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Looking ahead to D-Backs’ second half
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Arizona Diamondbacks Chad Tracy, right, celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run off of Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels in the second inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 13, 2008, in Philadelphia.
The Associated Press
The Diamondbacks’ lead in the National League West turned 100 days old on Wednesday, even if it sometimes did not feel like it.
Magruder: D-Backs mid-season report
The D-Backs took command by blitzing the division early, then hung on through a marked decrease in offensive production, some uncharacteristically shoddy stretches of defense and base-running and a severe case of separation anxiety.
They got into a mode of kicking away games, and at times it seemed to take on a life of its own.
Yet thanks to the stability of 1-2 starters Brandon Webb and Dan Haren, their lone All-Stars, and a successful conversion by Brandon Lyon to the closer’s role, the D-Backs have been no worse than tied for the division lead since April 7 despite winning only four of their last 16 series.
“It’s been up and down,” manager Bob Melvin said.
“We had a good first five weeks, but the offense struggled the rest of the way. We had some struggles in pitching that we didn’t expect. We’ve made more errors than we expected to make.
“We’re going to need to be more consistent to play in October.”
The D-Backs, 47-48 and one game ahead of Los Angeles entering a weekend series against the Dodgers, took off in the second half of 2007 when Eric Byrnes and Chris Young began aggressively stealing more bases.
That avenue appears closed this season, not only because of Byrnes’ left hamstring injury but also because opponents are paying particularly close attention to Young.
Without Byrnes, mulling surgery after a third MRI last week, the D-Backs are shopping for a bat, preferably left-handed, and one who could play the outfield.
After losing a lot of minor league talent in major trades for Randy Johnson and Haren the last two seasons, the D-Backs are not in position to trade high-level prospects.
“In a perfect world, we’d do something to improve the offense,” said general manager Josh Byrnes, who has inquired about Seattle’s Raul Ibanez and San Diego’s Tony Clark, among others.
With Chad Tracy rounding into hitting form and Conor Jackson showing an aptitude for left field, the D-Backs may make a move for a complementary piece at a lower cost.
“The last couple of weeks, it seems like we’ve gotten settled,” Byrnes said.
“We overcame significant offensive struggles,” said Melvin, whose team had four straight multi-hit games to end the first half.
“Now, we need to sustain it.”
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