ARIZONA DEALS TWICE: STAR CALIBER AND DEPTH

As is his wont, Ronald Melkonian was back at it on the trade circuit in June. The Rattlesnakes GM made deals about two weeks apart and was rumored to be in serious talks on a third swap late in the month. Arizona also made a number of free agency moves.

Oddly enough, these were the elder Melkonian’s first two in-season trades of 2012. But as usual, neither was a small deal.

The first deal came about quickly—completed in less than 24 hours, according to the Arizona front office. The partner was just to the north: the Riverside Rum Runners, and the major piece was Riverside ace Josh Johnson.

Alex Coffman apparently finally found the right package for Johnson, a player coveted by many BARB teams for years. Headed to Riverside are righties Chad Billingsley and Bud Norris in addition to infielder Mike Aviles.

Melkonian was ecstatic in his acquisition of Johnson, crowing that the big, burly righty was instrumental, along with Jake Peavy, in rebuilding a rotation that could “be our anchor in retaking the Central Division soon.”

Alas, as with most “Trader Ron” plans, the 1-2 punch was suddenly broken down. Soon after his deal with Riverside, Melkonian agreed to swap Peavy to Sin City in exchange for a gaggle of players. Anthony Guerra was enamored enough of Peavy’s talent (and hopeful in his health) that he sent 1B Ike Davis, OF Brennan Boesch, prospect righties Jameson Taillon and Anthony Renaudo and veteran southpaws Jeremy Affeldt and Ted Lilly to the south.

Yes, the ol’ six-for-one trade.

No press releases were available from either side.

In addition, Melkonian cut a number of established players and signed free agents in their stead:

RELEASED: OFs Ichiro Suzuki and Torii Hunter, LHP Jonathan Sanchez, 2B Alberto Callaspo

SIGNED: IF Chris Davis, OF Alexis Rios, LHP Andrew Miller, RHP Jonathon Broxton

Sin City quickly snapped up Hunter as well as Roy Oswalt. In other moves, Brooklyn recently came to terms with Craig Breslow, Frostbite Falls picked up Tony Sipp, and injury-beleaguered Pottsylvania signed Jose Lopez and Andruw Jones while Central California added Kurt Suzuki when both of their eligible catchers went down with injury.