You get the impression that Arizona Diamondbacks Daniel Hudson has been ready for an extended big league audition for some time now. The July trade deadline provided just the opportunity the touted prospect needed as he was shipped to Arizona in a deal for veteran starter Edwin Jackson.

Hudson’s results (3-1 record, 2.12 ERA) have been spectacular in his first four starts, but can he maintain a pace worthy enough of a roster spot in fantasy leagues? Read more »

We will be rolling out plenty of 2010 fantasy baseball coverage in the coming days, weeks and months, but let’s start right here with player-by-player profiles of our rough top 100 preseason rankings. Stay tuned to the site for more player profiles, draft kit information, rankings, sleepers, busts, etc. as the regular season approaches.

Dan Haren, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Overview: An underrated fantasy ace who boats a 3.61 career ERA and 1.18 career WHIP … ERA and WHIP numbers have improved in three straight seasons, and he’s won 14 or more games in the last four straight campaigns … finished fifth in the NL Cy Young voting last season when he went 14-10 with a 3.14 ERA …has a dominating split-finger fastball, precise control and a growing ability to make hitters swing and miss … finished second among starters in K/BB ratio last season.
2009 numbers: 14-10, 3.14 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 223 Ks in 229.1 IP.
Key splits and trends: Limped to the finish line last season, posting a 4.62 ERA after the All-Star break and allowing five earned runs in each of his last three starts … tossed three complete games before the break and none after … has proven durable, with at least 215 innings pitched in each of the last four seasons … has improved his Ks per 9 every season in the big leagues, highlighted by a career-best 8.8 mark last season.
Strengths: A top-tier No. 1 in the D-backs’ rotation who moves into the No. 2 slot with a healthy Brandon Webb … will still be only 29 this season … has a terrific mix of unhittability and control, which should again produce an elite ERA and WHIP combo in 2010.
Weaknesses: Struggled mightily after the All-Star break … five-straight years of 200+ IP could have been reason for second-half slide … is backed by fourth-worst offense in NL; only 16 NL pitchers received worse run support last year … with little improvement in Arizona’s lineup, his wins total may suffer again.
Bold prediction for 2010: Haren will struggle to match his career season from 2009, but he’ll still provide top-five fantasy numbers with the exception of wins.

We will be rolling out plenty of 2010 fantasy baseball coverage in the coming days, weeks and months, but let’s start right here with player-by-player profiles of our rough top 100 preseason rankings. Stay tuned to the site for more player profiles, draft kit information, rankings, sleepers, busts, etc. as the regular season approaches.

Justin Upton, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Overview: Former No. 1 overall pick had a breakout 2009 season, showing power, speed and the ability to hit for average … is in his fourth Major League season and is still just 22 years old … has Hall of Fame potential and is reaching it right now … can beat a team with his bat or his legs … 2010 numbers should be even higher than last year when he played in only 138 games.
2009 numbers: .300 avg., 26 HRs, 86 RBIs, 84 runs, 20 SBs in 138 games.
Key splits and trends: Tore the cover off of the baseball in August, hitting .417 with a 1.212 OPS … hits equally well home and away with a .305/.296 split … destroyed left-handed pitching at a .377 clip … power surged in ‘09 — his slugging percentage rose from .463 to .532 — and he became an active threat on the basepaths.
Strengths: Is very young and already one of the best outfielders in the NL … still isn’t even close to his prime … 2009 was just a sample of potential … should take another step forward and become a top 10 fantasy player in ‘10.
Weaknesses: Still questions whether he will be able to sustain success … struck out 137 times to just 55 walks … still hasn’t played a full season, missing time last year with an oblique strain.
Bold prediction for 2010: Will finish in the top five in NL MVP voting after hitting .300 with 35 HRs, 120 RBIs and 20 SBs.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Edwin Jackson has impressed catcher Miguel Montero early in spring training, according to the Arizona Republic.

