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Give credit where credit is due: the Arizona Diamondbacks are playing incredible baseball, and don't look now, they've got the best record in the National League

So here's the thing: no one wants to by the reality.  No one wants to sell the hype.  No one truly wants to touch this team with a ten foot pole.  And its all well and good, until someone gets hurt, but wait a minute, that would be all of your bruised ego's right now, watching all of your teams falter.  If you're a fan of the National League, there's not been a whole lot to love.  With the Mets playing .500, subpar ball right now, the Brewers and Cubs taking turns on who can lose the division lead, and the Dodgers in a freefall, with the Padres losers in four of their last seven and still leading the wild card, it's understandable to be skeptical of any team in the NL and their chances.  But..

But, give up all ready.  Take your walk of shame, except fate as it is coming to you, Arizona is for real.

No one wants to give them credit.  ESPN would rather show crappy NFL preseason highlights, then Brandon Webb's mastery once again tonight (33 innings consecutively without allowing a run).  And lets be real here, if that's the Yankees, Dodgers, Angels, Giants, Red Sox, Cardinals, Cubs, Braves, or Mets, that story barely gets ousted by golf's final major of the year.  But because it's Arizona, that no name, no fame team that's reeling off hot streaks left and right, no one is saying boo.

That's okay, apparently I'm going to have to be the one to do it.

Arizona is an unbelievable 16 games above .500 right now and they have the best record in the National League (with a $55 million payroll I should add)

They have had just one month the entire year with a losing record, and that month that they did lose more then they won, they went 13-15.

They have won 17 out of their last 20.

Doug Davis is pitching amazingly right now.

They lead the Padres by four games in the NL West, and the Dodgers and Rockies by six.

They've blown 7-0 leads to come back to win.  They've blown saves and came back to win.  They've hit walkoffs, they've had web gems, they've scrapped out wins, they've won games they shouldn't have, and they've rolled over teams that are so far and away "better" than them.

They're leading power guy is leadoff hitter Chris Young, and behind him is Eric Byrnes.  They have no A-Rod, no Pujols, no Bonds, no Beltran.  They intead have rookie phenom, Justin Upton.  He's hitting 5th for a team leading the NL, and making a serious push for the pennant.

They've got the second best record in the NL both home, and away.

They've got the best closer (in terms of saves) in the NL.

Webb and Davis (maybe not record wise) have pitched brilliantly since the All Star break, and have been arguably the best 1-2 punch in baseball in that span.

They've defeated the competition (Cubs, Braves, Pads, Dodgers) and the inferiors (Pirates, Nats, Marlins).

They've got the best record in the majors in one run games.

Do you really still want to call them a fluke?

Do you have the guts to tell me this team can't win RIGHT now?

Are you that convinced the surging Snakes couldn't beat the struggling Brewers/Cubs right now in  a playoff series?

Do you honestly believe that Detroit or Cleveland is better right now?

Numbers aside, because numbers DO lie, this team doesn't need to be the prototypical big name machine to win.  It bothers me so much that people feel you have to be statistically sound to win anything in sports.  And why in the world does this Arizona team have to have a .300 hitter (right now they have NONE) to be a threat in the playoffs?

This Arizona team may be the best story to come out of baseball in a long time, should they sustain this success and make a run into October.  Think about it: Young team, no big names, ESPN is horrified of ever showing a game of their's on TV (leading me to think that's why no one knows who these guys are, ESPN won't give them a chance!) Solid pitching duo, funky uniforms- which I might add come in four different colors, and a team that does the little things to win games.

If there ever was an underdog to root for this seems like a pretty viable candidate.  

The snakes are for real, and yeah, they'll cool off, it's inevitable, but 90+ wins, that might be reachable too.

To all the haters, sit down, shut up, and watch those stunning D-backs win games you don't think they can.  And keep an eye on the standings for me.  Because I've got a hunch this team may not be a year away.

Who's now?  It just might be Arizona.