Thanks for a wonderful year !!!!!

[Catfish]

My entire family thanks this great bunch of ballplayers for the most improbable and most wonderful summer of fun that we have enjoyed in years. This bunch of kids, vets, rookies and oldsters, gave us the best entertainment value we could possibly have wished for. To take us into extra innings in a 5th game of a divisional series is far beyond what anyone would have imagined during spring training.

Thanks to the entire organization, from the ownership, to the scouts, to the CEO, the general manager, and especially to Kirk Gibson and his great coaching staff. Most especially we wish to thank the ENTIRE roster of players who never quit, never stopped trying, never gave up or gave in to any other team. This is a very special organization, and it deserves to play before a packed house every day next year. You have endeared yourselves to this entire state. We thank you most heartily!!!!!!

 

[dogpoo32]

Was a very fun season

 

[BC867]

As we know, the Diamondbacks far exceeded expectations. Thanks and congratulations to Kirk Gibson and everyone from top to bottom for giving the fans something to be proud of.

If we had somehow tied the Brewers before the end of the season, we would have had the 3-2 home field advantage and would be the team overachieving into the second round.

I never did like Gibby's mystery lineups each game day, but I give him credit. He involved everyone, to the benefit of the team. That deserves respect.

And they didn't give up, no matter how many 1B they had to go through to arrive at Paul Goldschmidt.

I even saw signs of some maturing on the part of Young and Upton and hope it grows next season, teaming with Montero and Goldy for a solid heart of the order.

The prospect of a dynamite pitching staff within the next two years and the continuation of role players who don't put up great stats, but deliver clutch plays and win games is exciting.

Go D'backs. See you at Talking Stick before we know it!

 

[Lefty]

This was a great year and the expectations for next year will make this offseason fun to follow. It will be interesting to see if they go after a third baseman and if they re-sign Hill.

 

[KenobiOne]

Thank you for a wonderful season! This is the first time that I have ever felt good after a loss. I am disappointed yes, but I am so proud of this team and this organization! They faught to the bitter end and left it all out there. You can't ask for anything more than that!

 

[D-Dogg]

Young and getting better. Should be a great year next year.

 

[wierwolf]

You guys surely are some scrappers. What a great year. Thanks.

 

[Forrestham]

It was a great year. The Brewers clearly had more talent and we almost pulled it off. They won the division and truly a team to be proud of. Thanks for a great year. I was disappointed with the loss but the whole year this team gave us great baseball

 

[Gaddabout]

It was an amazing year, because I thought they were the fifth best team in the NL West at the start of the season. I "rooted" against them because I know they defied baseball logic in a lot of their decisions, but I have to tip my hat to Kevin Towers and Kirk Gibson for how they handled this team and all the strange faces. The improvement in the bullpen was nothing short of miraculous.

I recall one time when I was managing a Little League team. There was a kid who hadn't had a base hit in the first 5 games, but I knew he was a good player. I picked a smaller, lighter bat with a bigger barrel for him and handed it to him like it was a magic bat. He went on to hit about .700 the rest of the season and became an All-Star. He thought it was me that had done something for him when I was really just trying to get himself out of his own head. He had the ability the whole time, he just needed to stop thinking and start playing on instinct. I have the idea that's at least part of the magic of Gibson's managerial style with this team.

I actually have unbelievable expectations next year, especially with the starting pitching talent coming up. It's all hinged on what the D-Backs do at 3rd base, but there's good reason to believe this team is headed towards something really special over the next two or three years as long as management knows how to handle high expectations and are able to keep the right guys as part of the core of this team.

 

[bankybruce]

It is weird, when they lost yesterday, I was ok with it since it was such an amazing season. They exceeded all my expectations. Don't get me wrong, I was sad they lost, but I did not have the same feeling when the Cards lost to the Steelers. With this lost, I feels like the beginning of something great. KT knows what he is doing and all the deferred payments are done(except that million a year to Bernard Gilkey for like 700 years). So, not only is this team loaded with pitching, they will be able to spend on the glaring holes. This team can have a better run than any other team in AZ sports history.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Was so looking forward to more postseason games this week, but it was a great run. A one game swing the other way and we'd have hosted the 5th game and had a slightly better chance at winning. We still should have taken this series, but a few things went the other way and we were edged out.

