Jon Garland is now a Los Angeles Dodger. Doug Davis will become a free agent after the season. Prospect Jarrod Parker has elbow issues.

Brandon Webb? Arizona hasn't decided whether to pick up his $8.5 million option.

"We still have things to address," general manager Josh Byrnes said.

Gee, you think?

Now, I was all for trading Garland. Discussions on a contract extension had gone nowhere, and the Diamondbacks weren't going to exercise his $10 million option for the '10 season. Plus, Arizona received a quality prospect in 24-year-old switch-hitter Tony Abreu, who is a career .311 hitter in the minor leagues and could be the everyday second baseman next season. The Diamondbacks likely view Ryan Roberts, who just turned 29, as a super utility player, capable of playing both the infield and outfield.

That said, dumping Garland does create another hole in the rotation. Assuming that Davis doesn't return _ which is a pretty good assumption _ and Parker starts the season in the minor leagues, Arizona has three spots to fill.

Let's assume that one of those spots goes to 24-year-old Kevin Mulvey, the player to be named later in the deal that sent reliever Jon Rauch to the Minnesota Twins. The right-handed Mulvey is 5-8 with a 3.93 ERA at Class AAA and is considered an end-of-the-rotation starter in the major leagues.

Still, that leaves Arizona with just three starters. More importantly, neither Mulvey nor Scherzer are exactly All-Star material. Scherzer has yet to develop an out pitch or show he can consistently pitch into the late innings of games.

Which brings us to Webb.

The Diamondbacks have to make a decision on Webb within five days after the end of the World Series. To hear Byrnes talk Tuesday, it sounds as if the organization is leaning toward not picking up his option.

"If there's any lessons from this year (for us), it's that there's not much margin of error," Byrnes said. "If Webby wins the Cy Young, the $8.5 million is money well spent. If he pitches on Opening Day and doesn't pitch again, it's money not well spent."

Byrnes did say Webb has "earned some benefit of the doubt." But Arizona won't know by November if Webb's right shoulder is healthy. The best it will be able to do is make an educated guess.

Could the Diamondbacks try to re-work Webb's contract at a lower figure for 2010? Sure, but why would Webb do that? Either he makes $8.5 million or he becomes a free agent. Given his track record, it's likely he'll make that much with some team, even with his shoulder issues.

So, back to the question: Should the Diamondbacks exercise Webb's option?

My response: How can they not?

First, money is no longer an issue. Trading Garland and losing Davis chops $16.25 million off the payroll.

Second, if Arizona has any prayer of being competitive in 2010, it needs another quality starter at the top of the rotation. A healthy and productive Webb makes the Diamondbacks contenders in the National League West.

Finally, imagine the hit _ both on the field and at the box office _ the Diamondbacks will take if they let Webb go and he wins a Cy Young elsewhere. Luis Gonzalez can kiss a thousand babies and it won't undo the damage.

Of course, should Webb return and pitch well, Arizona will have another difficult decision: Does it offer a long-term, megabucks contract to a pitcher who's had shoulder problems, let Webb walk as a free agent or deal him at the trading deadline next July?

As tough decisions go, however, that's a nice one to have.

And given the alternative _ a starting rotation short on both experience and talent _ Webb clearly is worth the $8.5 million.

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(c) 2009, East Valley Tribune (Mesa, Arizona)

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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