During the offseason, the Diamondbacks endorsed a risky but brilliant idea.
They were mocking the Phillies and their rabid fans when they came to Chase Field in mid-August, celebrating last year's accomplishment more than four months into the new season and giving away replica championship rings to 20,000 lucky fans. Clearly, they chose to show off one of the worst moments in Philadelphia history.
Brave. Bravo. And now the moment has come.
Fortunately, the Diamondbacks are exactly where team executives hoped they would be when they made that bold deal with famed ring manufacturer Jostens. They're now a team with the momentum to threaten the Dodgers for the division title. More importantly, they're a team that's once again dominating Valley water coolers and is now ranked among the best teams in Major League Baseball.
Getting here is another story.
On May 31, the Diamondbacks were 25-32, seven games below .500, and in an interview with Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, former manager Bob Brenly shocked the clubhouse by lamenting that the team was no longer fun to watch, far from the one that once “stunned” opponents.
The excuses were easy to make. The Diamondbacks were ravaged by injuries, a brutal turn of events for a team that had spent aggressively in the offseason. Even now, their four promising mainstay pitchers — Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Jordan Montgomery and Eduardo Rodriguez — have started just 40 of 115 games.
The Diamondbacks survived thanks to their track record and experience. They competed at the highest level during the 2023 postseason and achieved success on baseball's biggest stage. Their unforgettable playoff run has given them the determination to face any adversity in the future.
They survived because manager Torey Lovullo was a great manager. The Diamondbacks refused to be really good for four months. But they never were really bad because Lovullo held the bottom high through a patchwork rotation, struggles from Geno Suarez and even bullpen games. He had to quietly replace the National League Rookie of the Year to restore his confidence. He had to bench closer Paul Sewald. He had to tell Christian Walker he wasn't an All-Star. He's handled all of that stress and hard work without the signs of stress and bags of eyes that plagued him earlier in his career. He's become a master of his trade. We're lucky to have him.
They survived because the Diamondbacks spent big on reinforcements: Joc Pederson was a great addition, Randall Grichuk and Kevin Newman are underrated pieces on the chessboard, the bullpen was instantly strengthened and is now playoff-ready, while Josh Bell instantly filled the hole left by Walker's injury.
The Diamondbacks had a strong July, hitting 57 home runs, and if their pitching plays well over the next six weeks, they could be in contention for another championship. Majority owner Ken Kendrick and general manager Mike Hazen have done what big-name franchises do, and done everything they can to keep a precious flame burning. And now that fire is burning.
Vindication would come if the team could get 10 games over .500. The Diamondbacks are currently 63-52 and are Arizona favorites again. It's time to take them seriously.
The world is serious.
Bickley can be reached @arizonasports.com Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6-10 a.m. on 98.7 FM, Arizona's Sports Station.
