Someone needs to tell the Arizona Diamondbacks that they are in a pennant race, because right now it looks like they are sleepwalking through August.
↵Only a half game behind the San Francisco Giants in the National League West, Arizona has now lost 4 of their last 5 games, including tonight's debacle against the Houston Astros.
↵Maybe it is the starting second baseman with a batting average of .213 for the season, or possibly it is the presence of several rookies in the locker room. One way or another, the equilibrium of the Diamondbacks is way off.
↵Stephen Drew is gone, and he's not coming back until 2012. Willie Bloomquist has filled in admirably, but he's not an everyday shortstop, and neither is Cody Ransom. Both players provide a spark through situational hitting, not through the daily grind.
↵This could be a blip on the radar for the D-backs, who are still very much in the playoff discussion. Daniel Hudson will not get shelled by a team full of AAA players every time he starts, and the wins may come in the next few days.
↵For now, Kirk Gibson needs to make a statement and get his team back on track, or the wheels of this dream season could come flying off, and fast.