D-backs CEO Derrick Hall discusses trade possibilities for Brad Ziegler
Jul 17, 2014, 4:56 PM | Updated: 4:56 pm
With exactly two weeks until the trade deadline in Major League Baseball, there is much speculation about what the Arizona Diamondbacks will attempt to do.
In the midst of a disappointing season, the D-backs were labeled sellers by team president and CEO Derrick Hall. Already, they’ve traded reliever Joe Thatcher and outfielder Tony Campana to the Los Angeles Angels and starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy to the New York Yankees.
Many are wondering who’s next. Reliever Brad Ziegler, who has been about as steady as anybody on the D-backs roster, could draw interest around the Majors.
Hall, a guest of Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Thursday, was asked about the Ziegler’s future in the desert.
“He’s impossible to replace,” Hall said. “We saw how bad our team was back in ’08, ’09 and ’10 when we didn’t have a bullpen and how critical it is to have guys who can come in and hold a game in the seventh or eighth or even close if you need them to due to injury in the ninth — Brad’s done all of that.
“He could probably command a lot in return, but he’s just too valuable.”
Ziegler has been rock solid since being acquired by Arizona in a trade with the Oakland Athletics in July of 2011. The 34-year-old right-hander has appeared in a National League-leading 49 games this year, compiling a 4-1 record and a 2.42 ERA in 48.1 innings of work.
“Brad Ziegler has been so consistent for us the last couple years. He’s been our go-to guy. He keeps the ball in the ball park, puts the ball on the ground, he gets the double play when he needs to,” Hall said. “You just have so much confidence when that bullpen gate swings open and out comes Brad. It’s tough to find guys like that.
“As long as you have that guy in the bullpen — and again, we’re talking about balancing it with veterans and young players, he is somebody you need down there to balance it out as a veteran presence who is going to come in and get the job done.”
