The Ketel Marte<\/a><\/strong> Soap Opera could have submarined the Arizona Diamondbacks<\/a>\u2019 season. They went 7\u20137 the rest of the month and, through the end of play September 9, had gone 12\u201311 (.522). That record is nothing to celebrate, but it could have been much, much worse. Their Pythagorean win percentage \u2014 what their win-loss record \u201cshould\u201d be based on runs scored vs. runs allowed \u2014 is .399. That is third-worst in the NL, ahead of only the Colorado Rockies<\/a> (.369) and Cincinnati Reds<\/a> (.356). The difference between the Pythagorean and actual win percentage for the Diamondbacks is 123 points, the greatest positive<\/em> difference in the NL. (Note: The Chicago Cubs<\/a> have a Pythagorean win percentage of .574 and an actual win percentage of .391, a staggering difference of \u2013183 points.)<\/p>\n Given that they are slashing .232\/.301\/.359 over that span, it is a miracle that they have won anything, let alone more than half their games. Their .232 batting average ranks 14th in the NL, and their .301 on-base percentage and .359 slugging percentage both rank 13th. Fangraphs has their weighted runs above average (wRAA) at \u201316.3, meaning their hitting performance puts them 16.3 runs below the NL average. Only the Washington Nationals<\/a> (\u201316.4) and Atlanta Braves<\/a> (\u201319.2) are lower.<\/p>\n However, eight of their games between August 16 and September 9 had a score difference of one run. The Diamondbacks won seven of them. Three more had a score difference of two runs. The Diamondbacks won two of those. Four of their games went to extra innings. The Diamondbacks won them all. For a team to go 9\u20132 in one- or two-run games and 4\u20130 in extra-inning games means their relief unit has been the true MVPs.<\/p>\nThe Turning Point<\/h3>\n