Re: What's gotten into the Diamondbacks?

[bukie]

So, counting tonight, where the D-backs turned a 2 run deficit into a 7 run cushion in 2 innings, the Diamondbacks have the best record in the majors by 1.5 games. What's more impressive is how they're doing it. They are both the highest scoring team in the majors and have allowed the fewest runs in the majors. 9 of their 13 wins were out of save range, and 3 of their 4 losses were by 1 run. Simply complete domination so far.

 

Question is, what does it mean? I'm less convinced of the Cards start, because they simply don't have the talent to keep it up. The D-backs had the best record in the NL last year, swept the Cubs, and then added Dan Haren this year to add to an extra year of experience for a very young lineup that includes Chris Young, Stephen Drew, Justin Upton, Mark Reynolds and Conor Jackson. Are they really this good? Because, if so, this is far and away the best team in the NL.

 

EDIT: One last crazy stat: Thanks to today's win, the D-backs are 13-4, but their Pythagorean W-L is 14-3. That's unheard of.

Edited April 20, 2008 by bukie

[mul21]

Yes, yes they are that good. The best 1-2 punch in the league for starting pitchers, lots of young talent up and down their lineup. The only thing I'm not so sure about is their pen, but only because I can't really name anybody in except for Brandon Lyon and maybe Juan Cruz still?

 

I'm curious to see if their offense will sustain itself with seemingly low contact guys in CF and at 3B in Young (I think) and Reynolds.

[RedFlash]

Yes, yes they are that good. The best 1-2 punch in the league for starting pitchers, lots of young talent up and down their lineup. The only thing I'm not so sure about is their pen, but only because I can't really name anybody in except for Brandon Lyon and maybe Juan Cruz still?

 

You never heard of Tony Pena? No, this isn't the Tony Pena that plays SS for the Royals, or of any relation to that Pena and his father, Tony Sr. I'm talking about the hard-throwing, should be closer soon, Tony Pena. There winning right now, simply because Brandon Lyons isn't losing it for them. The sooner they switch Lyon for Pena as closer, the harder they will be to catch. Regardless of the numbers, Pena is a better bet for closer. So if they plan to remain in the 1st of that division, they should move their version of Latroy Hawkins out of the closer's role as soon as possible. Chad Qualls (came over in the Velvarde trade) is a good arm out of the pen, as is Petit. The got some good arms in their pen. You'll know the name Tony Pena of the D'Backs soon enough.

 

I'm curious to see if their offense will sustain itself with seemingly low contact guys in CF and at 3B in Young (I think) and Reynolds.

 

They prolly won't, but they won't be nearly as bad offensive as last yr. Meaning if they make the playoffs, they would be legit playoffs team, and not some fluky team.

 

But don't forget about the Rockies.

[chuckywang]

Yeah, I'm really jealous of their team. The young talent they have is insane.

[C.C.]

I don't wanna face them in the playoffs again. If we make it...

[BigbadB]

Max Scherzer is throwing smoke on the farm, and he's just a phone call away if their bullpen needs a boost later in the season. This team has everything in place to be a threat to win the NL Pennant.

 

Their bench is about to get a significant boost when Chad Tracy comes off the DL.

[javy knows my name]

Yeah, I'm really jealous of their team. The young talent they have is insane.

Yep. A couple of excellent drafts in the last couple of years, a good trade and just a ton of power. Upton is ridiculously good.

[anabiono]

why didn't we get dan haren?!?!?

 

thanks jim

 

of all the offseason moves...when i saw that trade go down...i paused and said "damn"

[Andy]

There's almost no way Arizona doesn't win the pennant if you ask me - and I was saying that before the season too. I just hope we manage to duck them if we make it to the playoffs.

[anabiono]

There's almost no way Arizona doesn't win the pennant if you ask me - and I was saying that before the season too. I just hope we manage to duck them if we make it to the playoffs.

 

well, if they are going to win the pennant...if we duck them in the DS then we will have to face them in the CS...

