LOS ANGELES -- It was a reeling Arizona team that headed for San Francisco late Sunday night, and nobody is reeling more than ace right-hander Brandon Webb.
If he doesn't pitch like a No. 1, the Diamondbacks will not win. Period.
And not only is he not pitching like a No. 1, over his past three starts he hasn't even pitched like a No. 5.
He's been scorched for 22 hits and 21 runs (19 earned) over his past three starts, covering 13 2/3 innings. He's been so bad that there's speculation on whether or not he's hurt -- something to which he and the Diamondbacks say, not a chance.
One scout I spoke with Sunday -- a guy who has seen Webb multiple times this year, including Saturday's disastrous, six-walk outing -- agreed with Arizona.
"His velocity is the same, and his stuff is the same, as it has been all year," the scout said. "I don't think he's hurt. I just think he's not getting the ball where he needs to get it."
Webb has complained that he's fighting his arm slot, that he can't find it. Often, that can be a sign of injury -- the pitcher raising or lowering his arm slot to compensate for pain.
But again, everybody around the Diamondbacks says no.
Manager Bob Melvin says that the only thing for he and pitching coach Bryan Price to do is to simply continue to work.
"You have to try and combat things when they haven't gone right for you," Melvin said.
Meantime, there's the danger that the Diamondbacks' offense is scuffling because they're overly reliant on the pitching -- Webb, Dan Haren, Randy Johnson -- that is supposed to carry them home.
"I would hope that's not the case," Melvin says. "Typically, when you have good pitchers out there, it's easier to play."
At the worst time possible, the Diamondbacks are finding it really difficult to play.
And as good as the first-place Dodgers are going now, it could only get better for them. Pitcher Brad Penny (right shoulder), closer Takashi Saito (right elbow) and shortstop Rafael Furcal (back) all are close to being healthy enough to re-join the team.
The Dodgers aren't expecting any of the three to return to form. Penny may pitch out of the bullpen and Saito won't immediately return as closer, for example. And it's unrealistic to anticipate Furcal returning to the everyday lineup after missing much of the summer.
But at the very least, in this month of expanded rosters, they'll give manager Joe Torre depth.