D'BACKS DON'T HAVE DOMINANCE OF OLD.

Byline: BRIAN DOHN

Runners are being thrown out on the basepaths at an embarrassing rate. Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, the most dominant 1-2 combination in the past few decades, were winless in their first five starts and knocked around in uncharacteristic fashion.

Then, there is the lineup, the biggest question coming out of spring training. Quality, depth and power are lacking.

Certainly, it can turn around, but the Arizona Diamondbacks hardly look like the National League West's defending champions. The last-place Diamondbacks also don't look like playoff contenders.

The team to beat in the NL West since Curt Schilling left Philadelphia for the desert, Arizona is getting flogged on a regular basis. And while the season turns only two weeks old today, not enough time to make a definitive assessment, what has transpired is alarming and begs the question of whether the aging Diamondbacks will even be a factor in the playoff race.

``We stink,'' Arizona center fielder Steve Finley said. ``It's simple. Right now, we're not playing good baseball. We're not playing awful baseball. We're just not getting over that hump. We will. Somebody's going to pay.''

Arizona (2-8) is off to its worst start since 1998, its first year. The two victories came in extra innings against the Dodgers, both after late leads were blown. The Diamondbacks were swept in Colorado and lost two of three to the Dodgers in Los Angeles to finish their worst road trip in three years.

The most glaring situation involves the 39-year-old Johnson and the 36- year-old Schilling. Since they became teammates during the 2000 season, teams cringed when those two pitched in a series. They entered the season a combined 99-34 with a 2.89 ERA in their 2 1/2 years together.

After Johnson was rocked Friday by Milwaukee - yes, the Big Unit was pasted for 10 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings by the lowly Brewers - Schilling and Johnson were 0-3 with a 7.58 ERA in five starts.

Johnson began last season with similar struggles, but this season offers some differences. His velocity in the season opener against the Dodgers was in the mid-90s, well off his typical 98 mph. He also threw more breaking balls than hitters remembered seeing.

The Diamondbacks supposedly improved their starting rotation by trading for right-hander Elmer Dessens, but they weakened their bench, arguably the best in baseball when they won the World Series in 2001, and bullpen in the process.

First baseman Erubiel Durazo, a talented, though oft-injured hitter with pop, was sent to Oakland. Byung-Hyun Kim, the closer last season, was granted his wish and moved into the starting rotation because of the return of Matt Mantei. Rather than Kim returning to being one of the top young set-up men in baseball, he is struggling as a starter.

Part of Kim's success, in addition to nasty movement on his pitches, was his unorthodox submarine delivery that confused hitters. Well, those hitters are getting an opportunity to adjust to Kim over the course of several at-bats. Opposing batters are hitting .133 against Kim through the first 15 pitches he throws in a game. They are hitting .333 afterward.

The starting staff, which doesn't have a definitive No. 5 starter, is averaging fewer than six innings per start.

An aging lineup that has Finley (38), third baseman Matt Williams (37), first baseman Mark Grace (38) and utility player Carlos Baerga (34) is tied for last in the league with 30 runs scored. The Diamondbacks are tied for 13th in the league with a .223 batting average and their offensive woes are compounded by atrocious baserunning decisions. In their first 10 games, the Diamondbacks had 13 runners thrown out on the bases.

Meanwhile, left fielder Luis Gonzalez is trying to prove he is back from the shoulder injury that knocked him out of the playoffs last autumn and rookie first baseman Lyle Overbay is being overmatched in his at-bats.

``The baseball gods are (peeved) at us or something,'' Arizona manager Bob Brenly said. ``There's no secrets, there's no magic words, there's no pixie dust that's going to turn it around. You just keep grinding and trust in your own abilities and try to get a little swagger back.''