Can the D-backs win without Gonzalez?

The Cardinals and Diamondbacks series begins tonight in Arizona. The other division series match-up is the San Francisco Giants versus the Atlanta Braves.

The Giants come to the playoffs after a grueling wild card race against the LA Dodgers that went down to the final weekend of the season. Thanks to several late-inning come-from-behind victories, the Dodgers kept pace with the Giants, but they were not able to overcome the two-game lead that the Giants held at the start of the week.

In a match-up of two teams that were slated to meet in the first round of the playoffs, the Diamondbacks and the Cardinals battled in a series that seemed to have nothing at stake. Besides the fact that Arizona still had not clinched a playoff spot, its lead over the Giants made a division title seem inevitable.

The series had an ominous beginning during Monday's game when Gonzalez dove for the Cardinal's Tino Martinez's bloop double and collided with shortstop Tony Womack, separating his shoulder. Gonzalez was batting .288, with 28 homeruns and 103 RBI. Junior Spivey, an all-star second baseman and veteran CF Steve Finley, will have to shoulder the offensive load in the absence of Gonzalez.

To make things worse, Arizona Manager Bob Brenly did not want to pitch Curt Schilling against the Cardinals, who the Diamondbacks are slated to play in the first round of the playoffs. But because they had not clinched a playoff position, Schilling was forced to start as scheduled and lost whatever supposed advantage he may have had in the playoffs.

So after losing games one and two of their series, Curt Schilling lost his second straight decision in as many starts, diminishing his Cy Young hopes. Teammate Randy Johnson is now all but certain to receive his second straight Cy Young as a result of Schilling's recent and untimely losses. One can't help but think that Curt Schilling has lost some of his invincibility, and without Gonzalez the D-backs might be the weak link in the NL playoffs.

As they face the Cardinals will the Luis Gonzales-less Diamondbacks have enough pitching to balance their lack of offensive firepower, or will the Cardinals prevail despite their emotional roller coaster of a season? Wait and see.

The wild card race lived up to its billing this week. Both the Giants, against San Diego and Houston, and the Dodgers, against Colorado and San Diego, won consistently this week, extending the race to the final games of the season.

With Saturday's 5-2 win over the Astros, capped by Barry Bonds' 46th home run, the Giants clinched the NL wild card. Bonds, who is batting .370, with 110 RBI, is a lock to win his second straight, and an unprecedented fifth MVP award. He lead the league in average, walks, on base percentage, slugging percentage and was second in home runs only to Slammin' Sammy Sosa's 49.

After clinching the division seemingly months ago, the only meaningful part of the Braves final two series was locking up home field advantage in the NL playoffs and helping relief pitcher John Smoltz break the single season save record.

With wins against the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets, the Braves easily locked up home field this past week. Smoltz had 52 saves with six games remaining and the only thing stopping him was the amount of chances he would get down the stretch. He was only given three chances and he capitalized on all of them, breaking the National League record with his 55th save, and falling just short of the major league record of 57 saves.

Along with Ted Williams, Barry Bonds makes a compelling case as the most disappointing postseason player in baseball's history. Perhaps the greatest question of the divisional series is whether Bonds can finally rid his legacy of this dubious distinction, or if the Braves will accentuate his lack of postseason prowess as they've done for a decade. The Braves' trio of Smoltz, Tom Glavine, and Greg Maddux, will be sure to stand in Barry's way, on his journey for his first World Series ring.