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The Arizona Diamondbacks are one of two teams added to the league in 1998. The Diamondbacks have played well in their first decade, winning three NL West titles, going to the playoffs four times, and winning a World Series.
The Diamondbacks came about because of the emergence of Phoenix as a place to live. While spring training had long been successful in the desert, there was not yet a team to take advantage of the pleasant summers. That team became the Diamondbacks.The team quickly rebounded from a 65-97 season inaugural season with a 100-win season. Taking first in the NL West with the strong pitching duo of Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, Manager Buck Showalter’s team lost its first playoff series ever to the New York Mets.
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After a disappointing third place finish the next season, Showalter was fired and Bob Brenly was hired as manager. Brenly took the team back to the playoffs with 92 victories and a NL West title. The Diamondbacks took the down the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS, the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS, and the Yankees in the seven games in the World Series.
The World Series victory was the Diamondbacks’ first and marked the end of the Yankees domination of the post season.
The Diamondbacks repeated as NL West champions in 2002, but the Cardinals swept the team in the NLDS, seeking revenge for the previous year. That season would mark the end of the honeymoon for the Diamondbacks.
The team traded All Star pitchers Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling away and the club began to rebuild. The team has built around talent like starting pitcher Brandon Webb, Conor Jackson, Chris Young, and Mark Reynolds.
The Arizona Diamondbacks were not supposed to be good until this season. Instead, they came out of the National League West to go to the NL Championship Series. The Diamondbacks were not willing to just let the team grow a year older after the breakthrough season. Instead they traded six prospects to Oakland for Dan Haren.
Haren bolsters a rotation that already featured perennial Cy Young candidate Brandon Webb and Randy Johnson. The three pitchers create a nightmare three game series for teams throughout the season. Johnson is coming off an injury and age may not allow him to come back to hi sold form, but his 6-foot-10 frame can still throw a fast ball down the plate that almost nobody can hit. The end of the rotation will depend on Doug Davis and Micah Owings to pitch decently enough to win 10 games or so for the Diamondbacks to repeat as NL West champions. The bullpen has three good relievers and no clear closer. Brandon Lyon has made a career setting records for holds for the club so Tony Pena and Chad Qualls.
The bats need to come alive this season. Though the team won 90 games last season, the team was actually outscored. The team has great contact hitters all around but no real RBI machine. Leftfielder Eric Byrnes appears to the leading candidate. He drove in 83 runs while hitting 21 home runs last season. Byrnes also stole 50 bases. He may be the offensive star the team can rally around to produce more run support. Centerfielder Chris Young is the power hitter of the club, but he also bats below .250, if he can improve his average he may be able to solidify the Dianmondbacks’ offense. Other possible offensive breakthroughs are first baseman Conor Jackson, second baseman Orlando Hudson, and third baseman Mark Reynolds. This may be the next step to bring the first World Series trophy to Chase Field since 2001. The Diamondbacks play a tough schedule in the NL West, so it is important that they come out strong.