Diamondbacks starting pitcher Wade Miley (36) throws during the eighth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Chase Field. Image: Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE

Go ahead, D-Back  fans, think about this for a moment.   If I had told you April 1^st that on June 26^th, (A) Justin Upton would be the fourth-best home run hitter on the team, (B) Daniel Hudson would have three whole wins and (C) Ian Kennedy’s  ERA would be two runs higher than last year’s, do you think the club would be in shouting distance of first place?  You probably would think it was a rotten April Fool’s joke.  Well the joke will soon be on the rest of baseball as Arizona is starting to heat up and will zoom right into the All-Star break as the hottest team in baseball.

The Dodgers are playing the Giants this week so you know much of the baseball world will be focused on that series.  Then we will hear about how every team in the American League East is at least three games over .500.  Fine.   Thursday night, however there better be a big shining light in Atlanta as the highly anticipated debut of  Trevor Bauer  is set to take place.   As of this morning, MLB Network is advertising Yankees-White Sox  and Tigers-Rays as their two marquee games.  Detroit is already being featured tonight against the Rangers.   Yawn.   If the network doesn’t switch and make D-Backs-Braves the big game that night, we will know where Arizona stands in the MLB pecking order.   But that’s a story for a different day.

At 37-35, the D-Backs haven’t even played their best ball yet.  Sure, they have won four in a row and are 7-3 in their last 10 but do you really think they can’t get better?  Watch as Upton hits about .350 from now until the rest of the season and Paul Goldschmidt  gets some consistency and launches about 20 more balls out of the yard.  Maybe when one of those dingers hits an unsuspecting fan in the pool over the right-center field wall will Arizona get the love they deserve.

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Apr. 4, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson (23) looks on during the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE

Attention fans, come one, come all

Opening Day is here, it’s time to play ball.

The D-Backs open against a pitcher named Tim

How we hope Chase Field is filled to the brim.

Who gets the first hit of the season, Montero or Hill?

We all know that Upton will sure get his fill.

Kennedy will make the Giants hitters whine and pout

Helped by a bullpen that’s really lights out.

It will be the D-Backs and Giants with the Dodgers not far away

But the Rockies and Padres will not be kept at bay.

For those who think the AL East is the best

Surely has not seen the Wild, Wild NL West.

All of these teams have stars galore

The talent level of each is definitely not poor.

Every team thinks they can be the cream of the crop

But it is Arizona, defending champs, who start out on top.

As Spring turns into Summer and Summer into Fall

It will be the boys from the desert who will be standing tall.

Led by Gibby, this is a team that does not quit

They will prove that last season was certainly legit.

As the playoffs roll on and the D-Backs keep winning

The folks around baseball will have their heads spinning.

When the games are complete and there is no more fight

It will be Arizona saying, “World Series to all and to all a good night”.

Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and at http://clearthebases.net

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