as many games as he’s lost in 2008, Blanton could be a great addition.  Blanton’s dependability could translate into several wins behind Philadelphia’s prolific offense.  He’s made at least 31 starts and logged at least 194 innings in each of his three Major League seasons.

Blanton is one of the original Moneyballers, drafted in the first round of out of the University of Kentucky in 2002.  He finished 6th in the 2004 AL Rookie of the Year vote by posting a 12-12 mark with a 3.53 ERA.  He won a career-high 16 games in 2005, though his ERA ballooned to 4.82.  Last season, Blanton took over duties as staff ace and logged a whopping 230 innings, but kept his ERA (3.95) under 4.00.  His career ERA is 4.25, just above the league average of 4.24. 

Joe Blanton is not yet arbitration eligible and made only $380,000 in 2007.  The Phillies will take no risk monetarily, and Blanton isn’t scheduled to become a free agent until after the 2010 season.  However, while Blanton’s durability almost guarantees that he is able to throw 200 inning annually, his rough 2008 season is concerning.  He is 27 years old and, although his MLB career is relatively short, his best years could already be behind him.  Plus, Oakland general manager Billy Beane seems to have a knack for trading away pitchers just as they begin the downside of their careers.  (See:  Barry Zito and Mark Mulder.)

Billy Beane is running laps around the rest of the general managers in Major League Baseball.  This trade is no blockbuster, but supply and demand ensured that Beane maximized Blanton’s value.  Adrian Cardenas was named the High School Player of the Year by Baseball America his senior season at a Miami, Florida high school and was the Phillies’ best position prospect.  Cardenas is a second baseman–obviously blocked at that position in Philadelphia by superstar Chase Utley–that will more than likely be a top-30 overall prospect going into 2009.  Since the Athletics drafted University of Miami second baseman Jemile Weeks last month in the first round, Cardenas may very well end up playing third base in the Major Leagues, but scouts believe his bat will be powerful enough to play at the hot corner.  The Athletics also received Josh Outman, a left-hander who ranked as the Phillies’ fourth-best prospect entering 2008.  He has moved to the bullpen and has a 3.20 ERA in Double-A.  Matt Spencer is a second-year outfielder who is struggling at Class High-A.

Cardenas is a prized hitting prospect, but Billy Beane was able to pry him away from the Phillies even though Joe Blanton is having the worst season of his MLB career.  Blanton is just 5-12 with 4.96 ERA in 2008.  While the National League will not be as strong as Blanton’s American League foes, Philadelphia’s park is grossly different than Oakland’s pitcher-friendly park.  Despite the poor numbers, Blanton was one of the best pitchers available in the trade market.  Beyond the supply and demand factor, the New York Mets have been on fire of late and are tied for the NL East lead, heightening Philadelphia’s urgency to acquire a starting pitcher.  Now Blanton is thrust in the midst of an exciting playoff race.  He will make his Philadelphia Phillies debut tomorrow in Shea Stadium versus Johan Santana and the New York Mets.

  The Milwaukee Brewers haven’t made the playoffs since 1982 when they were in the American League and Hall of Famer Robin Yount won the AL MVP.  Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin apparently thinks a quarter century without playoff baseball is long enough for the people of Milwaukee.  Melvin and the Brewers have traded for the 2007 American League Cy Young Award winner, C.C. Sabathia.  The Brewers are currently tied with their division rival the St. Louis Cardinals to be the National League Wild Card, but the big hard-throwing lefty Sabathia now makes them the favorite to win the NL’s fourth playoff spot.

THE DEAL

Milwaukee receives:  Carston Charles Sabathia.  He’s 6-8, 122.3 IP, 123 K, 34 BB, 3.83 ERA this season.

Cleveland receives:  Matt LaPorta: Brewers’ number one prospect entering 2007.  He’s an outfielder hitting .291/.404/.584 with 20 homers in Double-A.  Zach Jackson:  A struggling left-handed swingman.  He’s 1-5 with a 7.83 ERA in Triple-A.  Robert Bryson has worked as a starter and closer in Class Low A.  He’s 3-2 with 5 saves and a 4.25 ERA in 55 innings.  The player to be named later is said to be Taylor Green, a third baseman in Class High A hitting .297/.381/.452 with 10 homers with more walks (40) than strikeouts (39).

