It’s Over

It’s Murphy’s Law.  If my expectations are high, the D-backs seem to let me down.

My expectations, and many others’ expectations, were sky-high coming into this year for the D-backs. They took all of us on a wild ride last year that was some of the most fun I’d had in a long time. It was awesome.

This year was supposed to be better.

Ian Kennedy was going to be the ace he was all of last year, Daniel Hudson was supposed to improve, Trevor Cahill was supposed to be the stud he was in Oakland, Joe Saunders was supposed to be an innings-eater and Trevor Bauer and Tyler Skaggs were waiting in the wings to save the day if one of the pitchers faltered.

Justin Upton was supposed to continue his MVP pace, Ryan Roberts was supposed to hold down third base and Stephen Drew was supposed to return and solidify short stop.

All disappointed.

The D-backs even had surprises like Wade Miley, Patrick Corbin and Jason Kubel give them a boost. But it just wasn’t enough.

They have been flirting with .500 all season long. In fact, I should have figured it out long ago. The Dbacks were just a mediocre team who would stay in the race just long enough to make disappointment turn into agony. But those damn expectations kept me in it. It’s over now, though.

After the Dbacks went 5-5 against three of the worst teams in the league, it’s finally, mercifully, over. They are back to .500 for what feels like the three millionth time this season with a 64-64 record. They are 7 games behind in the division and 6.5 games behind in the wild card. With only 34 games to play, what would the D-backs have to do to make up that type of ground? Their best chance is most likely in the division because even though they are .5 games further behind, there are only two teams in front of them. In the wild card, three teams are ahead of them.

So, the Giants are 71-57. If they play .500 the rest of the way, that puts them at 88-74. The D-backs would have to go 24-10 in the next 34 to even TIE that record. It’s not happening.

So, say good-bye to a season that promised so much.

But there is always next year. And the flipside of the D-backs always disappointing me when I have high expectations is that when I have low expectations, they always surprise me.

So, World Series next year?