D-backs GM Byrnes On The Rise

Josh Byrnes is one of the young guns among MLB front offices these days. He doesn't always get mentioned with fellow GM's such as Theo Epstein and Mark Shapiro, but over the past 2 years Byrnes has done a magnificent job of making the right trades and grooming his youngsters on the farm. Given the restricted payroll he has to work with (about $60 million to start the season), Byrnes has more often that not been able to find the right guy at the right price, e.g. O-Dog and Doug Davis. While he was fortunate to inherit a farm system that was rich in talent when hired in October of 2005, knowing when to bring guys up and best utilize them is as much art as it is science, and Byrnes seems to have a knack for it.

The key going forward with these core group of players is to be patient, and to plug in here and there as necessary with veterans. It is a real shame to lose the presence of Tony Clark, but Byrnes made a business decision here and hopefully it works out. If it's like the majority of his previous moves, there's a good chance the D-backs will be hovering at the top of the N.L. West come October.