Off the Fence

I don't generally make predictions, but I'm going to come out and say it now: THE ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS WILL WIN THE NL WEST.

I say this on the basis of their performance in San Francisco over the past three days.  Now it's true that they should have swept the Giants and didn't.  They left too many men on base in the middle game.  However, they took the series 2 games to 1.  And they did it on the road.  They played three series at "Ballpark by the Bay".  They were swept the first series; they took one game the second series.  But now that it's crunch time, they took 2 of 3.  In other words, they have learned to win.

Now you may say "Oh sure, the Giants.  They are totally out of it in the NL West.  Let's wait and see what the Diamondbacks do against better teams." But they came into San Francisco having swept the Cardinals, which sent the Red Birds into a tailspin. So far in September the Snakes are 8-3.  The schedule really favors them.  They still have three games to play at Chavez Ravine and the Dodgers are certainly no cream puffs at home.  But the Giants took 2 out of 3 from them, and the Padres are poised to do the same, depending on the outcome of tonight's contest, which is another in the AARP series: Greg Maddux versus David Wells.  The Diamondbacks also have to face the surging Colorado Rockies in Denver.  It's the last series of the season.  Meanwhile, the Padres will be playing at home against the Giants.  And as much as the Giants are trying to play spoiler, I like the Padres chances.  But I still think the Diamondbacks will pull it off because they have managed to do well at home against the Giants and they've got one more series at home against them.  And they have three games against the Pirates before they take on the Rockies.

So I think it'll be the Diamondbacks taking the division, with the Padres taking the NL wild-card at the Rockies finishing a respectable third.

As for my experiences at "Ballpark by the Bay," I will save those for another post because there is a lot to say and and a few items to post along with the essay.  <Grin> But I'll tell you one thing now: the drought is over!  Eric Byrnes batted in a run in my presence during the last game!

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