Sports Commentary

As of Tuesday morning, the Diamondbacks have the best record in baseball. They also had an Opening Day payroll of $66.2 million, which puts them in the bottom third of baseball in total salary. In other words, Arizona has a roster oozing with best kind of talent -- the cheap kind.

That’s why the Diamondbacks are the envy of baseball.

Look no further than their outfield. In center is 24-year-old Chris Young, a 30-homer, 30-stolen base threat reminiscent of Mike Cameron with more pop. In left is Eric Byrnes, an overachieving, energetic veteran coming off of a 21-homer, 50-steal season. In right is 20-year-old Justin Upton, a player many see as a once-in-a-generation talent similar to Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez.

Arizona might have the best outfield in the majors. There are arguments to be made for Boston (Manny Ramirez, Jacoby Ellsbury, J.D. Drew), Detroit (Gary Sheffield, Curtis Granderson, Magglio Ordonez) and Milwaukee (Ryan Braun, Mike Cameron, Corey Hart). But none of those are as dynamic as entertaining as the D’backs’ bunch.

Out of that vein comes this thought: this year’s Diamondbacks could sport the first all 20-homer, 20-steal outfield in baseball history.

Almost a quarter of the way into the season, Young, Upton and Byrnes all face uphill climbs to join (or rejoin) the 20-20 club. Young is currently on pace to steal 13 bases this year, Upton has yet to swipe even one bag and Byrnes, who has been plagued by hamstring issues for most of the season, is on pace for 13 home runs and 18 stolen bases.

Of course, it’s far from doom and gloom with this group. Young and Byrnes both accomplished the feat last year. Byrnes had just five homers and eight steals at this point last season and Young had one more steal on May 12, 2007 than he does this year.

As for Upton, he’s clearly been reluctant on the basepaths this year, but if genetics and his minor league track record are any guide, he can get to 20 steals as well. Upton stole 21 bases last year between Single-A, Double-A and the majors last season, and his brother B.J. swiped 22 bags for the Rays last season.

Power and speed are a rare combination in baseball, and 20-20 seasons are even rarer. There have been only 318 20-20 seasons in major league history, and only 33 times have teammates accomplished the feat in the same season. Of those 33 sets of teammates, just 11 of them both played in the outfield.

The 1988 New York Mets are the only team in baseball history to feature three players -- Howard Johnson (24 HR, 23 SB), Kevin McReynolds (27 HR, 21 SB) and Darryl Strawberry (39 HR, 29 SB) -- with 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases.

The 1988 Mets were special in a way this year’s Diamondbacks have the potential to be. Those Mets had Strawberry and Lenny Dykstra and Keith Hernandez as well as Doc Gooden and David Cone. They won 100 games and probably should have played the 104-win A’s in the World Series, but were upset by the Dodgers in the NLCS.

These Diamondbacks have Young and Upton and Conor Jackson as well as Brandon Webb and Dan Haren and Micah Owings. The odds are still long, but the mere fact that you can muse about Arizona having the first all 20-20 outfield in major league history is proof, albeit small proof, that this team could be special too.