Why I love the 2007 Diamondbacks
So tonight the Diamondbacks got swept out of the 2007 NLCs. It was kind of a drag to not win a single game. At the end of their season though I have to say it's been an incredible year.
This team is going to be around for a while and it's a hell of season to start it all off. While a lot of people are talking about how they blew it and what should've been, I thought it would be a good time to write a quick note on I've really enjoyed this team and why I'm proud of them.
When the season started everyone had pretty low expectations. This was supposed to be a squad that was rebuilding. They didn't pay any attention to what they couldn't do, they just went out and played baseball. They played my favorite kind of baseball too. Get 'em on, get 'em over, get 'em in.
Brandon Webb, or as I prefer to call him, Brandon F'ing Webb, pitched another great season. Doug Davis really came into his own. Valverde, what a run. Bryne's while a bit flamboyant, ran as hard as he could to first base every time he put the ball in play, and that in and of itself is something you don't see enough of in the bigs. The bullpen, what can you say, Cruz and Lyon were practically automatic for the last two months. I could go on and on about each player on the team. The way Mark Robinson comes up from the minor leagues and just lights up the place. What can you say, it was a season in which the team just didn't listen to what they couldn't do and proceeded to grind out an NL West Pennant, with enough gas to be real contenders in the post-season.
I think the thing I loved the most was that they just had fun playing the best baseball they knew how to play, and it worked splendidly. It's kind of rare to have a team do this well with no real "superstars". It was the whole team, never quiting, always believing in themselves and having a great time playing the best game in the world.
The Colorado Rockies are looking pretty amazing, scary good really. They are a great team and the Diamondbacks shouldn't be embarrassed that they lost to them so utterly in the NLCS.
I've never liked the idea of being down on your team when they don't absolutely win the whole championship every year. The lessons and inspiration we take from the game is bigger than how we should have won the World Series.
I can't wait for next year. Go D-Backs!
