2014 Season Report (90 Games)

A little over the half way point, and it's time to put up or shut up in Arizona. Things are looking good for a final run that will decide their playoff fates, injuries could be the difference between golf and baseball in October. Arizona, so full of promise before the season, fell on seriously hard times through the first few months. It's hard to believe they have recovered to sit in 9th overall (49-41) and 6th in the NL. The rest of the NL West fills out the bottom of the NL, and the Giants are leaving the Diamondbacks in the dust, looks like the only route to October is the Wild Card.

Who is David Peralta? No, seriously, who is David Peralta?! The 27 year old OF from Venezuela has bounced around the league since being in the Cardinals system for Rookie ball in 2006. After some time on three different teams in the independent leagues he landed at Class A-Advanced Visalia in 2013 and managed to work his way to the majors this season. With Peter Bourjos playing poorly, and Ender Inciarte not doing much better, Peralta got a shot at CF and seems to have it under wraps. Peralta is hitting a healthy .325 with 3HR and 16RBI in only 34 games, which is almost more than Bourjos and Inciarte combined. Goldschmidt continues to lead the team in basically every category; runs, HR, RBI, SB for heaven's sake, D-Bat Dogs eaten, awesomeness, you name it he leads it.

Peralta has been a valuable addition to the outfield.

Chris Owings continues to sit out a shoulder problem with JJ Hardy filling in admirably, finally finding his groove at the plate. Hardy's power isn't really there, but if Arizona had to depend on Didi Gregorious they might be out of playoff contention. Owings is currently second on the team in SB to, again... I can't stress how crazy this is, Paul Goldschmidt.

After looking like a flaming wreck the pitching staff is starting to be very respectable. A huge season from Jake Arrieta has helped paper over the absence of Gio Gonzalez, but Gonzalez is back to give the Diamondbacks a very solid rotation that goes five deep. This staff looked like Gonzalez and some guys to start the season, but some trades and a little luck have seriously changed their fortunes. R.A. Dickey looked like he was toast after coming over from the Blue Jays, but his 7-8 record and 3.86ERA / 1.32WHIP comes courtesy of a 1.20ERA in the month of July. The rotation, in it's current form, could definitely carry this team to the playoffs.

Another big difference that has gone under the radar is the re-tooling of the bullpen. Jim Johnson has basically been banished, and the Soria-Neshek-Marshall-Stites foursome has really brought things under control. Neshek, Stites, and Marshall didn't start the season in Arizona, but at this rate they may never leave. Things appear to be falling in line for Arizona, but the Baseball Gods can be fickle, so nobody is booking tickets for October just yet.