Matt LaPorta played at the University of Florida and was the SEC Player of the Year and an All-American his sophomore season.  After a disappointing junior season, he returned to school and was drafted by the Brewers seventh overall in 2007.  Milwaukee quickly converted LaPorta from a first baseman into a corner outfielder, but it was his conversion to the wooden bat that opened people’s eyes.  He dropped 12 bombs and slugged .696 in just 30 professional games after signing. 

Much like the Brewers’ first round choice in 2005, Ryan Braun, LaPorta will never be good defensively but his offensive production will more than compensate.

Brewers GM Doug Melvin has stacked his organization’s minor league system with quality talent.  In last month’s draft, the Brewers had five picks before the third round.  Third baseman Mat Gamel, LaPorta’s teammate in Double-A, is putting up monster numbers.  His .381/.443/.637 line could garner him Minor League Player of the Year honors.  He is terribly defensively himself and will more than likely move to the corner outfield spot that LaPorta had played.  With Gamel and the rest of Brewers’ loaded system, LaPorta could be used as the key piece to get Sabathia. 

C.C. Sabathia’s contract expires at the end of this season, creating obvious baggage for Milwaukee.  He turned down a 4-year, $72 million offer from Cleveland earlier this season, and it seems unlikely that the Brewers could make a better offer.  Disregard his record and Sabathia’s 2008 numbers are very good.  The 2007 AL Cy Young turns 28 on July 21, so get ready this offseason when this frontline left-handed starter hits the open market of free agency.  That means the Brewers will probably give up an elite power hitting prospect in LaPorta for a three-month rental for C.C. Sabathia.  They would receive a sandwich round draft choice if they prove unable or unwilling to sign the lefty. 

But the Brewers think it’s worth it.  Their first playoff berth since 1982 is theirs to lose.

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   All eyes in the baseball world have been on Jay Bruce since his Major League debut on Tuesday.  So far, Bruce has shown why Baseball America named him the 2007 Minor Leaguer of the Year and the top overall prospect leading into 2008.  In three games, he is 4 for 9 with two RBIs and two stolen bases.

Jay Bruce is a classic five-fool talent, but his makeup has been an impressive attribute since his much-anticipated promotion to the Show.

While playing for the Louisville Bats–Cincinnati’s Triple-A affiliate–Bruce never did post-game interviews at a podium with 50 microphones in his face.  Now he will have to deal with the pressure of constant scrutiny that comes with the territory of being a can’t-miss, franchise-saving prospect.  But it’s been so far, so good for Bruce as he went 3-3 with two walks and a steal in his MLB debut, showing off his tools and potential.

Jay Bruce was drafted 12th overall in the 2005 draft out of a Texas high school.  Again, that year’s draft may go down as the most talent-laden ever:  Justin Upton, Alex Gordon, Jeff Clement, Ryan Zimmerman, Ryan Braun, Troy Tulowitzki, Mike Pelfrey, and Cameron Maybin were all drafted ahead of Bruce. 

Bruce was raking at AAA before his callup, hitting .364/.393/.630 with 10 homeruns and 8 stolen bases.  In fact, it was pretty surprising that Bruce didn’t make the big league club out of spring training.  Instead the Reds opted for Corey Patterson whose 2008 line isn’t pretty:  he’s hitting .200 even with a .240 OBP and a .352 SLG.  He may soon be looking for new work.

While Bruce is a middle-of-the-order power lefty bat who also hits for average and is fast enough to steal bases with a center field glove and a right field arm, there are a few question marks about the five-tool talent’s future development, namely his strikeout rate.  Bruce had a staggering 80 extra base hits between three minor league levels in 2007, but with the power came many strikeouts.  He struck out 135 times last year and had already accumulated 45 whiffs in AAA so far in 2008.  But unlike a player like Jim Thome, who offsets his extremely high strikeout rates with very walk rates (12 seasons 100+ strikeouts, 9 seasons 100+ walks), Bruce only walked 47 times in 2007.  The year before he walked 44 times compared to 106 strikeouts in Class Low A baseball.

