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With a 37-48 record and 16-game National League West deficit as testament to their poor play, the Arizona Diamondbacks rank among the most disappointing stories in baseball. Contrast the spring training euphoria surrounding the team with the ugly results in April, May and June, and its hard to fathom how quickly and profoundly things went south.I would like to put it on injuries, general manager Dave Stewart said in a recent interview, but injuries arent why were in the position we are now. Were in this position because we havent executed and done what were capable of. Weve underachieved.Baseball observers with a more historical slant might have had a clue this was coming. Arizona is the latest example of why the winner of the winter doesnt always look so formidable once the regular season begins.The Diamondbacks are reminiscent of last years San Diego Padres, who made such a dizzying flurry of moves during the 2014-2015 offseason that outfielder Matt Kemp christened new general manager A.J. Preller a rock star. A year later, the roadies are packing up the equipment and clearing the stage. James Shields, Craig Kimbrel, Justin Upton, Ian Kennedy, Yonder Alonso and Fernando Rodney have come and gone, and the Padres are stockpiling prospects in an attempt to build something more enduring.The Diamondbacks have been a buzzkill along the lines of the 2012 Miami Marlins, who made an enormous splash when they spent $191 million on free agents Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell and hired new manager Ozzie Guillen to great fanfare in Miami. After a sub-.500 start, the selloff began, and Marlins fans and national columnists ripped owner Jeffrey Loria for using taxpayer money to build a new ballpark only to change course after three months.The D-backs also bring to mind the Toronto Blue Jays, who flopped after the addition of R.A. Dickey, Buehrle, Reyes and Josh Johnson in 2013 and didnt break through as a postseason team until two years later.A sub-.500 record and afterthought status werent part of the plan when Arizona signed free agent Zack Greinke to a $206.5 million contract and acquired Shelby Miller in a December trade with the Atlanta Braves. Of 31 ESPN experts surveyed late in spring training, 11 picked the Diamondbacks to make the playoffs as a division winner or wild-card team.Since then, just about everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. Miller has a 6.85 ERA in 13 starts, Greinke just landed on the disabled list with an oblique strain, and Arizonas aggregate starting pitcher ERA has spiked from 4.37 to 4.86. The Diamondbacks also have posted a stunningly bad 14-31 record at home.Arizonas sad story line isnt uncommon, given recent precedent. Why have so many teams spent big in hopes of making a quantum leap and found that the approach backfired? Texas GM Jon Daniels is familiar with the scenario from the 2014 season, when the Rangers garnered huge publicity with the acquisitions of Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo and responded with a 67-95 season, the franchises worst since 1985.Some of it is injuries, which you cant predict, Daniels said. But the challenge is that baseball isnt like basketball, where you can add one or two pieces and really change the dynamic of the organization. In baseball you need so much depth and balance and some luck, too. Its hard to do all that with a handful of moves in an offseason. It takes years to build that foundation, and then you try to make one or two moves and layer them on top of what youve built.The 2008 American League champion Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros and 2015 World Series champion Kansas City Royals are prime examples of teams that got progressively better through the maturation of young rosters before making strategic acquisitions to get over the top. The Chicago Cubs suffered through five straight losing seasons before Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer thought the teams young core had progressed sufficiently to warrant a $155 million plunge on free-agent starter Jon Lester in December 2014.Arizona was building the requisite strong nucleus last season with All-Stars Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock anchoring the lineup and David Peralta, Jake Lamb, Nick Ahmed, Yasmany Tomas and Brandon Drury all gaining valuable experience. The Diamondbacks made another shrewd move in January when they acquired middle infielder Jean Segura from Milwaukee. Hes batting .308 this season and merits strong consideration for an All-Star berth at second base.But bad luck blew a hole in the Diamondbacks plans late in spring training, when Pollock suffered a fractured bone in his right elbow. The Diamondbacks outfield depth had already taken a hit when they sent Ender Inciarte to Atlanta with shortstop prospect Dansby Swanson in the December trade for Miller, and things got worse when Peralta made two trips to the disabled list.Bad outfield defense has been a killer for Arizona. Last year, Diamondbacks outfielders recorded a combined defensive runs saved of plus-37. This year its minus-30, according to Baseball Info Solutions. Thats a natural outcome when the team has given so much playing time to veteran discards (Michael Bourn and Rickie Weeks Jr.), a converted catcher (Pete OBrien), a converted infielder (Chris Owings), a player whose best position is probably designated hitter (Tomas) and a prospect (Socrates Brito) who had to be rushed to the majors.Its only natural to review the roster from the top down, which is fine, but you also have to view it from the bottom up, said an NL executive. If youre weak in certain positions or innings or spots in your lineup, you cannot hide it over 162 games. It kills you. The top-heavy roster doesnt succeed.The Diamondbacks also opted for an offense-first catcher when they acquired Welington Castillo in a trade with Seattle last summer. While Castillos .278/.323/.461 slash line has been more than adequate, several talent evaluators wondered if hes an optimal fit for an Arizona team that planned to stress pitching this season.You hate to use the term misfits toys, said an NL talent evaluator. They have good players that other teams would like and want in most scenarios. But as a group, it wasnt a great roster construction, from my perspective.As Stewart points out, this isnt a one-shot deal for Arizona. The Diamondbacks have an average roster age of 