The decision about who will comprise the back of the rotation just got a little easier for Kirk Gibson. One of the three players vying for the fourth and fifth spots the rotation, Zach Duke, was injured on Saturday after taking a line drive off his pitching hand. He suffered two broken bones in the hand and will be out six to eight weeks.
Although unfortunate, it does give Kirk Gibson the freedom to give that roster spot to Barry Enright without having to worry about scrutiny from the front office. Enright has been one the Diamondbacks’ few bright spots on the mound this spring, only giving up two runs on five hits in nine innings, while allowing just one walk.
The two pitchers that Enright had been competing with for a rotation spot, Duke and Armando Galarraga, have both struggled this spring, with Duke having a 7.88 ERA in four appearances and Galarraga also having a 7.88 ERA in three appearances.
While there is no question that Enright has been the better pitcher, because Duke and Galarraga were both acquired in offseason trades it was unlikely that they would not make the team. There is also a question of whether or not their contracts would allow them to be sent to the minors. Enright, on the other hand, could easily be shipped to Reno and called upon later in the season.
With the battle for the fifth spot in the rotation settled for all intents and purposes, Kirk Gibson will be able to focus on one of the other issues at Diamondbacks camp. When a team loses 97 games the prior season and half way through spring training only has a .250 winning percentage, it would seem there is more work to be done.
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