That’s Ken Rosenthal’s assessment, and it’s not a bad one. His thinking: (a) interim GM Jerry Dipoto can’t be expected to have been handed the reins to do a full-blown fire sale mere weeks after taking over for Josh Byrnes; and (b) the Diamondbacks really don’t have a need to slash payroll given that Brandon Webb and Eric Byrnes are coming off the payroll this fall.’
Rosenthal thinks that the Diamondbacks may deal guys on the brink of free agency like Adam LaRoche, Chad Qualls and Aaron Heilman, but that trading guys who are under contract for 2011 and beyond (i.e. Dan Haren and Kelly Johnson) makes little sense for Arizona. I’m guessing the Diamondbacks have made the same assessment, which would explain that “we have to be blown away to trade Haren” talk we’ve heard in the past week or so.
This may discourage Philly fans who covet Haren and wouldn’t mind seeing Kelly Johnson fill in for the injured Chase Utley, but Dback fans probably welcome the news.
Well, to the extent it is news and not just some sensible speculation.