The National League West division was as tight as it could possibly be in 2007, as three teams battled each other for two playoff spots. The 2007 Arizona Diamondbacks came out on top, winning the division with a 90-72 record and finishing just a half-game ahead of the Colorado Rockies and 1.5 games ahead of the San Diego Padres. Head-to-head play was a factor for much of the season, as the Diamondbacks went 8-10 against the Rockies and 10-8 against the Padres. Arizona went 50-31 at home and 40-41 on the road.
Offense Powers Arizona’s Lineup
Everyday Starters
Second baseman Orlando Hudson batted .294 with 10 home runs and 63 RBIs off 152 hits, 28 doubles, 9 triples, and 10 stolen bases. Left fielder Eric Byrnes batted .286 with 21 home runs and 83 RBIs off 179 hits, 30 doubles, 8 triples, and 50 stolen bases. First baseman Conor Jackson batted .284 with 15 home runs and 60 RBIs off 118 hits and 29 doubles. Third baseman Mark Reynolds batted .279 with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs off 102 hits, 20 doubles, and 4 triples in 111 games. Center fielder Chris Young had 32 home runs and 68 RBIs off 135 hits, 29 doubles, and 27 stolen bases. Shortstop Stephen Drew had 12 home runs and 60 RBIs off 129 hits, 28 doubles, and 4 triples.
Bench and Reserve Contributors
Catcher Chris Snyder had 13 home runs, 82 hits, and 20 doubles in 110 games. Third baseman Chad Tracy had 60 hits and 18 doubles in 76 games. First baseman Tony Clark had 17 home runs and 55 hits in 113 games. Catcher Miguel Montero had 10 home runs and 48 hits in 84 games. Left fielder Scott Hairston added 13 doubles in 73 games.
Pitching Staff Carries the Load
Starting Rotation
Starting pitcher Micah Owings found some success with the bat, hitting 4 home runs with 20 hits, 7 doubles, and 1 triple in 60 at-bats. On the mound, Owings was an anchor for the rotation, going 8-8 with 106 strikeouts and recording 2 complete games and 1 shutout. Brandon Webb was the ace of the staff, going 18-10 with 194 strikeouts and a 3.01 ERA, recording 4 complete games and 3 shutouts. Livan Hernandez went 11-11 with 90 strikeouts and 1 complete game. Doug Davis went 13-12 with 144 strikeouts. Randy Johnson went 4-3 with a 3.81 ERA, but a collection of injuries cut his season short. Edgar Gonzalez went 8-4.
Bullpen Depth
Closer Jose Valverde had 47 saves and a 2.66 ERA. Relief pitcher Tony Pena went 5-4 with 2 saves and a 3.27 ERA. Brandon Lyon went 6-4 with 2 saves and a 2.68 ERA. Juan Cruz went 6-1 with a 3.10 ERA. Doug Slaten went 3-2 with a 2.72 ERA.
Sweeping the Cubs in the NLDS
The Diamondbacks made quick work of the Chicago Cubs in the National League Division Series, sweeping the series 3 games to none.
Game 1: Webb Silences Chicago
In Game 1 on October 3 at Chase Field, the Diamondbacks won 3-1. Brandon Webb pitched 7 innings and gave up 4 hits, 3 walks, and 1 run, while also recording 9 strikeouts. In the bottom of the 4th inning, Stephen Drew hit a solo home run. In the top of the 6th, Cubs shortstop Ryan Theriot got his team on the board with an RBI single, but no one else would drive him in. In the bottom of the 7th, Mark Reynolds hit a solo home run, and Conor Jackson followed with a sacrifice fly.
Game 2: A Home Run Barrage
The Cubs got up for Game 2 on October 4, but they were still outscored by the Diamondbacks, 8-4. In the top of the 2nd inning, catcher Geovany Soto gave the Cubs an early lift by drilling a 2-run home run, but Arizona had a response. Chris Young smacked a 3-run home run in the bottom of the 2nd, and Eric Byrnes followed with an RBI triple. In the bottom of the 4th, Drew added a 2-run triple. In the bottom of the 5th, second baseman Augie Ojeda had an infield RBI single, and Doug Davis scored another run on a bunt fielder’s choice. In the top of the 6th, pinch-hitting first baseman Daryle Ward had a 2-run double, but Chicago couldn’t mount a comeback.
Game 3: Clinching at Wrigley Field
The Diamondbacks completed their sweep of the Cubs at Wrigley Field with a Game 3 win on October 6, taking it by a score of 5-1. Livan Hernandez pitched 6 innings and gave up 5 hits, 5 walks, and 1 run while recording 2 strikeouts. In the top of the 1st inning, Young hit a solo home run, and right fielder Justin Upton followed with an RBI single. In the top of the 4th, Byrnes grounded into a forceout at second base to score Montero. In the bottom of the 4th, the Cubs got their only run on an RBI groundout by catcher Jason Kendall. In the top of the 6th, Byrnes hit a solo home run, and in the top of the 9th, Drew hit his own solo home run to seal the victory.
Rockies End the Run in the NLCS
Unfortunately for the 2007 Arizona Diamondbacks, there were no redeeming highlights in the National League Championship Series, as they ran into a hot team from their own division. Meeting the Colorado Rockies again to rekindle a National League West rivalry, the Diamondbacks fell in a 4-game sweep. Arizona lost Game 1 on October 11 by a score of 5-1, Game 2 on October 12 by a score of 3-2, Game 3 on October 14 by a score of 4-1, and Game 4 on October 15 by a score of 6-4.
While the outcome wasn’t what they were hoping for, the 2007 Arizona Diamondbacks proved to the baseball world that they were a team to be taken seriously, and an exciting part of a wild National League West division.
