Published: May 16, 2008 10:45 pm            

At 9-0, Webb dominating in the desert

PHOENIX — Brandon Webb is off on another streak.

Last year, he threw 42 straight scoreless innings. Now Arizona's ace has won his first nine starts.

It's a remarkable feat. But it's no big deal to Webb, a laid-back Kentuckian who relaxes between starts by strumming a guitar in his locker stall.

"I haven't done anything that I think's unbelievable," said Webb, who extended his string with an 8-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday night.

"Now if I was going out there throwing nine innings at a time and not having any help, and feeling like I'm totally dominating each team, then I'd be like, 'Man, this is pretty good.' But I've had a lot of help with the bullpen and scoring runs, and that just helps you all the way around."

The Diamondbacks entered Friday 26-15, the best record in the majors. How important is Webb to their success? Well, the rest of their pitching staff is 17-15.

Webb has turned into a sinkerballing version of Randy Johnson — a pitcher who is as reliable as a sunrise over the Superstition Mountains. Johnson had the previous best start for an Arizona pitcher, winning his first seven starts in 2000. Now 44, Johnson is returning from back surgery and sometimes struggles to get through five innings.

Webb, meanwhile, has inherited the Big Unit's mantle as the most dominant Diamondback.

"What Brandon continues to do is pretty phenomenal, yet you get spoiled watching it here year to year, watching him just get better and better," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said.

At 9-0, Webb has a 2.56 ERA and has allowed only 46 hits in 63 1-3 innings. He has a team-high 49 strikeouts and 17 walks, and he's only yielded two home runs.

Webb has come a long way since 2004, when he led the league with 16 defeats, 119 walks and 17 wild pitches. Back then, Webb seemingly tried to strike out every hitter because he didn't trust his fielders.

"People say, 'What are you doing different from 2004?'" Webb said. "Nothing. I've just kept it all the same."

Not quite. Webb has subtly altered his approach since the nightmarish 2004 season, when the Diamondbacks lost 111 games.

In 2005, when the Diamondbacks shored up their middle infield with Craig Counsell and Royce Clayton. Webb began throwing more strikes with his sinker, allowing batters to pound the ball into the dirt.

In recent years, he's added a curveball and changeup, baffling hitters who wait on his trademark sinker. He won the 2006 NL Cy Young Award and finished second to San Diego's Jake Peavy last year.

"Every year he does something to try to get better," Melvin said. "His curveball, I don't think, gets as much credit as his changeup does right now. His changeup's good, but so is his curveball. And before, when he first broke into the big leagues, it was sinker, sinker, sinker."

Colorado manager Clint Hurdle has watched Webb from the other dugout since he broke into the majors in 2003, and he's been impressed with Webb's tinkering.

"The great ones continue to find ways to stay ahead of the curve," Hurdle said. "Webb has taken it upon himself to get his changeup in a very good position to throw it any time in the count, and his curveball is a go-to pitch also.

"So, regardless of the dynamic late life that his fastball has, he has a couple other weapons out there to challenge you with, which really puts him in a very comfortable position from a pitching standpoint," Hurdle said. "A hitter doesn't know to expect. It's going to go down. Whatever he throws is going to go down, and that's about it."

Webb's pitches go down. His victory total keeps going up — and his salary soon will follow.

Webb agreed to a $19.5 million, four-year contract with the Diamondbacks in January 2006. Now, he's talking with the Diamondbacks about a new contract. Webb said the ongoing talks aren't a distraction.

"I love being in Arizona and I'd love to stay here," he said. "But we'll see down the road."

Webb's streak of winning his first nine starts is the longest in the majors since San Diego's Andy Hawkins won his first 10 in 1985, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Webb has won 11 straight starts dating to last September.

Every victory would seem to raise Webb's value. But there's a downside to his winning streak.

Although he's cordial with interviewers, Webb doesn't seek the spotlight. This week, it found him. He often found a scrum of reporters waiting at his locker stall, each wanting to know the secret behind his streak.

At one point, Webb told catcher Chris Snyder he was getting tired of the fuss.

"He's like, 'Man, it's like it was in the scoreless-inning stretch. Everybody's making a big deal about it,'" Snyder said.

Snyder advised his star pitcher to enjoy the attention while it lasts.

"I told him it's going to happen," Snyder said. "You've got to expect it. You're doing something that very few people have accomplished.

"I was joking around with him," Snyder said. "I said, as soon as you lose your first one, it's going to be over and done with. You don't have to worry about it and you're still going to be 9-1, 10-1, whenever it happens. It's still a good start."

        

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