Swanson makes history with trade
By: Maren Angus
The Arizona Diamondbacks have been a busy team this week. The team signed free-agent pitcher Zack Greinke to a record-setting contract and acquired their No. 2 starter Shelby Miller in a blockbuster deal with the Atlanta Braves.
Included in the blockbuster deal was Vanderbilt standout and the first overall pick of the 2015 draft, Dansby Swanson.
Swanson actually made history with the trade. In May, Major League Baseball changed a rule about players being a drafted and when they could be traded. Before, players selected in the amateur draft were prohibited from being traded for one year. Now, they can be traded beginning the day after the conclusion of the World Series.
He also became the first No. 1 overall pick to be traded since Adrian Gonzalez, drafted in 2000, was traded from the Florida Marlins in 2003.
“When we signed him, he came to Phoenix with his family. He’s an amazing individual,” said Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale. You walk in a room, he sort of commanded the attention even in the same room as Hall of Famers Tony La Russa and Dave Stewart. Shoot, we wish nothing but the best for Dansby and I hope to maintain some type of relationship with him.”
In addition to Swanson, the Diamondbacks send outfielder Ender Inciarte and pitcher Aaron Blair to Atlanta. Arizona also received pitcher Gabe Speier.
Hale said giving up Swanson definitely hurt but he didn’t fit into this year’s roster and the team wants to win right now.
“Whenever you make trades like this, it hurts,” said Hale. “It hurts to lose these young kids but we are trying to do something right now and this is a young pitcher that we were able to obtain and we knew we would have to give up people that we didn’t want to.”
