SI’s Verducci believes D-backs could make big deadline deal
Jul 31, 2012, 2:48 PM | Updated: 2:48 pm
As the trade deadline has approached the Arizona
Diamondbacks have made a few trades and roster moves but
none have been the big, blockbuster, shake the
organization for the future — or near-term — deals.
Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci believes that
deal coming right at the deadline could happen.
“I think the Diamondbacks serve as a stealth player
[Tuesday], we haven’t heard a lot from them, but the way
they have played the last week or so they feel like they
should go for it rather than fold,” Verducci told ESPN’s
Mike & Mike on Arizona Sports 620.
The Diamondbacks have won eight out of their last 11 games
and currently sit 3.5 games behind the San Francisco
Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West lead. The
team is 6.5 games back in the Wild Card standings with
four teams tied and at the top — two of those being the
Giants and Dodgers.
“A team like the Diamondbacks want to get in for a front
of the rotation type pitcher,” Verducci said.
He specifically mentioned Philadelphia’s Cliff Lee and
Seattle’s Felix Hernandez.
Both have been rumored to be on the trading block for
quite some time and both are playing for teams at the
bottom of their divisions.
“If you’re the Diamondbacks and you have Justin Upton, why
wouldn’t you at least listen,” Verducci asked.
Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers will definitely do that. Two
weeks ago Upton was a hot name in trade chatter and Towers
admitted he was listening to other teams about all of his
players.
The trade deadline will pass at 1 p.m. in Arizona this
afternoon.
