Did the Diamondbacks have a shot at obtaining Jose Reyes?

According to ESPN Insider Buster Olney, there was almost a wild twist in the recent Miami Marlins salary dump that could have greatly benefited the Arizona Diamondbacks. It appears that Jose Reyes, one of the top shortstops in the game, could have been on his way to Arizona -- for the right price.

Before the megatrade was made, the Marlins talked with the D-Backs about shortstop Jose Reyes as they assessed the market.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 15, 2012

The Diamondbacks may have been a good starting point for the Marlins due to how badly they currently need a shortstop. From what Arizona offered, the Marlins could then take that and use it as leverage against other teams. Perhaps that is what they did before they dealt him to the Blue Jays.

The funny thing is, the Marlins didn't receive the best of prospects. There is no doubting Arizona could have easily matched what the Jays ended up giving away. It was likely their reluctance to do so that kept anything from coming to fruition.

The Diamondbacks have plenty of young farm players. They are consistently winning minor league championships all throughout the ranks and all the way up to their AAA club, the Reno Aces. They had to have had at least a couple of players that were intriguing to Loria's Marlins.

The D-Backs likely wouldn't have had to give up too many top tier guys, either. It seems that they have been looking for a way to dump Trevor Bauer and they have depth in the outfield as well.

Honestly, I would have liked to see the Diamondbacks give up what they had to to acquire Reyes. He is one of the best shortstops in the league and hits for a high average at the top of the order while stealing bases and playing outstanding defense. The only thing not to love about him is the fat 6-year deal he signed just before last season.

Whether it was the price the Marlins were asking for or the D-Backs' unwillingness to pay out Reyes' huge contract, the deal didn't go down. And that's unfortunate. A trade of this caliber could have taken the Diamondbacks to new heights with the talent Reyes would have provided. There won't be another shortstop on the market like him in the foreseeable future.