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Diamondbacks Postseason Push Begins, Showdown With San Francisco Giants Starts Monday

This weekend has been a busy one for fans of the Arizona Diamondbacks (59-49). Usually a seller at the MLB trading deadline, the D-backs went on the offensive in 2011, picking up Jason Marquis and Brad Ziegler to help shore up the pitching situation.

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General Manager Kevin Towers is confident that the current offensive players on the roster are good enough to make the push to the postseason, giving a vote of confidence to Willie Bloomquist as the every day shortstop moving forward.

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With the trade of Brandon Allen, the Diamondbacks will call up phenom Paul Goldschmidt from Double-A Mobile. It's a bold move by an organization that is playing for today while keeping a keen eye on the future.

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The refusal to trade any of their top assets forced Arizona to look for bargain-basement pricing, and that's where Marquis and Ziegler came into play.

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Everyone knows that this season has been a pleasant surprise in the desert. Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson stepped up and have contributed significantly as a 1-2 punch in the starting rotation, while Joe Saunders has pleased fans and management alike with consistent pitching since May.

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Improvements to the rotation? Check. A solid seventh inning reliever? Check. An offense that has averaged over six runs a game in their past eight contests? Check.

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Only two games back of the Giants with a three-game set beginning on Monday, Arizona could make a huge statement in AT&T Park. Ian Kennedy (12-3, 3.22) will face Matt Cain (9-6, 2.91) in a likely pitchers duel. Will Goldschmidt get his first MLB start?

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With all the changes happening, one thing is for sure: the Arizona Diamondbacks will be contenders for the foreseeable future. Things are finally looking up for Phoenix sports, huh?