Diamondbacks, Marlins Deal Arms

The Arizona Diamondbacks have traded right-hander Jorge Julio and cash to the Florida Marlins for right-hander Yusmeiro Petit. The Marlins will use Julio as their closer, a role he filled for the Orioles from 2002 to 2004.

Julio enjoyed a tremendous rookie campaign in ‘02, finishing with a 1.99 ERA and 25 saves, enough to place him third in the American League Rookie of the Year balloting behind Rodrigo Lopez and winner Eric Hinske (talk about a weak crop!). Julio throws extremely hard but has trouble throwing strikes and keeping the ball in the park — a deadly combination. He just turned 28, so there’s some possible upside here, but the ninth inning promises to be an adventure in Miami this year.

In Petit, the Diamondbacks continue to address their greatest area of need — good, young starting pitching. Petit got hammered in limited appearances for Florida in 2006, but it was a small sample and he was only 21 years old. Petit has posted some nice numbers — including gaudy strikeout-to-walk ratios — in the minors and was considered a top prospect in the Mets’ organization as recently as November 2005 before being shipped to the Marlins in the Carlos Delgado deal.

This trade has the potential to help both teams, but I think Arizona’s side has a little more upside. As a Padres fan, I don’t like the moves GM Josh Byrnes is making over there in Phoenix. He’s a smart fellow and I’d just as soon see him leave the division.