A couple of big deals for the D'Backs:
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The Diamondbacks have reportedly picked up Dan Haren from the A's for OF Carlos Gonzalez, LHP Brett Anderson, OF Aaron Cunningham, 1B Chris Carter, LHP Greg Smith and LHP Dana Eveland.
That's five of Arizona's top 10 prospects, plus Eveland, who no longer qualified. The A's are really going for quantity over quality here, which is pretty surprising. Gonzalez has star potential, but plate discipline is a big issue. Anderson is clearly the best bet of the pitchers. Smith and Eveland are more bottom-of-the-rotation guys, but Anderson could be a No. 2 in time. Now that Haren is gone, the A's might as well trade Joe Blanton, too.
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Pretty nasty rotation possibly, Webb/Haren/Davis/Ownings/Johnson. I'm assuming Livan is gone and Randy Johnson will be able to pitch though. Petit might have one of those spots, he's solid and should improve.
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Astros acquired RHP Jose Valverde from the Diamondbacks for RHP Chad Qualls, 2B-OF Chris Burke and RHP Juan Gutierrez.
There was no way Ed Wade was going to enter the season without a proven closer. Now he has one, at the expense of his only other sure thing in the pen and another big chunk of the team's depth. Valverde was terrific while earning 47 saves last season, but he has a history of arm issues and inconsistency. Qualls might have been nearly as effective, so this doesn't appreciably improve the Astros' chances in 2008 and Gutierrez's departure, on the heels of Troy Patton's exit, further weakens what is probably now the game's worst farm system.
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I like Valverde a lot, he's fun to watch but you never know what he's going to do. Tony Pena, Brandon Lyon and Chad Qualls should be able to hold it down between them.
What they really need is a bat. Maybe take a flier on a one year deal with Brad Wilkerson or Geoff Jenkins or something.