The Arizona Diamondbacks made a pair of huge deals Friday, sending closing sensation Jose Valverde to Houston for Chad Qualls, Juan Gutierrez and former playoff hero Chris Burke, while also acquiring Dan Haren and Connor Robertson from Oakland, giving up six prospects.

Yes, the one-game Vancouver Canadian Robertson is on his way out from Oakland after making his MLB debut this season, with the All-Star pitcher Haren.  Oakland picks up pitchers Brett Anderson, Greg Smith, Dana Eveland and positional players Carlos Gonzalez (OF), Aaron Cunningham (OF) and Chris Carter (1B).

After being named Midwest mid-season all-star, LHP Brett Anderson was added to the Baseball America Low Class A All-Star team this off-season, complimenting his combined 11-7 win-loss record from stints in the Midwest League and Visalia of the California League.  He had a 3.07 ERA, as well as striking out over a batter an inning in 23 games as a starter.  The best part?  He turns 20 in early 2008.

If Oakland had acquired LHP Greg Smith last off-season, I’d be ecstatic.  Really, I would.  But now?  It seems like a case of turn-around now, more than prospect for the soon-to-be 24 year old. His Senior Year of University he was 9-0 with a 0.12 ERA, and struck out a Louisiana state record 20 batters in one game.

In his first professional season (all-be-it in short-season), he was named to the Pioneer League All-Star team, in addition to being the league’s pitcher of the year.  He was also named to the Baseball America Rookie All-Star team after that 2005 season.

He moved to the California league in 2006, and was a Post-Season All-Star in that Single-A league, plus he was a High Class A All-Star, per Baseball America.  Why was he so good?  Try going 9-0 with a 1.63 ERA in 13 games, with two comploete game shutouts, allowing just 16 earned runs in 88 innings.  Want the short form?  He was dominant.

This year he was a combined 9-5 with a 3.54 ERA between AA and AAA in the Diamondbacks organization.  He spent this fall in the Winter League with Scottsdale where he went 2-2 to go along with his 2.61 ERA in six appearances.  Still, he’s a good pick-up.

The final pitcher picked up in the trade was Dana Eveland, a 24-year-old currently pitching in the Mexican Winter League.  He stands at 6′1, 240 throwing as a southpaw, where he has a 2.33 ERA for Aguilas de Mexicali, in addition to his 3-1 win-loss-record.  He was 1-0, 1.65 in 9 games (7 started) in the minors this season (between Visalia and Tucson), but when he reached the majors he struggled, allowing 8 earned runs in five innings, despite picking up a win.

The Washington State native is no rookie to the majors, having played 9 times in 2006, going 0-3 with a 8.13 ERA.  He should start the year in Sacramento or Midland.

Moving onto the position players, Carlos Gonzalez is a good person to start with.  Once considered the next top prospect for Arizona, he is an outfielder who has more than a dozen accolades to go with his career.  This off-season in Venezuela, he batted .266 with 11 extra-base hits including two dingers.  In exactly 500 at-bats this season between AA Mobile and AAA Tucson, he had 144 hits, 38 doubles, 3 triples and 17 home-runs.  Maybe not the next Tori Hunter or Ichiro Suzuki, Gonzalez will probably be the next Nick Swisher, to an effect.

1B Chris Carter comes from California, and is what one might describe as a power-hitter.  He was sent from the White Sox to Arizona last week, and is now becoming a member of the A’s organization.  He batted .291 in almost 500 AB’s, sending 25 balls out of the park, and picking up an OPS of over .900.  He was named a Low Class A All-Star this year, and will probably open up 2008 in Stockton or Midland.

The final prospect picked up in the trade is Aaron Cunningham, an outfielder who is 21 and 5′11, 195 pounds.  Between three teams within Arizona’s minor league system this year, he batted .308 with 16 home-runs, 10 triples and 31 doubles, striking out just 89 times.  Cunningham was a teammate of Andre Piper-Jordan at Everett CC, and the Anchorage, Alaska native could be the outfielder of the future.  A well-rounded player, Aaron batted .282 with Scottsdale in the AFL this year, sending two balls out of the park.