 

don't get me wrong, i have a tremendous amount of respect for that club, but there is still a very long way to go before all is said and done

[Clem Fandango]

I remember someone posting world series vegas odds before spring training started and I saw Arizona at 19:1 and thought to myself that I should put $100 on that bet because those are pretty darn good odds.

 

I thought last year was kind of a fluke year since they were so young, but it appears they are for real, and damn if they aren't going to be an outstanding team for the next few years with that young talent on their team.

[sneakypower]

it was pretty obvious a couple years ago that they if they added a #2 SP they would had the makings of a future NL West dynasty with Upton, Young, Gonzalez(s), Drew, Quentin, Jackson, Montero, Owings, Nippert in the system. Nippert flamed out and Quentin was dealt, but it shouldn't be a surprise that they're doing extremely well right now. and it won't stop for several years.

 

why didn't we get dan haren?!?!?

 

thanks jim

 

of all the offseason moves...when i saw that trade go down...i paused and said "damn"

because we didn't have Gonzalez, Eveland, Greg Smith, Anderson, Carter and Cunningham. hell, we didn't even have Carlos Gonzalez.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I wouldn't mind facing them in the playoffs.

 

If they could beat us as an inferior team last season, we should be able to return the favor.

[chuckywang]

I wouldn't mind facing them in the playoffs.

 

If they could beat us as an inferior team last season, we should be able to return the favor.

 

Except for, you know .... history.

[YearofDaCubs]

The dbacks are one scary team.

[CubinNY]

The dbacks are one scary team.

They are. They could be on the verge of a very long run of prolonged goodness, baring injuries of course.

[Outshined_One]

They've been scary good, but their division is really weak.

 

I'm curious to see how well they do between May 2nd and May 11th, when they face the Mets, Phillies, and Cubs over 10 games. If they come out of that smelling like a rose, then I'll begin to worry about them.

[XZero771679666304]

They've been scary good, but their division is really weak.

 

I'm curious to see how well they do between May 2nd and May 11th, when they face the Mets, Phillies, and Cubs over 10 games. If they come out of that smelling like a rose, then I'll begin to worry about them.

 

Don't tell them that. DBacks fans will tell you that theirs is the toughest division.

[Clem Fandango]

They've been scary good, but their division is really weak.

 

I'm curious to see how well they do between May 2nd and May 11th, when they face the Mets, Phillies, and Cubs over 10 games. If they come out of that smelling like a rose, then I'll begin to worry about them.

 

Don't tell them that. DBacks fans will tell you that theirs is the toughest division.

 

Ah yes, home of the 5-team division with 4 teams below .500. Of course I'm embellishing a bit due to the early season, but from a winning % perspective, the NL West is technically the worst division in baseball right now

[islandcub]

For some odd reason, I always find myself rooting against this team. Nothing to do with bitterness, I just don't like em. I'm not sure why.

[17 Seconds]

For some odd reason, I always find myself rooting against this team. Nothing to do with bitterness, I just don't like em. I'm not sure why.

 

Darron Sutton?

[cubbyvirus00]

It's a very long season, and they have ALOT of youngsters with little to no experience....despite last season, I'm not too sold on the Dbacks in the long haul.

 

I'm thinkin SD or LA will have a prolonged stretch of great play at some point.

[wolf stansson]

The DBacks are legit.

[UK1679666180]

Right now, they're the best team in the League top to btm.

[nilodnayr]

They've been scary good, but their division is really weak.

 

I'm curious to see how well they do between May 2nd and May 11th, when they face the Mets, Phillies, and Cubs over 10 games. If they come out of that smelling like a rose, then I'll begin to worry about them.

 

Don't tell them that. DBacks fans will tell you that theirs is the toughest division.

 

Ah yes, home of the 5-team division with 4 teams below .500. Of course I'm embellishing a bit due to the early season, but from a winning % perspective, the NL West is technically the worst division in baseball right now

 

See, this is why we need Meph and his Markov chains.

 

The NL West is definitely not the worst division. They have 4 legit winning record teams (and one legit 100 loss team). Where the hell have the sample size police gone with everyone going crazy and drawing insane conclusions about this very young season.