However, Bruce has walked four times in his three MLB games including the first plate appearance of his career, showing patience in an anxiety-riddled moment.  If Bruce can hit Major League pitching like the scouting reports suggest, the walks will come naturally as his reputation spreads and pitchers begin to shy away from the middle of the plate in favor of nibbling at the corners.  But more important than actually getting on base will be Bruce’s control of the strikezone, so that he hacks at a pitch to drive rather than a borderline pitcher’s pitch.

While three games mean nothing in the long term grind that baseball is, Bruce seems unaffected by the glitz of the Major Leagues so far.  Only the strikeout rate is a concern, but even that is of no consequence if his power remains.  Reggie Jackson struck out more times than anybody in Major League Baseball history, but he is a Hall of Famer nonetheless.

Things are looking up for the Reds.  They haven’t finished above .500 since 2000 and are currently in last place in the most-populous division in baseball.  But in the suspect National League Central, the Reds could turn the division upside down quickly.  It begins from within from the work of their scouting and development.  Now their franchise player, Jay Bruce, has arrived.

Carlos Gomez hit for the cycle last night as the youth renaissance in Major League Baseball continues.

Gomez, who came into the season just under the 130 at bat mark that would expire his rookie status, achieved the cycle in reverse order against the White Sox. The cycle came on the same day as another rookie, the National League’s Joey Votto, hit three homers in a game.

Many times cycles aren’t without controversy though, of course, and this cycle had a bit as well when Chicago left fielder Carlos Quentin played Carlos Gomez’s third hit into a double.

Carloz Gomez was the only position player involved in the Johan Santana trade. He has filled several needs for the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins. He hits leadoff and plays centerfield, replacing Torii Hunter defensively after the Twins lost Hunter in free agency. Gomez won his job in spring training and provided much-needed speed to his lineup. He’s one of the fastest runners in the Major Leagues and is currently leading the American League in stolen bases.

The winner of a trade cannot be decided overnight, but the early reports on Gomez are good. The 22-year-old is developing nicely and the Twins are doing just fine so far in the post-Johan Santana era.

  Joey Votto hit three bombs off Chicago Cubs’ pitching in Wednesday’s 9-0 win. 

In fact, the Cincinnati Reds totaled seven homeruns as team.

Cincinnati’s ballpark is known for homeruns, but Votto’s career day wasn’t cheap.  After losing a hanging slider deep into the rightfield stands in his first at bat, Votto hit his final two homers to centerfield.  Also, he hit all three bombs off a different pitcher:  Jon Lieber, Sean Marshall, and Sean Gallagher were all victimized. 

Votto could have become the 16th player in MLB history to hit four homers in a game, but he grounded out in his final at bat.  Carlos Delgado is the last player to go deep four times in one contest, doing so on September 25, 2003.  Frank Thomas is the last player with a three-homer game, coming just last September 17th.

Maybe this is Joey Votto’s moment to propel him to the 2008 National League Rookie of the Year Award.  He is now leading MLB Rookies with seven homeruns.  Of course, the National League is filled with exciting rookie players.  Geovany Soto is probably leading the pack currently and has had a two-homer game of his own.  His teammate Kosuke Fukudome will be in this race until the end.  Jair Jurrjens is 4-2 with a 2.84 ERA.  Although he’s struggled lately, Johnny Cueto made quite a first impression.  But when will Jay Bruce get called up?  And what if Clayton Kershaw is called up this year? 

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  Max Scherzer burst onto the MLB scene last night with a perfect 4.1 innings in relief, striking out 7 of those 13 batters he faced.  He threw 35 of his 47 pitches for strikes and touched 98 mph on the radar gun.  The Arizona Diamondbacks have added an incredibly talented pitcher, but now the debate on how to most-effectively use Scherzer will begin.

It looks like Scherzer’s talent will overcome the negative beginning of his professional career. 

Scherzer, who attended the University of Missouri, was the best arm in the 2006 draft, but fell to 11th overall to the Arizona Diamonbacks because of signability.  Guess who his agent is?

After the draft, Scherzer pulled a J.D. Drew (and later, a Luke Hochevar)–two other Scott Boras clients–and decided to play independent baseball with the American Association rather than sign with Arizona.  Scherzer dominated in 16 innings, but unlike Drew and Hochevar, he signed with Arizona after all, just before the deadline.

