Boy, Kevin Towers wasn't kidding when he said it would be a busy week for the Diamondback at the MLB Winter Meetings. After trading Mark Reynolds to the Orioles for a couple of bullpen arms (and salary space) and signing Melvin Mora to one-year free agent deal, the Diamondbacks have now zeroed in on their closer, Mr. J.J. Putz according to multiple reports.
Putz, is a big right-handed power pitcher who throws a mid 90's fast ball, high 80's split finger and a slider. He's got eight years MLB experience and most recently pitched well for the Chicago White Sox last season after spending the majority of his career in Seattle.
Putz threw 54 innings for the White Sox with a 2.83 ERA including 65 strikeouts, 15 walks, 4 home runs, and 17 earned runs. His career numbers are equally impressive -- 3.19 ERA over 405 innings pitched. Putz did miss time this past season with a knee injury but no structural damage was found.
Kevin Towers, in a press conference held earlier today announcing the Reynolds trade and Mora signing also stated that the Diamondbacks were unlikely to trade away young right fielder Justin Upton.
"We knew going into that exercise that it was going to take an awful lot to make a trade for a young player, 23 years old, that's a tool shed; he does pretty much everything (and) he's only going to get better with time... So,I would say we'd have a pretty good idea when we leave here on Thursday but I would say it's highly unlikely that Justin Upton leaves the desert."
More reaction to the various Diamondbacks moves and the full audio of the Towers press conference are available on AZ Snakepit.