{"id":64882,"date":"2018-05-05T08:57:38","date_gmt":"2018-05-05T08:57:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=64882"},"modified":"2018-05-05T08:57:38","modified_gmt":"2018-05-05T08:57:38","slug":"is-diamondbacks-astros-a-world-series-preview-the-dbacks-arent-afraid-to-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/is-diamondbacks-astros-a-world-series-preview-the-dbacks-arent-afraid-to-dream.html","title":{"rendered":"Is Diamondbacks-Astros a World Series preview? The D’backs aren’t afraid to dream"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is Diamondbacks-Astros a World Series preview? The D’backs aren’t afraid to dream<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

The Arizona Diamondbacks realize there are still 21 weeks left on the baseball calendar, and early-season leads can melt quicker than a frozen margarita in the sweltering summer months in Phoenix.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, they can’t help themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

They have the best record (21-10) in the National League and even though they failed to become the first team since the Cubs in 1907 to open the year with 10 consecutive series victories, they still haven\u2019t lost one.<\/span><\/p>\n

It took them five weeks to lose their first back-to-back games Thursday, but they remain on pace to win 110 games.<\/span><\/p>\n

They have a five-game lead in the NL West, seven over the five-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.<\/span><\/p>\n

And, oh yeah, they\u2019re doing this despite missing two of their starters, a deep slump by their best player, only four games played by their third baseman, and only four hitless at-bats by their biggest off-season acquisition.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u201cIt\u2019s crazy,\u2019\u2019 says Archie Bradley, the star of their bullpen, \u201cthat we\u2019re doing all of this without these guys.\u2019\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

So, who can blame the D’backs for looking across the field Friday evening when the defending World Series champion Houston Astros come to town, and echo the thoughts of everyone else in Valley of the Sun?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou watch those guys, learn from those guys, see them doing their stuff,\u2019\u2019 says outfielder David Peralta, \u201cand you see all of that energy, playing like a team, similar to what we do.<\/span><\/p>\n

Could this be, well, a World Series preview 5 \u00bd months early?<\/span><\/p>\n

Peralta breaks out into an expansive grin, but instead of retreating from the theory, wraps his arms around it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou never know,\u2019\u2019 he says. \u201cYou never know. You never know.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t wait until that happens. We\u2019ve been working hard for that moment.\u2019\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

The Diamondbacks aren\u2019t getting the ceremonial bunting out of storage, or getting their fingers sized for rings, but even though it\u2019s early May, they\u2019re digging the idea that they\u2019re considered among baseball\u2019s elite. The D’backs, who sat home and watched the World Series a year ago, just knocked off the Dodgers seven times in 10 games, and now are ready to see how they stack up with the Astros.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe love challenges, the Astros are playing very well, and this will be a good gauge for us,\u2019\u2019 says manager Torey Lovullo. \u201cI think this is something the entire group embraces. They like to have these types of challenges before them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo we\u2019re in a situation where we can evaluate ourselves individually, and collectively, and say this is how we\u2019re stacking up.\u2019\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s not a soul in the world surprised that the Astros are back sitting atop the AL West. They won the division by 21 games a year ago, and are returning even a better team than a year ago. They have the finest rotation in baseball with Justin Verlander, Dallas Keuchel, Gerrit Cole, Lance McCullers and Charlie Morton. And despite ending a 28-inning scoreless drought Thursday, still have a star-studded lineup that led baseball in offense a year ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, who would ever have imagined that the Diamondbacks would have a better record than the Astros, and threatening to run away with the loaded NL West?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOutside a couple of guys, it\u2019s not like we\u2019re doing anything super special,\u2019\u2019 Bradley says. \u201cWe\u2019re not hitting a lot of homers. We\u2019re not stealing a ton of bags. We\u2019re not striking everybody out. We\u2019re just playing good, solid baseball.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo do this without all of our guys is really exciting. If we\u2019re playing this well this early, what can we do the rest of the year?\u2019\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, the Diamondbacks have been winning despite third baseman Jake Lamb playing just four games, and right fielder Steven Souza – acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays to replace departed free agent J.D. Martinez – not making his 2018 debut until Thursday after being sidelined with a strained right pectoral muscle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust feeling helpless,\u2019\u2019 Souza says, \u201cwatching the games from my couch.\u2019\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, just like their offense, the Diamondbacks will see if they can patchwork their rotation the same way. They already lost starter Taijuan Walker for the year with Tommy John surgery. Robbie Ray is out for at least a month with a strained oblique muscle. They\u2019re now summoning Kris Medlen, who has undergone two Tommy John surgeries, and hasn\u2019t pitched in the major leagues since May 10, 2016.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is something at one point a couple of years ago when I was going to retire that I honestly wanted to happen,\u2019\u2019 Medlen said, \u201cbut thought it would never happen. It just feels good to be back. I don\u2019t know how long I\u2019ll be back, but I just proved to myself I can work through some things and persevere. It\u2019s a good feeling.\u2019\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Medlen joins a cavalry largely anonymous beyond superstar Paul Goldschmidt, who happens to be hitting .245 with four homers and 11 RBI.<\/span><\/p>\n

They\u2019ve already got the Dodgers and the rest of the NL West convinced they\u2019re for real.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, they\u2019ll see if the defending world champions will leave town after this weekend feeling the same.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to play the best to know that you are the best,\u2019\u2019 says reliever T.J. McFarland, \u201cwhen you beat them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/mlb\/columnist\/bob-nightengale\/2018\/05\/04\/diamondbacks-astros-world-series\/580431002\/<\/span><\/p>\n

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