Everyone knew it was only a matter time.
For Arizona Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale, general manager Dave Stewart and the rest of the organization the time is now for Archie Bradley.
The hard-throwing, seventh overall pick in the 2011 draft certainly didn’t disappoint in his MLB debut Saturday night throwing six innings of one-hit, shutout ball and out-dueling reigning Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw in the process.
One baseball analyst believes the D-backs’ timing with the former Oklahoma prep baseball and football star couldn’t have been better.
“Last year was such a wasted year,” ESPN baseball analyst Pedro Gomez told Sports360AZ.com’s Brad Cesmat during his weekly interview Wednesday. Why bring him up in a year like that? It’s already at the end of the season, the team is circling the drain. Little good can become of it. So kudos to the D-backs for holding off.”
Gomez tips his cap to former GM Kevin Towers for not rushing the process with Bradley, the type of in-system, farm developed young rising star pitcher the team has lacked since Brandon Webb found success winning the National League Cy Young in 2006.
“There’s something to having the ‘it’ factor,” Gomez said. “We’ve been hearing about Archie Bradley for a reason.”
He points to the fact of having Bradley start in the rotation this April, while the team is in contention, presents a “nothing is won, nothing is lost” situation as opposed to if they had called him up late last summer.
His next scheduled start is Thursday night in San Francisco against another ace, Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner who beat Arizona on Opening Day back on April 6 at Chase Field.
Eric Sorenson
