29-year old righty starter Dan Haren finished fifth in the Cy Young Award voting in the National League. Haren started 33 games for the D-Backs last season and he was 14-10 with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. Haren only allowed 192 hits in 229 1/3 innings last season while whiffing 223 batters showing just how nasty he was last season. He has now pitched in 196 games (187 starts) in his major league career and he is 79-62 with a 3.61 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Look for him to continue leading the way for the pitching staff of the Arizona Diamondbacks for quite a while as he is a workhorse.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired 31-year old righty pitcher Aaron Heilman from the Cubs for 24-year old lefty reliever Scott Maine and 23-year old lefty swinging 1B Ryne White. Heilman pitched in 70 games (0 starts) for the Cubs last year and he was 4-4 with 1 save, a 4.11 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. He has now pitched in 375 games (25 starts) in his major league career and he is 26-37 with 10 saves, a 4.22 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Heilman has always wanted to be a starting pitcher and the D-Backs might give him that chance although they seem to be leaning towards using him in relief. Scott Maine was not one of the top 30 prospects of the D-Backs coming into the 2009 season according to Baseball America. But, he did pitch well in AA+AAA last season as he worked in 48 games (0 starts) in which he was 4-5 with 7 saves, a 2.90 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Ryne White was the #18 rated prospect of the D-Backs coming into last season according to Baseball America. He played in 116 games in A-ball last season and he was 111 for 418 (.266 avg, .727 OPS) with 62 runs scored, 6 homers and 52 RBIs. The D-Backs have a lot of first basemen ahead of White on the organizational depth chart so they won’t miss him. I think this was a good trade for the D-Backs as they really didn’t give up too much for a legit reliever in Heilman

22-year old lefty swinging outfielder Gerardo Parra finished in a tie for 8th place for the Rookie of the Year Award in the N.L. He played in 120 games for the Diamondbacks last season and he was 132 for 455 (.290 avg, .729 OPS) with 59 runs scored, 5 homers, 60 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Parra took advantage of Eric Byrnes being banged up and Chris Young not hitting well and he will be in the OF to stay for the D-Backs in 2010 and beyond.

28-year old righty starting pitcher Daniel Cabrera has refused an assignment to AAA becoming a free agent. Cabrera pitched in 6 games (1 start) for the D-Backs last season and he was 0-1 with a 6.55 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP. He pitched in 15 games (9 starts) overall last season with the Nationals & D-Backs and he was 0-6 with a 6.00 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP. This was a move that had to be made by the Diamondbacks as Cabrera didn’t show any improvement with them after coming over from the Nationals.

The Diamondbacks have lost 29-year old lefty reliever Doug Slaten on waivers to the Washington Nationals. Slaten pitched in 11 games (0 starts) for the D-Backs last season and he was 0-0 with a 7.11 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP. In parts of four season with the Diamondbacks, Slaten pitched in 126 games (0 starts) in which he was 3-5 with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. Slaten got quickly snapped up by the Nationals but the D-Backs have a couple of young lefty relievers that they like better than him.