Prior to the All-Star break the Diamondbacks and Pirates completed a trade that sent Duaner Sanchez to Pittsburgh for Mike Fetters. We discussed Sanchez earlier this month when he replaced Junior Spivey on the Diamondback's roster while Spivey was on the DL. Although the 22-year-old still needs time in AAA, he could potentially develop into a closer for the Pirates and should at least mature into a decent major league middle reliever.

Acquiring Sanchez was a secondary benefit to the Pirates in this trade as they were able to unload Fetters and his $2.15M contract. Fetters' contract includes a team option for next season with a $250,000 buyout. Pittsburgh has a fine bullpen without the overpriced Fetters and had no reason to keep him as they aren't gunning for the division this season. The right-handed reliever had a 29:18 K:BB in 30.1 IP with 25 H and 3 HR allowed when traded. While his strikeout rate is obviously nice and both the homers and hits are at good levels, the walk rate is overly high, especially for a pitcher receiving set-up money.

I think Arizona made a poor decision in acquiring Fetters. The Diamondbacks' payroll problems are widely acknowledged, and Fetters doesn't improve their pen significantly more than any one of several cheaper options. Brenly's distrust of his relievers nearly cost him the World Series last season, so Arizona probably needed to acquire relief help to prevent him from overtaxing closer Byung-Hyun Kim. However if they intend to spend money on pitching, they should focus on acquiring another veteran starter to take pressure off the bullpen and return Miguel Batista to long relief.

The Pirates originally activated Bronson Arroyo to fill Fetters' roster spot but demoted Arroyo Friday when they activated Josias Manzanillo from the DL. Manzanillo couldn't join the team until May because of poor handling of the free agent market. Shortly after returning to the majors, bone chips in his elbow forced him to the DL. Now that he's recovered from having those chips removed, Manzanillo should more than fill any hole left by Fetters' departure.

I'm not sure what Pittsburgh's trying to achieve with Arroyo. The Pirates drafted him out of Florida's Hernando High School in the third round of the 1995 draft. He progressed through the minors at a steady rate until 2000. They cut short his time in AAA to jump him to the majors where they split him between starting and relief work. They put him in a similar position last season, bouncing him back and forth from the bullpen to the rotation. His major league troubles may be the result of a limited velocity fastball, but the Pirates have not handled his transition into the majors well. The 25-year-old has demonstrated the skills of a starting pitcher in the minors and deserves to be given a consistent role in the majors. If they don't feel he belongs in the rotation, then he could easily work in middle relief, where he would be available for a spot start if needed.

Cleveland shipped RHP Nerio Rodriguez to the Cardinals on Thursday for 2B Neil Simoneaux. St. Louis drafted Simoneaux out of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette in the 18th round of the 2001 draft. The only thing evident from his limited at-bats last season in the Short-Season Appalachian League and this year in the Short-Season New York Pennsylvania League and A Midwest League is that he needs to significantly improve his plate discipline. I don't currently expect the 22-year-old to have a major league debut. The Indians were likely just trying to clear space on their 40-man roster, but they should have been able to pick up more than Simoneaux.

The Indians called up Rodriguez earlier this season when Charles Nagy was placed on the DL but returned him to the minors when they activated Paul Shuey. I suggested at the time he be given an extended tryout by a team needing a fifth starter. The Cardinals certainly qualify as such an organization, although I don't believe they currently have any plans to call him up.

Given Simoneaux's limited upside, I'll reserve my normal objections over trading for a player who was readily available as a minor league free agent in the off-season and congratulate St. Louis on an acquisition with a lot of potential. However, they still need to trade for at least a middle of the rotation starter if they plan to even reach the playoffs.

Finally, we come to the last and least of the trades in recent weeks. On Saturday, Anaheim traded 3B Zach Roper to Texas for SS Brandon Warriax. The Rangers drafted Warriax out of North Carolina's Purnell Swett High School in the third round of the 1997 draft. He remained in Short-Season and Rookie Ball through 2000 with just a few A+ at-bats. Last year the Rangers placed him at Charlotte in the A+ Florida State League and then jumped him to AA Tulsa in the Texas League, but it wasn't due to his offensive skills. The 23-year-old might as well be swinging a war ax at the plate, given his poor strike zone judgment, complimented by neither significant speed nor power.

Anaheim drafted Roper out of Florida Atlantic University in the 27th round of the 2000 draft. After the draft, he went straight to the Short-Season Northwest League, where he displayed promising plate discipline and power with a little bit of speed. His strike zone judgment fell off a bit at Cedar Rapids in the A Midwest League last season but has rebounded this year. In 252 AB at Rancho Cucamonga in the A+ California League, he has 61 H, 16 2B, and 7 HR with a 47:32 BB:K and 1/2 SB% for a .242 BA, .338 OBP, and .389 SLG. He's already 24 and the third base situation in Texas is already more than a little crowded, but he's definitely an upgrade over Warriax.