Skaggs won’t go in Cactus League opener

Those Arizona Diamondbacks fans who were excited to see
one of the team’s top prospects pitch in the team’s Cactus
League opener against Colorado will have to wait a little
longer.

Tyler Skaggs, ranked by Baseball America as the third-best
prospect in the Diamondbacks’ organization, is being held
out of his first scheduled Cactus League start of 2012.

“He was a little tender (Thursday), so he’s not going to
throw,” manager Kirk Gibson announced Friday. “He’s going
to do his bullpen on Sunday.”

Gibson also was clear to point out that this isn’t
considered anything serious.

“I appreciate him telling us about it,” he said. “But
it’s gone away immediately. They worked on it, and he
felt great today.”

Skaggs was acquired in the summer of 2010 from the Los
Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the deal that sent Dan Haren
back to the American League. The 20-year-old lefty went
9-6 with a 2.96 ERA in 27 minor league starts at Single-A
Visalia and Double-A Mobile.

Skaggs was also 2-0 in Cactus League starts last season.

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