 |
The Arizona
Diamondbacks entered Major League Baseball for the 1998 season, along with
the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as the 13th and 14th expansion franchises. The
team was named after the large population of diamondback rattlesnakes that
inhabit the southwestern United States. |
 |
The Diamondbacks play
there home games at Bank One Ballpark, which is located in downtown
Phoenix. The stadium is owned by Maricopa County and has a seating
capacity of around 49,000. Bank One Ballpark was the first stadium to
offer fans air-conditioning during a regular-season game on March 31,
1998. The fans enjoyed the game without being bothered by the intense
summer heat of Phoenix. |
 |
Arizona played its
first game against the Colorado Rockies in front of 50,179 fans at Bank
One Ballpark. |
 |
Arizona has won their
division 3 times, with Division Titles coming in 1999, 2001 and 2002. In
those three post season appearances, the Diamondbacks made it to the
League Championship Series just once, in 2001. In that postseason, the
Diamondbacks would win there only World Series title, defeating the New
York Yankees. * Left handed pitcher, Randy Johnson won Cy Young awards as
the National Leagues top pitcher each year between 1999 and 2002. On May
18, 2004, Johnson pitched the only perfect game in Diamondbacks history.
|
 |
The worst season for
the Diamondbacks came in 1998, when they went 65-97. The very next season
was the best ever for the franchise, as they went 100-62. BUY DIAMONDBACKS
TICKETS The Diamondbacks looked to repeat at World Series Champions in the
2002 season, and Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling helped lead the way. The
pitching duo finished 1-2 in the Cy Young voting at the seasons end, with
Johnson ending up with the award. The Diamondbacks made the playoffs after
winning their Division, put would be swept by the St. Louis Cardinals in
the opening round of the playoffs. The 2003 season saw both Johnson and
Schilling spend time on the disabled list. Somehow, the Diamondbacks
stayed alive in the Wild Card race until September, but other injuries to
key pitchers finished the season in 3rd place with a record of 84-78. The
2004 season saw Randy Johnson pitch his first perfect game, and the
Diamondbacks again contend for the Division Title. The team however would
falter, and not make the playoffs. During the off-season, rumors have
circled about a possible trade of Johnson to the New York Yankees. |
|