Arizona Diamondbacks Game Preview, #92: Flashback to 2006

June 2006 was a brutal month for the Arizona Diamondbacks, but it didn't start that way. They came into the month leading the division, and began it by sweeping the Braves over a four-game series in Atlanta. That gave them a 2.5 game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West - but it then fell apart. The Diamondbacks lost 20 of their next 23 games, a streak which say them plummet all the way from first to dead-last in the division. The three wins were by a combined margin of four runs; and they allowed ten runs or more in seven of the losses. Arizona lost seven straight series plus a make-up game in Pittsburgh, being swept in five series.

It's interesting to look back at the SnakePit at that time, and see the utters sense of despondency which prevailed in my writing [for the SnakePit was virtually a solo pursuit at that point]. Witness the recap on June 18, headlined "Worst. Homestand. Ever," which also reminded me that it was during this period that Ken Kendrick publicly mentioned the "whispers" concerning Luis Gonzalez and steroid use. The same month saw the leaking of the FBI's affidavit by Jason Grimsley, who had seen his house raided by federal authorities that April, in connection with PED distribution. And we finally DFA'd Russ Ortiz and his 7.54 ERA, eating $22 million in salary.

So, yeah. Bad as things might currently seem for the Diamondbacks - they have clearly been a lot worse, in terms of utter disintegration of the team's fabric. And that team, don't forget, bounced back to win the division title and sweep the Cubs in the NLDS the following season. Although the team also go a new broom, in the shape of a fresh GM. Hint, hint. They say it's always darkest before the dawn. Admittedly, we don't know when that dawn will come - but it will get here, sooner or later. And when it does, we'll look back on this troubled period and wonder what all the fuss was about, just as we're doing here about 2006.

Editor's Note: New players win cash in their first league or get their entry fee refunded! Offered in partnership with FanDuel.