RON WOLFLEY

Do the D-backs know or believe?

Jun 1, 2011, 2:41 PM | Updated: 3:05 pm

Recently, I had the pleasure of telling graduating students they will discover in life that what they know is no match for what they believe. One can know, understand and comprehend all things but it means nothing unless it is put into action. If one’s knowledge, understanding and comprehension does not shape them as a person and give them perspective on who they are and what they believe, that knowledge, understanding and comprehension is meaningless.

This is why the Diamondbacks are becoming dangerous. They are the hottest team in baseball. They are 30-25, just had a 7-game winning streak snapped and are currently sitting in first-place of the NL West.

The D-backs may know they’re playing good baseball but there seems to be something more here: they are playing like they believe they’re a good baseball team. And why wouldn’t they? You don’t win 15 of 18 games without being capable.

The difference between this incarnation of baseball and what we have seen over the past three years is obvious; morale is high because this team has hope that no matter what may come they have a chance of overcoming that which opposes them. This was not the case last year or the last three years. The D-backs had little hope and their morale had bottomed out.

Don’t we desire this in our own life, People of the Sun? To believe in ourselves, know we have what it takes if we’ll just put it into action and resolve in our hearts that the task at hand is doable if we’ll but commit to doing it?

Hopefully, you answered yes to the above question. But the question can no longer be if the Diamondbacks have a good baseball team, the question must be if it is sustainable?

Socrates may not have been able to determine the answer to this question but we can use his method to make a logical determination.

Do they have a tactician? Yes.

Kirk Gibson deserves major kudos for changing the culture, bringing this team together, formalizing roles, doling out authority, empowering personnel and making the tough game-day decisions. This team is taking on his tough, gritty personality.

Do they have a strategist? Yes.

Kevin Towers deserves major props. He was the architect of this master plan, a plan built on the simple philosophy that pitching and fielding your position wins games over the course of 162-game season. He provided the plan and then filled out the roster with players capable of performing – and he did it with limited resources.

Derrick Hall deserves credit, too. He hired Kevin Towers. He wooed Kevin Towers. He got Kevin Towers to build this team when KT knew he was going to be dealing with small markets and small payrolls. Well done, Mr. Hall. Well done, indeed, sir.

Do they have the horses? I don’t think so…yet.

The success of this year’s team revolves around the bullpen. If it is all about pitching and defense, one has to wonder if the starting pitching will hold up. So far it has been wonderful. Ian Kennedy has pitched like an ace. Daniel Hudson is a solid #2 with great potential. Joe Saunders has pulled his season away from the brink but is still a raging question-mark. After that…it’s anybody’s guess.

And if the starting pitching goes belly-up it could set off a chain-reaction on this team that could wreak havoc on our summer. The bullpen could suddenly become overworked and under-armed. Roles could start to blur and if there is one thing that has brought stability to this team it is the clear-cut roles pitchers have in the bullpen.

This is why I hope the D-backs go after another starting pitcher. Buster Olney tweeted out the Diamondbacks are buyers! Lets hope they buy a starting arm. Joe Saunders as a #4 fits like a glove and assures this team’s bullpen will not become overworked.

And in the summer of 2011, it’s all about the bullpen.

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