...while I toot my own horn.
Here is a post I made on this blog on May 14 of this year (check the archives if you don't believe me):
"Why Is Everyone Infatuated With the Diamondbacks?"
Another Tim Kurkjian misfire (and I'm as surprised as Coach was -- I normally like this guy):
"The Arizona lineup is filled with former All-Stars, led by Luis Gonzalez, who missed most of last season after having surgery on his right elbow. He is healthy. So is Glaus. So is new right fielder Shawn Green, whose shoulder finally healed the last two months of 2004. With those three in the middle of the order, the Diamondbacks have a lineup that is better than any that they used last year. Still, they haven't hit much, but that is certain to change."
"Certain to change?" Why? Because Luis Gonzalez and Shawn Green are former all-stars? And that fact will help them compensate for being old and not that good? This is insane. The D-Backs have been OUTSCORED by 23 runs heading into tonight's game. They have overperformed in a small sample size of games. They are not going to win the admittedly terrible NL West, unless you can win the division with a 79-83 record.
Everyone just cool out in re: the Diamondbacks, please.
The Pads clinched the division tonight with a record of 79-79. They can lose their last four games and finish 79-83. The DBacks are tied for second, at 74-84. They have been outscored 847 to 683.
So, I think I kind of nailed it. Just luck, I guess. Or else -- and this could be crazy -- it could be the result of statistical analysis.