While scouts and executives have said Scherzer profiles as a dominant power closer at the Major League level because of a lack of a third pitch, his AAA numbers this year (4 starts, 23 IP, 1.17 ERA, 38 K, 3 BB) and MLB debut last night suggest he could be a very good starting pitcher.  As for the need to develop a third pitch to be a quality MLB starter?  There is another starter for the Diamondbacks who has made it just fine with only two pitches:  Randy Johnson.

Max Scherzer will be to the Diamondbacks what Joba Chamberlain is to the Yankees:  the talent, the hype, and the controversy on how to use him.

So far in the 2008 season, the Diamondbacks are by far the best team in the National League and they just got a lot better with the addition of Scherzer.  Micah Owings has a sore ankle and Doug Davis is beginning cancer treatment, so a starting role for Scherzer may soon be a necessity.  Whatever his role, Scherzer has seen the last of the minor leagues.

UPDATE:  Max Scherzer will start Monday, May 5th at home versus Jamie Moyer and the Philadelphia Phillies.  That didn’t take long.

  Evan Longoria hit his first Major League homerun last night.  There will be many more to come. 

Longoria made his much-anticipated MLB debut on Saturday and collected an RBI single.  He also singled the next day.  Then on Monday, down 7-6 in the 7th inning to the Yankees, Longoria hit a solo bomb to left off Brian Bruney to tie the game. 

Evan Longoria was the 2005 Cape Cod League Most Valuable Player and then selected by the Tampa Bay Rays number three overall out of Long Beach State in the 2006 draft.  In an era where an increasingly large number of drafted players do not play in the year they sign, Longoria hit 18 homeruns between three minor league levels immediately after signing.  He finished his first professional season in Double-A. 

He began 2007 where he left off the season before, winning the Southern League MVP and getting a promotion to Triple-A. 

Scouts love him, of course.  He’ll hit .300 and hit 30 homers annually, with power to all fields.  And apparently Longoria is a blue chip talent with a blue collar work ethic.  By this time next year, he’ll be the third-most productive third baseman in the AL behind Alex Rodriguez and Miguel Cabrera.

Evan Longoria’s impact has been instant upon his arrival to the Show.  On Monday night in his third game, the Tampa Bay fans called Longoria from the dugout and the third baseman took his first Major League curtain call.  There will be many more to come.

  Johnny Cueto made his Major League debut for the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday and absolutely dominated the Arizona Diamondbacks.  The 22-year-old Cueto threw 7 innings, allowing only a homerun in the 6th inning to Justin Upton, striking out 10, and walking none.  None of his 92 pitches came out of the stretch in his MLB debut. 

Cueto is a native of the famous Dominican town San Pedro de Macoris.  He is a short and slender right-hander, which of course isn’t the prototypical workhorse body that scouts oftentimes salivate over.  In a bit of a surprise, he made Cincinnati’s Opening Day roster over the likes of hot prospect Homer Bailey.  Scouts and Reds’ management were impressed with Cueto’s stuff and moxie.  Cueto’s stuff is evidenced by the 10 strikeouts of 22 batters faced, but what may be even more impressive is zero walks on the biggest stage of his rising baseball career. 

Cueto’s debut today establishes himself (along with Kosuke Fukudome–if he is a rookie) as the immediate front runner in the 2008 National League Rookie of the Year campaign.  In fact, it is the best pitching performance of this very young season.  Today’s effort would score 81 on Bill James’ Starting Pitcher Game Score calculation, the highest thus far in 2008.  For some perspective, the highest game score of 2007 was Erik Bedard’s 98 when he threw a complete game shutout against the Texas Rangers, striking out 15, walking none, and allowing only 2 hits.

UPDATE:  You might have guessed this one already, but upon further review of Cueto’s MLB debut, the announcers noted the fact he had a perfect game going and even flashed a list of rookies who have thrown no-hitters.  After a commercial break, Upton led off the 6th with a solo homer.  But hey, the announcers were working for an Arizona Diamonbacks station, so this ploy could have been a strategy to rally the DBacks’ bats.