Haren, Webb, Owings...Scherzer? Diamondbacks Prospect Makes Impressive Debut

The Arizona Diamondbacks arguably have the best starting rotation in baseball.

Brandon Webb and Dan Haren form the majors' best 1-2 punch at the top of Arizona's rotation, sporting 6-0 and 4-1 records with ERAs of 1.98 and 3.13, respectively.

Micah Owings is doing his best to make it a 1-2-3 punch, as he is 4-0 with a 3.48 ERA.

If you think that's good, wait until you hear the name "Max Scherzer" in the Diamondbacks' rotation.

Scherzer, Arizona's first-round draft pick in 2006 out of the University of Missouri, had thrown 23.0 innings over four starts with AAA Tucson before being called up, posting a 1.17 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, and an absolutely bananas 12.7 K:BB ratio (that's 38 strikeouts to three walks. I'll just let that sink in). These stats came just ten months after Scherzer signed with the Diamondbacks, as he nearly waited until the 2007 MLB draft to sign a contract.

The 23-year-old right-hander features a high-90's fastball that has excellent sink to it, a power slider, and a very good changeup.

Granted, there have been some questions about where Scherzer fits. Durability has been a question, and there is a belief that Scherzer's best chance at success would be out of the bullpen.

In his major-league debut on April 29, Scherzer came out of the bullpen and was flat-out dealing, hitting 98 MPH on the radar gun with his fastball and dropping a number of nasty changeups and sliders in there, too. He threw 4.1 innings, allowed no runs, no hits, and no walks, while fanning seven Astros' hitters on his way to one of the more dominant MLB debuts we've seen in the last few years. In fact, the 13 batters he retired to begin his career is a new record. 

However, just because Scherzer made his MLB debut out of the bullpen doesn't mean he'll stay there. Edgar Gonzalez got the start the same day and struggled, allowing six earned runs in 2.2 innings before giving way to Scherzer.

With his performance today, it would appear that Scherzer should be in line to start his first MLB game on May 6 against Philadelphia unless Bob Melvin decides to skip the fifth starter's spot because of a May 1 off day.

If he is skipped, he likely would not see a start at the MLB level, as Doug Davis' projected return to the Diamondbacks rotation is May 9.

So that begs the question: what do the Diamondbacks do with Scherzer?

Judging by his AAA stats and debut today, he's accomplished all he can in the minors and is more than ready to be a mainstay in the majors. Arizona's bullpen has been taxed as of late and he would fit in perfectly as a long reliever or even a middle/setup guy, just based on his stuff.

But then consider this: Randy Johnson is currently a member of the Diamondbacks' rotation. No, no, I'm not saying the Diamondbacks should replace Johnson, who is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA and has 20 strikeouts in 16.2 innings, in the rotation in favor of Scherzer.

However, given Johnson's recent history of injuries, it wouldn't surprise anyone if he had another stint on the disabled list this year.

Scherzer is certainly first in line to replace Johnson if The Big Unit goes down with an injury. And if that's the case, there's a good chance Scherzer will pitch well enough to force Melvin's hand and keep him in the rotation.

And thus begins the Webb/Haren/Owings/Scherzer era.

With all apologies to hopeful Cubs, Mets, and Cardinals fans, you ain't gettin' past that in a five or seven game series.

The scariest part? The oldest member of that group is Webb, who will be 29 on May 9. Haren is 27, Owings 25, and Scherzer 23. They have nowhere to go but up, which is amazing considering how good Webb and Haren already are.  

The Diamondbacks have never been a big-market team. But, with the addition of Scherzer to their pitching staff, the rich are getting richer.