arizona diamondbacks history
arizona diamondbacks history
There is no need to rush to the Southwest to see early baseball action. While spring training can offer a good preview of the year’s excitement, you can wait until the regular season begins for your dose of America’s pastime. Pick up Arizona Diamondbacks tickets for the trip to the sunny skies of Phoenix and the atmosphere at Chase Field. While the Diamondbacks have struggled through the past two seasons, the team improved their record with 25 more wins during the 2005 season. With the off-season acquisition of catcher Johnny Estrada and right handed starter Orlando Hernandez, the Diamondbacks appear ready to return to the upper echelon of the National League.
In the franchise’s short history, the Diamondbacks have established a tradition of success in Phoenix, winning three division titles. After joining the league as an expansion franchise in 1998, the D’backs quickly emerged among the top teams of the National League. Fans in Phoenix witnessed a 100-win season in the squad’s second year of existence as the team reached the postseason under manager Buck Showalter. The Snakes, a common nickname among devoted fans, posted winning records in the next four years, and Arizona became one of the best baseball environments in the league.
After just three more years, the Diamondbacks reached the playoffs again, beating the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves on their way to delivering a World Series Championship to Arizona. Under manager Bob Brenly’s guidance, the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks the quickest expansion team to win the title. Steve Finley, Rod Barajas, and Luis Gonzalez provided the spark for the team’s offense in the Series. Randy Johnson’s blistering fastball and Curt Schilling’s strikeout capabilities dominated on the mound, and the Diamondbacks starting rotation stymied the defending champion New York Yankees in an exciting seven game series. However, the dynasty that appeared to be forming in Phoenix was a farce. After reaching the playoffs in the following year, the Diamondbacks finished far from contention in 2003 and suffered through a miserable year in 2004. Even with Johnson on the mound, the team’s offensive attack was so dismal that their 51-win season earned them the rights to the worst record in MLB.
Despite the team’s recent struggles at Chase Field, the improvements in 2005 and the new faces in the D’backs lineup make 2006 a great time to purchase Arizona Diamondbacks tickets. The added bats of Eric Byrnes and Orlando Hudson can help the Diamondbacks wind their way into the playoffs, erasing the worries of a lack of run production. Bullpen standout Miguel Batista and Hernandez will provide a better presence on the mound, and recently acquired Jeff Bajenaru will work to add another dominating arm to the Diamondbacks’ rotation. One advantage that the team possesses is that they compete in the National League West, the most dismal division in professional baseball. While the Diamondbacks posted only 77 wins last year, this losing record earned them second place. Regardless of the performance of the other four teams in 2006, manager Bob Melvin believes that his squad can capitalize on last year’s improvements.
