The Diamondbacks don’t want to blow up the roster but they still want to shed some payroll if possible. With that in mind I would send shortstop Stephen Drew to the Tigers for 2B Scott Sizemore and 2B/SS Danny Worth. I would follow that up with dealing Adam LaRoche to the Rangers for 1B Chris Davis, C Taylor Teagarden and righty reliever Pedro Strop. Sizemore and Strop would give the D-Backs a couple of potential high impact prospects. Chris Davis is a first base version of Mark Reynolds with a lot of power but a lot of whiffs. Those are two moves the D-Backs would have to make if they were offered.

The Diamondbacks need Brandon Allen to get ready for a return to the majors. If they trade Adam LaRoche later this month or sometime in August the D-Backs will likely give Allen another chance. Allen has played in 64 games in AAA-ball this year and he is 56 of 222 (.252 avg, .876 OPS) with 42 runs scored, 11 homers, 45 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. The Diamondbacks have plans for Allen in the future so they need him to start picking up the pace in the minors before they need him.

The Diamondbacks finished the first half of the 2010 season with a 34-55 record which has them in last place in the N.L West, 17.5 games behind the Padres. Not everything has went bad for the Diamondbacks so here’s a closer look at both the surprises and disappointments so far:

Pleasant Surprises: The D-Backs knew when they signed 30-year old lefty swinging 1B Adam LaRoche that he was a second half player. But he has played well for them in 2010. LaRoche has played in 82 games for the D-Backs this year and he is 75 of 296 (.253 avg, .787 OPS) with 44 runs scored, 13 homers and 55 RBIs. 28-year old lefty swinging 2B Kelly Johnson has really bounced back this season for the D-Backs. Johnson has played in 83 games for the D-Backs this year and he is 86 of 312 (.276 avg, .870 OPS) with 52 runs scored, 14 homers, 43 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. 26-year old righty swinging CF Chris Young was awful in 2009 for the D-Backs but he has rebounded nicely in 2010. Young has played in 86 games for the D-Backs this season and he is 85 of 320 (.266 avg, .798 OPS) with 48 runs scored, 15 homers, 61 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. Despite his record this season, 25-year old righty Ian Kennedy has been the best starting pitcher for the D-Backs. Kennedy has started 18 games for the D-Backs this year and he is 4-7 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP.

Disappointments: Where to start here? I will pick on 31-year old righty reliever Chad Qualls who started 2009 as the D-Backs’ closer. He lost that job. Qualls has pitched in 37 games (0 starts) for the D-Backs this year and he is 1-4 with 12 saves, a 8.60 ERA and a 2.11 WHIP. He has given up a whopping 52 hits in only 30 1/3 innings this year. 36-year old righty reliever Bobby Howry was so bad the D-Backs cut him really early in the year. He’s now pitching decent ball for the Cubs while the D-Backs are paying him. Howry pitched in 14 games (0 starts) for the D-Backs this season and he was 1-0 with a 10.67 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. He gave up a whopping 6 homers in only 14 1/3 innings for the D-Backs. 26-year old righty reliever Juan Gutierrez started this season as the set-up man but he isn’t working in that role anymore and for good reason. Gutierrez has pitched in 33 games (0 starts) for the D-Backs this year and he is 0-5 with 2 saves, a 6.96 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. 28-year old righty swinging LF/1B Conor Jackson was traded to the A’s earlier this year but he didn’t play too well for the D-Backs anyway. Jackson played in 42 games for the D-Backs this year and he was 36 of 151 (.238 avg, .657 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 1 homer, 11 RBIs and 4 stolen bases.

The Diamondbacks are 32-51 on the season which has them in last place in the A.L. West, 17.5 games behind the Padres. The D-Backs fired GM Josh Byrnes last week and they have given the job to Jerry DiPoto on a interim basis. He will now get to show if he’s indeed ready for the job on a full time basis this month. The D-Backs have nice trade chips in Adam LaRoche, Kelly Johnson, Stephen Drew, Dan Haren and Edwin Jackson. They will likely also be looking to move Chris Snyder, Rodrigo Lopez and Chad Qualls this month. I think the D-Backs will get a nice haul of high level prospects by the end of July.

26-year old righty swinging outfielder Chris Young has made his first All-Star Team. He has played in 80 games this season and he is 79 of 299 (.264 avg, .807 OPS) with 44 runs scored, 15 homers, 57 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. This is an amazing development as Young played so poorly in 2009 that he got demoted during the season. Young played in 134 games for the D-Backs last season and he was 92 of 433 (.212 avg, .711 OPS) with 54 runs scored, 15 homers, 42 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. The D-Backs hope that Young stays focused all season long and his selection to the All-Star Game will likely give him the confidence boost he needs to do so.