D-Backs notebook: Young starting pitching hard to acquire

CHICAGO - As always, the Diamondbacks continue to work the phones in trade conversations, but they appear unlikely to land the commodity of their greatest interest, a young starting pitcher, before the July 31 non-waiver deadline.

“Ideally,” D-Backs general manager Josh Byrnes said of targeting a starter.

“But a lot of teams are looking for a starting pitcher. There have been a lot of discussions, but really not a lot of momentum. My sense is, that’s the trademark in general. For whatever reason, teams aren’t that motivated.”

Randy Johnson’s status clouds the picture for the D-Backs, who appear more likely to attempt to unblock their corner infield positions over the winter, when they also will have to fill the spot in the rotation held by Livan Hernandez, a free agent this winter.

Hernandez, who came to the D-Backs in a trading deadline deal last Aug. 7, could hear his name in trade rumors again in coming weeks, although the D-Backs are unlikely to deal him while they remain in playoff contention.

Johnson threw a bullpen session Friday in the Valley, but his return date is unknown, and it appears that he may require another back surgery for his latest herniated disk.

The D-Backs are 5-13 since Johnson’s last start against Los Angeles on June 28.

“Our five (starters) have been pitching fine. Randy’s performance is hard to duplicate,” Byrnes said.

The D-Backs are unlikely to trade for a “rental” player, a player on the last year of his contract such as Jermaine Dye, Byrnes said, rather wishing to acquire a player who fits into their future plans.

At the same time, “if a piece was THE piece to get us over the hump, it might affect our thinking,” Byrnes said.

“Right now, we’re 4 1/2 (games out). We’re not playing that well. Randy was a key part of it, and we haven’t had enough to overcome” his loss.

FIRST TIME A CHARM

On his first trip to Wrigley Field, Chris Young took extra outfield work before Friday’s game to learn the nuances of the ivied wall.

He scaled the wall in his second at-bat, his two-run home run through a 10 mph wind giving the D-Backs a temporary 2-1 lead.

“It’s pretty cool playing out there, a lot like Yankee Stadium” because of the history, Young said.

“You see these fields on TV when you are a kid. All the players are just like giants when you are that age. It’s exciting.”

SHORT HOPS

Chad Tracy’s sore right knee was “considerably better,” said Melvin, who started Tracy (0-for-4) at first base but nevertheless could give him starts off today and Sunday against Cubs left-handers Rich Hill and Sean Marshall. …

Eric Byrnes was hit in the left shoulder for the second time in three games; each time he has stolen base before the next hitter’s at-bat was over. He has 24 stolen bases, one short of his career high set last season. …

Catcher Miguel Montero attempted to halt play immediately before Aramis Ramirez’s three-run home run in the eighth but home plate umpire Angel Hernandez did not permit it. “We had a mixup in the signs, and I was trying to get timeout. I was too late,” he said.