Brandon Webb having Injury and Arizona Diamondbacks Need to Look to the Future

A big change could on the horizon for the Arizona Diamondbacks and star pitcher Brandon Webb. Webb recently had an MRI on his shoulder and it appears that he may need season ending surgery. Earlier in the year Webb tried to fix the shoulder via rest and strength training but barring a second opinion it looks like surgery will be the best option for him and the team. While Webb has not been playing since April 13^th, the loss would still be devastating for a team that is looking to remain in playoff contention and try to turn their season around.

Webb was supposed to throw a simulated bullpen session this past week but skipped out on the event due to the uncomfortable feeling in his shoulder. Webb is not about to take the news lying down and is actively seeking out alternative options and other doctor's opinions so that he can possibly help the team later on in the season. However, this problem could have an even bigger effect on the team for years to come and the injury is not something that will probably be immediately fixed through surgery.

The D'Backs have a very big decision to make now. The team has an 8.5 million dollar option for Webb for next season and they could save quite a considerable amount of cash by releasing the pitcher. A lot of that cash could be used to sign a number of the top notch talent that the team was able to secure in this year's first year player draft. Arizona has always managed their team with Moneyball tactics and made 7 picks in the June draft through the first 64 picks. There are many that feel there is just too much risk in keeping Webb and paying him top dollar if he does indeed opt for surgery.

Webb relies on his sinker to get through games and get batters out. He has one of the best sinkers in the game. The problem is that the sinker is on the pitches that is most known for being ineffective after a player has major shoulder surgery. 8.5 million dollars could simply be too much to use on a player that may not even be able to produce next year. The team really needs to focus on using that money to keep up and coming all stars such as Justin Upton, Dan Haren, Mark Reynolds and Max Scherzer.

There are also a few other decisions that the team would probably benefit from making. There are some contractual mistakes that the team could cut themselves from in order to sign all the young talent on the roster. They signed Eric Byrnes to a lucrative contract when they did not believe that Carlos Quentin could compete. They have wasted lots of money on players like Jon Garland, Tony Clark and even Chad Tracy. All players who could be cut lose in order to save a lot of dough and keep this club focused on the future.

It seems as though the club is trying to hold onto big names in order to please the fans. The truth is that this team needs to look to the future. Sign legitimate young players and build around them. Focusing on the now and wasting big money on risky players could set these team back for a number of years the way that GM Steve Kerr has down with the Phoenix Suns of the NBA