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It has been nine games since we first introduced the world to the magnificence of the Diamondbacks’ long, unrelenting streak of mediocrity. Since then, the team has - unsurprisingly - gone 4-5, and become the first team in baseball history to reach the mark of 57 consecutive games with a record of two within .500. It’ll be at least 58, since they currently sit one below .500. But given their remarkable record (now 11-0, getting a result in the right direction when the streak teetered on ending), who can say how long it might last? That said, with four games against the Dodgers coming up, I’d be more hopeful for its survival if we leave San Francisco and head into that series above .500, rather than below.
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Getting above .500 will require rather better performances than we’ve seen of late from Alex Young and tomorrow’s starter, Mike Leake. Young has seen his ERA increase after each of his last seven consecutive starts. Though considering it was at 0.68 after his first three appearances, there really was only one way it could go. Still, that’s seven starts and a 5.30 ERA. He probably hasn’t been pitching quite as badly as that - but a season FIP of 4.66 suggests Young has been in the neighborhood. Still, few better places or opponents for a starter to face than the Giants at AT&T Park. This season, they have a collective .228 average there, with an OPS of just .658, and have been outscored at home by 74 runs.
Hopefully they will indeed be a different animal from the last time Arizona faced San Francisco. The D-backs were outscored 28-15 over the first three games of the series, before salvaging the finale. The losses included a thoroughly underwhelming 7-0 defeat in a Young start - which, I am reliably informed, was the quietest Gameday Thread of the season, mustering only 84 Friday night comments. I’m hoping for a better performance from everyone concerned tonight. Particularly the Diamondbacks. I’ll be watching the first part of American Ninja Warrior’s Las Vegas finale though, so I won’t be judging anyone...