The Arizona Diamondbacks started the second half of the season just as they played most of the first half: on the losing side of a series. And true to form, it was all-pitch/no-hit this weekend in St. Louis. Each of the Diamondbacks' three starters in the series -- Jon Garland, Dan Haren, and even Yusmeiro Petit -- gave his team a decent chance at winning, but it was only All-Star Haren who got enough run support on Saturday to notch a "W." In Garland's case, there was this guy named Albert Pujols who singlehandedly demolished the Snakes on Friday night, as he's done to plenty of teams this season. For the youngster Petit on Sunday, his offense let him down, even though they out-hit the Cards 6-4. The problem, though, was the nine runners left stranded on base.
If you're looking for bright spots (and who isn't?), there are a few: 1) The worst defense in the league went three games without an error; 2) catcher Miguel Montero has made the most of his opportunity as a full-time starter while Chris Snyder sits on the disabled list. Montero went 7-for-12 with two homers and three RBI in the series. Those numbers are positively Pujolsian. But seriously, folks, Montero's been solid for the past two weeks, driving in runs and getting on base a lot. His average is up to .286; 3) Haren continues to produce Cy Young-worthy numbers; 4) dead weight like Tony Clark is no longer on the team. Here's hoping the Snakes can trade Chad Tracy to a contender in the coming weeks; 5) Mark Reynolds, in a slump entering the All-Star break, appears on the verge of busting out of it. He didn't produce much this weekend, but he hit almost .500 for the series. A good sign.
