Arizona Diamondbacks Top Five Moments Of 2014

Jun 3, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers former pitcher and agent for Matt Kemp, Dave Stewart, watches the game against the Chicago White Sox at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

12/09/2014 – Diamondbacks Active During The Winter Meetings

Just before the offseason began, Arizona Diamondback president Derrick Hall stated the team payroll would not exceed $100 million in 2015.  Unfortunately the Diamondbacks were saddled with unproductive players with cumbersome contracts leaving the new baseball brain trust or Dave Stewart, De Jon Watson and La Russa no choice but to pull the trigger on some big trades to make room to improve the roster.

Just prior the 2014 Winter Meetings,  Stewart  made two moves in an attempt to shore up their struggling starting rotation.

In late November, they traded for LHP Jeremy Hellickson from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for two minor league prospects. Hellickson was an up and coming starting pitcher for the Rays but took a step back last season after struggling with injury. When healthy, Hellickson has the potential to be a top of the rotation arm.

On the eve of the meetings, the Diamondbacks pulled another significant trade by using some of their shortstop depth when they sent prized prospect Didi Gregorious to the New York Yankees. In exchange, the D-Backs received a package of players that included the already well-traveled prospect Robbie Ray. Ray struggled in Detroit last season but the Diamondbacks are hoping that with a little more seasoning, he could develop into the team’s ace of the future.

The biggest trade involved longtime Diamondback catcher Miguel Montero, who was sent to the Cubs in exchange for two low-A ball pitching prospects.  Montero was schedule to make $44 million over the next three season, making it necessary for the Diamondbacks to deal him to make room for additional roster moves.

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