Dbacks- The Pyrite Effect

There is no need for fans to jump on the Dbacks bandwagon. They are not going anywhere. Right now, the Snakes are pyrite. Their record and place in the standings might appear respectable now, but like fool’s gold, once they are examined, they are not anything special.

As of May 25, Arizona has a 27-21 record tying them for first place in the NL West with the Colorado Rockies. This is nothing new to the baseball world. A team comes out of nowhere to surprise the league and their fans. However in the end, they almost always end up falling apart in midseason never to meet the league’s expectations and breaking hearts of their fans’ once again.  Last year, it was the Pirates, and since 2006 the Mets have met these qualifications. This year, it will be the Dbacks.

The lone reason the Dbacks are in first is Patrick Corbin. Corbin has compiled a 7-0 record, yielding an opponent batting average almost as low as Ike Davis’s at .196. The 6’2’’ southpaw also has a microscopic ERA of 1.44, while striking out 51 in 61.2 innings. If Corbin’s wins are factored out of their record, the Dbacks are basically an average .500 team. Heading down the stretch, teams cannot rely on a player who plays once every five days to carry them through the hunt. The Dbacks need a reliable staff to back up Corbin, if they have any desire to stay in the playoff race.

After Corbin, the Dback rotation has been subpar at best, most notably Trevor Cahill at 3-5, with an average ERA, opponent batting average, and WHIP. Ian Kennedy has yet to meet his full form, after winning 36 games in the past two seasons. In the bullpen, only fifteen of twenty-four save opportunities have been converted, as Arizona struggles to find a definite closer. The usual closer, J.J. Putz, has spent time on the Disabled List due to his elbow, but prior to his injury, Putz had blown four saves. As a temporary replacement, Heath Bell has converted seven saves in nine chances.

The offense is nothing more than a hot team playing together. There is no legitimate talent in the lineup.  As a team, the Dbacks are batting .253 and are around the middle of the pack for most major stat categories in the MLB. Arizona has however grounded into the third most double plays.

Essentially, the Dbacks are made up of average veterans and unknowns. There are just too many issues with this lineup for it to be successful down the stretch. Jason Kubel, Cody Ross, and Eric Chavez have all experienced tastes of fame, but were at best, streaky, run-of-the-mill players in their prime. Miguel Montero and Gerardo Parra are capable of becoming strong players and have also had some moments, however it is a matter of if they do. The only two players who can produce for a whole season are the versatile Martin Prado and the young slugging first baseman, Paul Goldschmidt, whom we have yet to see much of yet.

The biggest problem with the Dbacks is their lack of an everyday shortstop. As of now, Cliff Pennington and Didi Gregorius are splitting time at short. Though this gives Kirk Gibson some options for his lineup, it does not let either player get into a rhythm. A bigger part of this problem is that the shortstop is the captain of the infield. With no consistency in whom runs the field, this can create issues and prevents the defense to get into any type of flow.

Overall, the Dbacks have too many predicaments to succeed. Between injuries, a fickle lineup, one dominant pitcher, a lack of a consistent and reliable closer, and a usual everyday shortstop, it is questionable that the Dbacks will stay atop a division like the NL West. The Giants and Dodgers can claim first at any given time if they figure out their problems, which are easier to solve than Arizona’s. Eventually, things will stop going Arizona’s way. What if Corbin actually loses a game? What if the offense hits a team-wide slump? What if the lack of an everyday shortstop begins to hurt the team and yield runs? What if the bullpen keeps losing games in the ninth inning?