Run differential for the Diamondbacks

So the diamondbacks are now 14 games over .500 and fighting for the best record in the National League. They also have a 3 game lead in the Division, the NL West, and one of the best records in baseball since the All Star Game.

BUT THEY HAVE BEEN OUTSCORED BY 28 RUNS THIS YEAR!!!! 28!!!

This is a crazy stat that makes almost no sense at all and is very hard to figure out. Many baseball people would say the Dbacks are lucky and that the record has a disproportionate number of wins and it will catch up with them. Thus eventually the record will come back toward the .500 mark. I will take another angle.

In the 10 most lopsided losses and wins the Dbacks run differential is -23, so when we loss, we really lose big. But does it matter if you lose 14 - 0 or 1 - 0? It does not matter in the standing. The Dbacks currently are 25 - 15 in one run games, that is outstanding. 40 one run games is a lot, but i think that the close games and the experience it brings will help this young team develop for the stretch run and playoffs. The record in one run games shows that the Dbacks have an outstanding bullpen, especially with Pena, Lyon, and Valverde shutting down the opponents in the 7th, 8th, 9th innings. That bullpen is allowing our team to come from behind or hold a small lead in close games. Please reread that last sentence. Think about a team that wins close games with an outstanding bullpen, exactly how most playoff games play out. I love the potential that the youngest team in baseball has for the last two months and if Stephen Drew can start hitting like he is supposed to (.280) and J. Upton can play a decent right field this team will play in October. The -28 run differential would lead to the assumption that our long relief pitchers are not very good in that position. One suggestion from me would put BK Kim in the bullpen and throw Edgar Gonzalez into the starting lineup when a 5th starter is needed, which is not much with all of the days off for rest in August.

Let us not worry about the negative run differential and instead focus on the great bullpen late in games. That bullpen allows the Dbacks to win the close games and thus continue to lead the division! On to the Playoffs!