DUGOUT: D-backs give Haren away to Angels

By firing general manager Josh Byrnes a few weeks ago, the Arizona Diamondbacks showed that they had little confidence in the 40-year old's ability to guide the team through a critical trade season. Judging by what interim GM Jerry DiPoto received in return for his most coveted trade chip this afternoon, perhaps Arizona should have had a little more faith in Byrnes.

Haren was acquired by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who appear to be collecting pieces for the 2011 season. Several other teams were rumored to have been interested in Haren, but Los Angeles was able to grab the 29-year-old right-hander by offering starting pitcher Joe Saunders, two prospects, and a player-to-be-named-later that will likely wind up being a solid prospect from Los Angeles' farm system.

Saunders, 29, is currently 6-10 on the season with a 4.62 ERA. While wins and losses should never carry much weight when evaluating a pitcher, Saunders' secondary statistics are also devoid any redeeming qualities.

Possessing the ninth-worst strikeout rate in baseball, Saunders has four full major-league seasons under his belt. He is currently making $3.7 million, and will be arbitration-eligible for two more years.

Saunders isn't expensive by any means, but he's also hardly an elite starting pitcher. Even considering the move to the National League, Saunders fits best in the back half of a major-league rotation.

Arizona will also receive Pat Corbin, a 21-year-old left-handed starting pitcher who is currently pitching in High-A ball with a 3.88 ERA, and Rafael Rodriguez, a 25-year old right-handed reliever with a few games of major-league experience. Rodriguez has spent most of 2010 in Triple-A Salt Lake, where he has accumulated a 3.04 ERA through 50.1 innings.

Corbin is too young to know his full potential, but Rodriguez will contribute to an ailing Arizona bullpen very soon. Neither Corbin or Rodriguez are top-tier prospects by any stretch of the imagination, though, and the “winner” of this trade will hinge on who Arizona receives as the “player-to-be-named-later.”

Even considering the potential top prospect the Diamondbacks could receive at a later date, this is a salary dump for Arizona, giving them additional financial flexibility in the future. Still, I find it hard to believe that another team wasn't willing to offer more for Haren, who is signed through 2012 (with a club option in 2013) to a below-market-value contract.

The Diamondbacks still have a few valuable trade chips on their last-place team, and Arizona fans should hope the return on those trades isn't as disappointing as what DiPoto received for Haren. If the Diamondbacks hope to contend in the next few years, they will need to make wise deals before the upcoming July 31 trade deadline.

Clearing what could have been $41 million of payroll obligations over the next three years is almost always a good thing, but the Diamondbacks will be hard-pressed to find a player as cost-effective as Haren.

(For more on the Haren trade, check Wednesday's Green Valley News.)

Andrew Kneeland is a student at the Arizona Virtual Academy. He is an intern at the Green Valley News.