Thanks for the great season, D-Backs !!!

 

[TJ]

Cant be mad one bit. Gibby maximized the potential of all his players and brought energy to a dugout which quite frankly was catatonic during Hinch's stint as manager. The future looks bright with all of the young developing talent on the current roster and the farm guys. Parker and Bauer will join Hudson and Kennedy to have a formidable rotation. Collmenter and/or Saunders will contribute as well.

This year was completely unexpected. Next year, the bar is set high.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Hopefully local fans will realize that we have a decent baseball team in town and come out next season to support the guys. We couldn't believe how empty Chase was down the stretch. A couple of times we sat in the Diamond Level seats because no one was there. The ushers didn't even care...they just waved us through - into the Lounge and then into the seating areas too.

 

[Lefty]

Cant be mad one bit. Gibby maximized the potential of all his players and brought energy to a dugout which quite frankly was catatonic during Hinch's stint as manager. The future looks bright with all of the young developing talent on the current roster and the farm guys. Parker and Bauer will join Hudson and Kennedy to have a formidable rotation. Collmenter and/or Saunders will contribute as well.

This year was completely unexpected. Next year, the bar is set high.

I think Skaggs is more ready right now than Bauer and Parker. It will be interesting to see who of the three will be on the opening day roster.

 

[BC867]

It's all hinged on what the D-Backs do at 3rd base

Your saying that caught me by surprise.

Tatman's 6 RBI's in the playoff series tied Goldschmidt for the team lead.
His .350 batting average was third. His 7 hits tied for the team lead.
And his 3 extra base hits were second on the team.

All season long, he was a major part of our 7th, 8th and 9th inning rallies with timely hits.

His overall regular season stats were not spectactular, but were OK. He was even third on the team in home runs, with just one less than Young and one more than Montero.

Roberts is a clutch player. The kind who helps his team overachieve and go from worst to first. And he helps bring fans to the game.

Don'tcha think our success did hinge, to a large part, on what he did do at 3rd base?

 

[TJ]

Your saying that caught me by surprise.

Tatman's 6 RBI's in the playoff series tied Goldschmidt for the team lead.
His .350 batting average was third. His 7 hits tied for the team lead.
And his 3 extra base hits were second on the team.

All season long, he was a major part of our 7th, 8th and 9th inning rallies with timely hits.

His overall regular season stats were not spectactular, but were OK. He was even third on the team in home runs, with just one less than Young and one more than Montero.

Roberts is a clutch player. The kind who helps his team overachieve and go from worst to first. And he helps bring fans to the game.

Don'tcha think our success did hinge, to a large part, on what we did do at third base?

I agree. He is a productive hitter and a fan favorite. He won't be replaced at 3rd unless they have plans to move him to 2nd provided Hill does not come back.

We don't have very many holes, if any, in our offense. Drew's return only makes this lineup deadlier next season. Depth would be my only concern.

There is no reason to believe we aren't contenders next year.

 

[TJ]

I think Skaggs is more ready right now than Bauer and Parker. It will be interesting to see who of the three will be on the opening day roster.

Disagree about Skaggs and Parker. I think Parker was ready last season to come to the rotation, but the Tommy John surgery obviously rained on that parade. As soon as he came back, he returned to form and was eventually called up.

I have not paid much attention to Skaggs, but simply seeing Parker in the bigs this season and on the postseason roster leads me to believe the club has already decided Parker is ready.

You're right about spring training. The competition in the rotation is going to be interesting. Collmenter, Saunders, Skaggs, Parker and Bauer are at worst formidable starters for next season. We know what Hudson and Kennedy offer already. Having many SPs ready to go next season is a good problem to have.

 

[Dback Jon]

It was a heckuva season - thanks guys!!

 

[AZ Native]

It was exciting!!!!

 

[marianajones]

It was really fun and i expect it would great next year.