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July 7, 2008 - 9:20PM
Updated: July 7, 2008 - 9:22PM
D-Backs’ midseason slump mirrors last year’s
Kyle Odegard, Tribune
Do the Diamondbacks have enough offense? Can the young hitters find some consistency? Will the pitching continue to carry the team?
All legitimate questions as the first half of the season comes to a close, but also the same ones directed at the 2007 squad during its swoon prior to the All-Star break.
Last season, Arizona jumped 12 games over .500 with a win on June24, but a 2-8 road trip dropped the team to 47-43 heading into the break.
Hitting coach Kevin Seitzer was fired and red flags were raised.
The slump bottomed out on July20, when the Diamondbacks dropped to 50-48. The team then won 40 of its final 64 games, captured the NL West and made it to the NL championship series.
The Diamondbacks would love for history to repeat itself.
"You look at some of the numbers last year, and we had a little bit of a lull heading into the All-Star break and picked it up considerably after," D-Backs manager Bob Melvin said. "We didn't start out like we did in April (a 20-8 start this season), and the expectations were a little higher this year and so forth, so we're dealing with that as well, but we're going to stay positive and continue to work hard."
Arizona has dropped harder and farther this season, but a horrible division has kept them atop the NL West since early April.
The Diamondbacks had to leapfrog three teams to win last year's division crown. This year, all they have to do is keep pace with the others.
With more than 70 games left, though, that's not Melvin's focus.
"It's really not about first place right now," Melvin said. "It's about playing better. We're lucky to be in the position we're in."
The Diamondbacks have six games left before the break - three in Washington and three in Philadelphia. Arizona has gone 17-26 on the road so far, and just 8-21 since May 9.
The All-Stars on the team - Brandon Webb and Dan Haren - will pitch a combined three games.
"This is a big road trip for us, to kind of set the tone going into the second half," Melvin said.
When the Diamondbacks came out of the break last year, they lost five of their first eight games, then ripped off 17 wins in the next 20 games.
Any similar run this year could vault them to a comfortable division lead.
For now, the Diamondbacks are hoping to at least tread water over this final stretch before recharging the batteries.
"Hopefully, we can win a few more ballgames, then maybe everybody needs the rest," Randy Johnson said. "Maybe the All-Star break's coming at a good time."
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