ESPN insider says time in now for Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks continue to fight one issue that has plagued them most of the season.

Consistency.

With just over five weeks remaining in the regular season Kirk Gibson’s team remains within striking distance in the National League West, but with the bulk of their schedule remaining against NL West foes the time to make a move in the standings is now.

“They’ve got to start putting their foot to the peddle right now,” ESPN baseball insider Pedro Gomez told Brad Cesmat Thursday on ‘Big Guy on Sports.’ “They can’t keep waiting. You see signs where [a run] is going to happen…then they lose two to the Marlins, a last-place club.”

Since late in the spring, the Dbacks have battled key injuries to their starting rotation, inconsistent play and whispers of trades surrounding key players, and long stretches of little, or no, offense.

Through it all, Kirk Gibson’s team still finds themselves in the race to repeat as NL West champs as they open a three-game series against the San Diego Padres Friday at Chase Field.

With that being said, the window gets smaller with each passing day and history says late-season streaks in Major League Baseball aren’t common.

“It has to start right now,” Gomez explained to Cesmat. “They cannot continue to wait and say, ‘oh, we have a run in us.’ What happened with the Rockies in 2007 when they won 21 out of 22…there’s a reason we only talk about the ’07 Rockies when it comes to that because it never happens.”

The Diamondbacks conclude their ten-game home stand against the Reds next week before heading back on the road starting with a crucial three-game series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles at the end of the month.