PHOENIX — They are the most unlikely team to ever make the World Series. The Diamondbacks won just 84 games in the regular season and backed into the playoffs during the final series of the season. Yet, they were only 3 wins away from a World Series title.
Two years ago, this team lost 110 games. Two years later, reaching the World Series raises the bar and moves the goalposts when it comes to expectations moving forward.
"Completely,” said general manager Mike Hazen. “Yes, the goalposts have moved, as they should. Yes. I feel like part of my responsibilities is to set realistic expectations for what we're shooting for. I don't see any reason why that's not a realistic expectation moving into next year with the team we're going to have coming back.
"I still think with the group of 21 to 23-year-olds that we have, both in the rotation and in the lineup and in the bullpen, that another big jump for this team will happen with continued development.”
Manager Torey Lovullo wants to bring the championship home next season.
“I just want to make the state proud of me,” said Lovullo. “I just want to make the state proud of our organization. I want to make the state get behind us and get to that point where we can call ourselves champions. We got a taste of it. And it tastes really good. But it wasn't the final thing that we wanted to do. So I'm going to remember the taste, it's in my mouth right now. It’s going to motivate me to keep that feeling of what we almost almost achieved.
"Who would have ever thought that we would have an extra month of baseball and play as far as we did into the season? I'm really proud of that.”
Lovullo admitted it was tough to deliver a final message to his team. He wanted to make sure to tell them thank you and that now is the time to go be a husband, dad, brother and son. He wants the team to give that time back to their families and said he’ll see them in spring training in February.
12Sports
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made the State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers also play at the Footprint. Phoenix has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Cactus Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the Waste Management Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall; and Cactus League Spring Training.