The Numbers

Desert Heat

While Arizona's scouting department works on the future, its major league personnel are making hay in the present. The Diamondbacks are baseball's hottest team, having reeled off a 14--2 stretch through Sunday to move into first place in the NL West. The run coincides with the May 14 insertion of rookie righty Josh Collmenter (3--1, 1.49 ERA) into the rotation and the exiles of Barry Enright (6.49 ERA) and Armando Galarraga (5.91). And the revamped bullpen—new G.M. Kevin Towers's off-season focus—has played a big part. Led by new closer J.J. Putz, Arizona's bullpen ERA is 3.33, much better than last year's 5.74, the worst in NL history. The D-Backs could stick around thanks to a very soft June schedule featuring the AL Central, the Nationals and the Pirates.