Jackson, at least according to his new catcher, is no one-year wonder. He was traded to Detroit from Tampa Bay last season for little more than a bucket of baseballs (Matt Joyce) and went 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA, to the surprise of most. Read more »

SB Nation begs the following question, and we’ll oblige with our own answer. Do you prefer Justin Upton or Carl Crawford as a fantasy outfielder?

This is a classic “drinking the Kool-Aid” situation, and we are. I’m talking about bottoms-up, pop a hole in the can and shotgun the Upton Kool-Aid. Crawford is old news and [relatively] easy to replace, seeing as expectations beyond 15 home runs are looking like pipe dreams. Read more »

We talked in detail about how Curtis Granderson and the New York Yankees benefited from a three-team deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers. But, how about the D-backs and Tigers, what was in the deal for them?

Trading Granderson and All-Star pitcher Edwin Jackson wasn’t a popular move by the Tigers, but if they absolutely had to go for the sake of lowering payroll, the Tigers got the kind of haul to make the move worthwhile.

Young RHP Max Scherzer has a chance to replace Jackson’s production NOW and far exceed it down the road, while LHPs Daniel Schlereth and Phil Coke provide big boosts to the Detroit bullpen. Outfielder Austin Jackson, 22, is a top prospect with plenty of upside and the ability to claim a Major League roster spot now.

The Tigers, in the view of Stan McNeal of Sporting News, were the real winners in this trade. Read more »

Arizona Diamondbacks closer Chad Qualls dislocated his kneecap getting the final out of the team’s 4-3 win over Houston Astros on Sunday, according to the Arizona Republic. Qualls locked down his 24th save of the season, but landed awkwardly when he spun to avoid a Jason Michaels liner up the middle.

Fantasy spin: A tough loss at a tough time for fantasy owners reaping the benefits of Qualls’ solid debut as a closer. A timetable has not been released by the team yet, and it remains unclear who will pick up the majority of save chances in his absence. The Arizona Republic suggests Juan Gutierrez, who is 3-3 with a 4.24 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and one save. For early speculators, he should be your target.

The St. Louis Cardinals just seem to have Randy Johnson’s number.

In two starts against the Redbirds this month, Johnson has thrown just 9.2 innings and given up five home runs for a staggering 9.31 ERA. Considering that the Arizona Diamondbacks are in a tight race with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West title, every game matters here in the final week of the season. The D-Backs have only been in the running for an NL West crown as their way into the 2008 postseason, so Johnson’s rough outing dug them a big hole.

In his start Tuesday night to the Cards, Johnson went six innings while giving up seven hits and five earned runs. He struck out just one batter and took his 10th loss of the season in the process. Trade-deadline acquisition Jon Rauch didn’t help matters by giving up four hits and two runs in his only inning of work. Rauch’s numbers since joining the Diamondbacks have been atrocious after posting 17 saves for the Washington Nationals. Rauch has gone 0-6 with a 6.56 ERA since leaving the nation’s capital. Read more »

Power rankings are nearly useless at this point because, in little more than a week, the top eight teams will be clear-cut and entering a race to prove the REAL power rankings. But, with games still to play and pennant races to be won, the projections can come in handy.

Take the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, neither of whom is guaranteed a playoff berth but take sound leads into their last handful of games. Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks are just two games over .500 (79-77) and sitting at No. 16 in our rankings, but could still make a surprising push and knock the Dodgers off their playoff perch. Anything can still happen. Read more »

The Arizona Republic is reporting that Cincinnati Reds left fielder Adam Dunn is on his way to Arizona as part of a four-player deal. The Diamondbacks sent minor league pitcher Dallas Buck and two players to be named later to the rebuilding Reds, who have now traded away veteran outfielders Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. for prospects in the last two weeks.

While Buck is a nice addition to a resurgent Cincinnati farm system, Dunn is the only player of significance in fantasy. The move from Cincinnati into the National League West playoff race is likely a lateral one in terms of his overall value. But, for a player whose fantasy merits are derived almost exclusively from the home run ball — he’s tied for major league lead with 32 — it’s tough to see him leave Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark. Read more »