Arizona Diamondbacks November confidence poll

October results

There was, inevitably, a step-back in confidence for October. When the September poll was taken, the D-backs were in their hottest streak of the season and had the potential even to make a late run at a wild-card spot. However, the offense then sputtered and those hopes went down in flames [mind you, I’m not sure Arizona would have been able to beat Los Angeles like Washington did, so overall, that’s a grenade on which it’s perhaps best to have thrown ourselves!]. The D-backs still definitely surpassed expectations, and even last season’s win total, reaching a decent 85 wins, which likely helped keep confidence up at a decent level. Here are the number from the beginning of last month:

• 2% - 1 (not confident in the slightest)
• 1% - 2
• 1% - 3
• 5% - 4
• 8% - 5
• 14% - 6
• 38% - 7
• 20% - 8
• 10% - 9 (very, very, VERY confident)

While taking a step back, there was overall a consolidation. That 38% vote for “7” was the highest for any single category since February of 2018, which edged it by three-tenths of a point, also at the “7” level. The upper tier declined, with “8” dropping slightly from 22% to 20%, and “9” was cut to less than half of the September figure, going from 24% to 10%. But there wasn’t much going on at the bottom end, with the total voting four or less still sitting at only 10%.

As a result, while confidence did dip, it only lost slightly more than half a point. going from 7.23 to 6.68. That’s the second-best figure we’ve seen at the end of a season. While trailing behind 2017, probably for obvious reasons, it’s more than twice the number posted at the end of 2016 or 2018. We’re clearly doing some odd-year bullshit. :) Below, you can see the breakdown for the past 12 months’ results, followed by the line graph showing the averages.

November poll

No games played since the last time we checked in with you, of course. But there has already been some off-season movement, with a new pitching coach in Matt Herges, and the team opting not to pick up the options on Wlmer Flores and T.J. McFarland. Does those moves improve confidence, perhaps triggering a belief the team is gearing up for a free-agent aquisition? Or does this just feel like Ken Kendrick penny-pinching, going for a cheaper option in Ildemaro Vargas, rather than Wilmer Flores? As usual, let us know your confidence rating and the reasoning behind it, in the comments, especially if it has changed over the last month.