27.83 -- fourth youngest among the 30 MLB teams behind the Philadelphia Phillies, Rays and Braves. Greinke, Goldschmidt, Pollock and the teams nucleus will be around to take another crack at it for the next several years.The most pressing short-term question for Arizonas front office is whether to trade relievers Daniel Hudson and Brad Ziegler at the Aug. 1 deadline before theyre eligible for free agency.Were not trying to tear this ballclub apart, Stewart said. We have to seriously evaluate internally if we have those guys back or move them. If we move them, it would be for prospects. That depletes our existing club, and we would have to replace them in the upcoming year.In the interim, manager Chip Hale will do his best to maintain a semblance of continuity. Weeks came off the bereavement list this week and Hudson went on it. Greinke is on the DL, and Zack Godley?will arrive from Triple-A Reno to take his place in the rotation. The quest to contend has given way to finding out how the pieces fit in 2017 and beyond.Every case is different, and in our situation, were still one of the youngest teams in baseball, Hale said. With less experienced players, its harder to deal with expectations. Just putting pieces on the field isnt a team. You have to see how the team comes together. And thats been the tough thing for us -- we havent had a chance to put the whole group together.If it comes as any solace, the Diamondbacks will report to spring training next February with significantly lower expectations. Like some of their fellow winners of the winter, maybe theyll look back on a summer of losing as a formative experience. Nike Dunk Low Womens . Carey Price didnt, but he still came out on top against one of his rivals for the No. 1 job at the Sochi Games. The Anahim Lake, B.C., native was stellar in making 39 saves in his home province and Lars Eller got credit for a bizarre short-handed winner as the Canadiens defeated the Canucks 4-1. Nike Dunk Low Cheap . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division. http://www.nikedunkscheap.com/ .S District Court against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner and his own union, the MLBPA. Nike Dunks Clearance . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. Nike Dunk Sb Cheap .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. DENVER -- Ichiro Suzuki nearly got his 3,000th hit and Giancarlo Stanton hit a record-long home run. It should have been a night to celebrate for the Miami Marlins, but the Colorado Rockies relentless offense spoiled the party.Suzuki grounded out in his first try at 3,000 hits and the Marlins, despite a 504-foot home run by Stanton, lost to the Colorado Rockies 12-6 on Saturday night.Charlie Blackmon homered among his four hits and drove in four runs for the Rockies, who moved within three games of the Marlins and St. Louis for the second NL wild-card spot on a night when history was nearly made.I dont know if Ive ever been in a game where Ive seen 3,000 hits, Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. Its a big deal.It didnt seem like Suzuki would have a chance after the Rockies took a 12-3 lead in the seventh, but he had a pinch-hit infield single to lead off the eighth inning for No. 2,999, just beating the throw by Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado. Suzuki stayed in the game to play right field.When I threw it I thought I had him, but like I said, hes too fast, Arenado said. Thats why hes so good.In the ninth, with many in the crowd at Coors Field standing, Suzuki hit a comebacker to Scott Oberg. The 6-foot-2 pitcher reached high to get the ball before it went up the middle and, after dropping the transfer, quickly gathered it to barely throw out Suzuki.I was trying to turn a double play on that, but once I bobbled it, I was just trying to get the out at first base, Oberg said. What hes done in his career has been an outstanding accomplishment. Hes been an inspiration to a lot of players.The 42-year-old Japanese star will become the 30th player in major league history to reach 3,000 with his next hit.You put him in the game when we did theres a little thought that he might get two (at-bats), Miami manager Don Mattingly said. Once he gets that first one, as that inning gets extended, you know hes going to get another AB. The guys were excited to have a chance to see it.Rookie David Dahl had three hits to extend his hitting streak to 12 games and Daniel Descalso drovee in three runs for Colorado, which is 15-7 since the All-Star break.ddddddddddddStantons 23rd homer was the longest in the major leagues this season and the longest in Coors Field history. Suzuki batted for the All-Star Home Run Derby champion in the eighth.Stanton, who flew out on a 3-0 pitch in the third, connected in the fifth on an 89 mph changeup from Chad Bettis (10-6), sending a drive into the seats in left-center field for a 3-2 lead.I wasnt happy with my 3-0 swing, Stanton said. It was a good swing but not the type of attack you should have with that so I said if he throws me that again Im going to do what I should have done 3-0 and he did.Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza held the record for the longest homer at Coors, hitting a 496-footer in 1997 when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers.This was the second time Stanton crushed a ball in Denver. He hit a home run 494 feet in 2012.It put us in a good place but didnt seem to work out, Stanton said.Andrew Cashner (4-8) retired 10 straight after Dahls leadoff triple in the second, but faltered in Colorados seven-run sixth. The Rockies got five straight hits and a walk off the righty to take a 7-2 lead, and they tagged reliever Mike Dunn for three more runs.The Rockies sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning, which ended with reliever Nefi Ogando striking out Carlos Gonzalez with the bases loaded.We want to play out front and our offense is helping us do that, Weiss said. At the same time were getting good starting pitching. We got a long way to go. We got a lot more games to win, but its been nice seeing our guys fight their way back in the mix here.STILL STREAKINGDahls streak is the second longest by a Rockies rookie to begin a career. Juan Pierre reached 16 in 2000. ... Gonzalez also had two hits to reach 17 straight games. His is the longest current streak in the majors.UP NEXTThe Marlins will send LHP Adam Conley (7-6, 3.41) against Colorados Jon Gray (8-4, 3.77) on Sunday. ' ' '