Arizona Diamondbacks Living On The Edge

Aug 21, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Josh Collmenter (55) pitches during the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

When a baseball team leads the Majors in blown saves, the first thing that jumps in your mind is that they are bad team with no chance of making the playoffs. However, don’t tell that to the Arizona Diamondbacks as they are still alive in the hunt for a spot in the postseason.

The club leads all of baseball with 26 blown saves, but they only trail the Cincinnati Reds by five games for the second Wild Card spot in the National League. For a team to have this many blown saves and still be contending, they must be doing something special or have a secret weapon.

Arizona as bad as their bullpen has been this season leads the Majors with 28 one-run victories and they also have the most comeback victories in baseball with 38 on the season. The club has won 29 games in their last at-bat, with 15 of those wins at Chase Field. The snakes also have 11 walk-off victories as well.

The best part is that they are 15-5 in extra-inning games this season. Arizona is one of four teams since 1920 to have played seven games of 14 or more innings. The team has already played 20 games in extras this season, and should easily pass the franchise mark of 21 before the season is over.

The Diamondbacks have had many heroes this season ranging from a potential MVP candidate in first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to second baseman Aaron Hill and even shortstop Cliff Pennington has been instrumental in their success with extra baseball this season.

There is one player on the roster that has went above and beyond the call of duty, this is reliever Josh Collmenter. Collmenter has thrown 25.2 innings in extra affairs this season and this is the most in baseball since Trevor Hoffman threw 25.1 innings in extras during the 1996 season.

He is their guy when they have play more than nine innings, and one reason why the club plays their best baseball in extra innings. Arizona has a +18 run differential past nine innings, and only has a +1 run differential in games that end in nine innings.

One thing is true with this club and that is their bullpen will make the remainder of the season very entertaining to watch.