The Diamondbacks have acquired 27-year old lefty starting pitcher Zach Duke from the Pirates for a player to be named later. Duke started 29 games for the Pirates last season and he was 8-15 with a 5.72 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. He has now pitched in 160 games (159 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 45-70 with a 4.54 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Duke has talent and a change of scenery can do him nothing but good as he never had help in Pittsburgh which had to cause him to press at times. He will likely be the #4 or #5 starter for the D-Backs in 2011.

UPDATE: (12/9/2010) - The Diamondbacks have sent 25-year old righty starter/reliever Cesar Valdez to the Pirates to complete this deal. Valdez pitched in 9 games (2 starts) for the D-Backs last season and he was 1-2 with a 7.65 ERA and a 1.95 WHIP. Valdez also pitched in 20 games (18 starts) in AAA-ball last season and he was 6-10 with a 5.90 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP. I like this trade for the D-Backs as Duke is flat out better than Valdez.

The Diamondbacks have signed 30-year old lefty swinging 3B Sean Burroughs to a minor league deal. He last played in the majors in 2006 with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Burroughs has played in 440 games in his five years in the majors and he is 431 of 1,537 (.280 avg, .698 OPS) with 179 runs scored, 11 homers, 134 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. Burroughs is a big long shot to make the D-Backs next spring.

The Diamondbacks have claimed 23-year old righty reliever/starter Juan Jaime off waivers from the Nationals. Jaime was the Nationals’ #17 prospect heading into last season according to Baseball America but he missed all of the 2010 season due to right elbow reconstruction. Jaime has pitched in 42 games (14 starts) in four years in the minors and he is 10-3 with 1 save, a 2.42 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Jaime has only allowed 69 hits in 111 2/3 innings in his minor league career with 146 whiffs! But, he has also walked 71 batters so the D-Backs’ pitching coaches will have to iron out some things with his control. This is a excellent low risk/high reward addition to the D-Backs.

The Diamondbacks have acquired 27-year old lefty swinging 1B Juan Miranda from the Yankees for 19-year old righty starting pitcher Scottie Allen. Miranda played in 80 games in AAA-ball for the Yankees last season and he was 84 of 295 (.285 avg, .866 OPS) with 52 runs scored, 15 homers and 43 RBIs. He also played in 33 games for the Yankees last year and he was 14 of 64 (.219 avg, .718 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 3 homers and 10 RBIs. Miranda has now played in 46 games in the majors in parts of three seasons and he is 21 of 83 (.253 avg, .788 OPS) with 11 runs scored, 4 homers and 14 RBIs. Scottie Allen was drafted by the D-Backs in 2009. He pitched in 16 games (all starts) in A-ball last season and he was 4-4 with a 4.73 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Allen has pitched in 28 games (16 starts) in parts of two years in the minors and he is 5-4 with a 3.95 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. This was a good deal for the D-Backs because Miranda could be their first basemen next season unless they bring in someone better.

The Diamondbacks have signed 37-year old switch hitting infielder Geoff Blum to a 2-year deal. Blum played in 93 games for the Astros last season and he was 54 of 202 (.267 avg, .678 OPS) with 22 runs scored, 2 homers and 22 RBIs. He has now played in 1,349 games in 12 years in the majors and he is 975 of 3,889 (.251 avg, .696 OPS) with 437 runs scored, 97 homers, 468 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. Blum is very versatile so I like his addition to the D-Backs’ bench.