Will Arizona Diamondbacks Separate from Struggling San Francisco Giants?

The Diamondbacks begin a treacherous road trip today that, as Kirk Gibson described it, will be a “bastard.”  They will be tested against the National League’s two best teams, the Phillies and Braves and pair up against some of the game’s best arms.  Tonight’s match-up of Roy Halladay against Josh Collmenter seems like as big a mismatch as Justin Bieber fighting Chuck Liddell. 

Regardless of how the road trip plays out, the Diamondbacks have to be happy at the position they are in.  Middle of August, up 2.5 games on the Giants, receiving unexpected contributions from the likes of Ryan Roberts and the aforementioned Josh Collmenter and Justin Upton and Ian Kennedy are cementing themselves among the leagues best. 

And it’s possible, if they play out the season at a .500 clip that they have a great shot at winning the division.  Looking at their main competition, you have to wonder if the Giants are starting to fall off. 

A recent string of losses show the Giants one sided approach may be catching up with them. Until this point, the Giants had scoffed at their lack of offense, confident that their pitching staff would carry them to the World Series for the second year in a row.

And why wouldn’t they think that?  They have one of the deepest bullpens in the game and they only have one starter with an ERA over 4.00.  Whoever they plugged into their rotation, save for Barry Zito, became an instant success.

Ryan Vogelsong, who prior to this season hadn’t pitched at the MLB level for five years, is having the best year of his career and has a lower ERA than Tim Lincecum. 

Their bullpen is even better.  Only two of their relief pitchers have an ERA over 3.00.

The plan was working again, despite all the odds.

A staff as good as that can only carry a team so far and now the lack of run production is starting to show.  As good as they are, an opponent only needs to score four runs against them to secure a victory most nights.

The Giants 3.44 runs per game is second worst in all of baseball, just barely above the Mariners. Asking a pitching staff to hold opponents to under two runs every night is a lot to ask. 

The offense they relied on in 2010 is no longer there.  Aubrey Huff, who had a career year in 2010, is back to his normal statistics, with a very pedestrian .249 batting average.  Carlos Beltran, who had suddenly regained his form not seen in five years, has hit only .244 since joining the Giants and has missed the past seven games with injury.

What seemed inconceivable in April may become reality in September.  The Diamondbacks could win the NL West.