Diamondbacks Gameday Thread, #88: 7/6 vs. Mets

Ranking the power rankings

Yeah, it’s late. So bear in mind these opinions will all pre-date at least the series against the Mets, and in the case of ESPN, go back ever further, to before last weekend’s series against the Angels. That caveat out of the way, what have we got?

• MLB.com: #4 (last week: #5) - “NL Cy Young favorite Zac Gallen added to his résumé this week by pitching the D-backs past the Rays on Tuesday, then matching a season high with 12 strikeouts in Sunday’s loss to the Angels. As a team, however, Arizona went just 3-3 this week and is now 7-7 over its past 14 games. The NL West leaders have a chance to pad their division lead heading into the All-Star break as they close the first half with a seven-game homestand against a pair of scuffling teams in the Mets and Pirates.” [Yeah... about that...]
• CBS Sports: #4 (last week: #6) - “The Corbin Carroll injury is concerning, but at least he hasn’t been placed on the injured list yet. That is to say, perhaps it’s not very serious and he’ll be back dominating soon enough.”
• USA Today: #5 (last week: #5) - “Timing works out well for Zac Gallen All-Star start, if so inclined.”
• FOX Sports: #5 (last week: #6) - “While Arizona’s three-game lead remains modest, the upstart club has been in first place every day since June 1. It’s been 12 years since the D-backs last won the NL West. They’re one of just five teams in baseball averaging more than five runs per game.” [For some reason, FOX only provided a top ten this week. If that persists, I’ll replace them with another source, as I do need to see all the NL West teams]
• ESPN: #5 (last week: #5) - “The D-backs are averaging 5.5 runs per game this month while going 15-10 to hold off the Dodgers and Giants in the NL West, and it’s been Ketel Marte, Christian Walker and Corbin Carroll who have been doing a lot of the heavy lifting lately. Those three have slashed .329/.408/.639 in the month of June, combining for 19 home runs and 11 stolen bases (eight from Carroll alone). Marte, Walker and Carroll are among four regulars — along with Geraldo Perdomo — who have accumulated at least 240 plate appearances and boast an adjusted OPS above 130 (as in: 30% above league average). Not included in that is 37-year-old third baseman Evan Longoria, who has 11 homers and seven doubles in just 40 games.”

NL West standings

1. Diamondbacks: 4.6
2. Dodgers: 7.2
3. Giants: 8.2
4. Padres: 19.8
5. Rockies: 28.0

The D-backs’ 3-3 week against winning teams in the Rays and Angels kept them solidly on top, with a slight uptick in overall ranking. This is why we shouldn’t over-react to the past couple of games against the Mets. Disappointing though the losses were, they are only a small part - little more than one percent! - of the season. Bad games will happen to every team. Heck, bad series will happen. The team is still in first, and it would be a highly questionable strategy to deviate from what got them there over the previous 80+ games, as a result of a couple of bad results. So, let’s win this one, put the series behind us, and move on to the Pirates.