Arizona Diamondbacks: Speedy Jarrod Dyson inks two-year deal

With the signing of Jarrod Dyson, the Arizona Diamondbacks acquire a needed corner outfielder.

By signing outfielder Jarrod Dyson to a two-year deal late Monday, the Arizona Diamondbacks may have answered two vital questions. At the same time, the club is left vulnerable to Dyson’s recent history and whether a recent past will influence the future.

For starters, general manager Mike Hazen, because the Diamondbacks did not have a realistic chance to sign J. D. Martinez, began shopping for a corner outfielder as soon as the Diamondbacks were eliminated from post-season play last October. While David Peralta graded out well in left, the option remained to move Peralta over to right field and allow Yasmany Tomas to regain his spot in left.

Apparently, that was not the direction Hazen plotted. Instead of complementing Tomas and how much he means to the club, the Cuban-born outfielder remained on the Diamondbacks back burner during the off-season. As recent as the winter meetings last December in Orlando, Hazen told Call to the Pen he would earnestly search for a corner outfielder.

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Given the dynamics of Peralta at one corner and A. J. Pollock, now entering his contract year, in center, Hazen continued his search under the veil of silence and no fanfare.

Until Dyson, at 33-years-old, signed late Monday, Hazen remain generic in responses to reporters, and never referred to any player on the Diamondbacks radar screen.

Less than one week into spring training, Hazen made his move, and inked free agent Dyson, who is coming off an injury-plagued season. No question that Dyson, when healthy, adds the dimension of speed to the lineup and the way manager Torey Lovullo and first base coach Dave McKay orchestrate the running the game, Dyson fits like a natural.

When Dyson, who hits left and throws right, reports to Salt River Tuesday, he is likely penciled as the everyday left-fielder, but was compromised by two injuries last season. First, a nagging groin limited his playing time to two games from August 18 and then a sports hernia injury sidelined the native of McComb, Miss. for the remainder of the season.

From a positive vantage, Dyson’s speed is well documented.

Breaking into the majors with Kansas City in 2010, Dyson has stolen 204 bases in 661 games. He arrives in the desert with a life-time batting average of .258 and last season at Seattle, Dyson hit .251 before his season ended. The 87 hits he banged out for the M’s last season was a career high, and despite an early exit to his season, Dyson managed to steal 28 bases.

For most of the season, Dyson hit in the lower part of manager Scott Servais’ line-up. With the Diamondbacks, there is a possibility his speed can be utilized at the top of the line-up. After Monday’s workout at Salt River, Lovullo told Call to the Pen he has given little consideration, to this point, in construction of a batting order

With Dyson’s speed possibly at the top of the order, his thinking, going forward, could accelerate.

Dyson’s deal with the Diamondbacks was reported for $7.5 million over the two years. Last season, Dyson, who was drafted by the Royals on the 50^th round in 2010, earned a reported $2.8 million with Seattle.

A roster move …

To make room for Dyson on the 40-man roster, the Diamondbacks moved pitcher Shelby Miller to the 60-day disabled list.

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Miller is recovering from Tommy John surgery last April and is scheduled to throw his first bullpen session in late March. While there is no definite time-table for his return, Miller, and the Diamondbacks, have penciled in somewhere around the All-Star break for his return to the majors.

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