Top 10 Moments in Diamondbacks History

by Jim McLennan on Jul 23, 2008 2:11 PM EDT Comment 22 comments

You've probably noticed the Top 50 moments in franchise history that Fox Sports AZ have been running during the Diamondbacks games of late. I just got the list of the top ten - the order will be selected by viewer vote, through the D-backs site, beginning August 1st and running through that month.

D-backs named expansion team (March 9, 1995)
First Regular Season game in Franchise History (March 31, 1998)
D-backs clinch NL West with win over Giants (Sept. 24, 1999)
Randy Johnson strikes out 20 vs. Reds (May 8, 2001)
Tony Womack singles home Danny Bautista to win NLDS vs. Cardinals (Oct. 14, 2001)
Tony Womack’s double to tie Game 7 in ninth inning vs. Yankees (Nov. 4, 2001)
Luis Gonzalez singles to win World Series vs. Yankees (Nov. 4, 2001)
Randy Johnson Perfect Game at Atlanta (May 18, 2004)
Brandon Webb’s 42-inning scoreless streak (2007)
D-backs clinch postseason with win over Colorado (Sept. 28, 2007)

Even the press release admits, "The number-one moment is undoubtedly a no-brainer," but how would you rank the others? And have they missed out any you'd think were worthy of mention?

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Hm...

2001 World Series Clincher
Randy Johnson perfecto
Diamondbacks first game
Randy 20 K
Webb 42 innings
First NL West title
Awarded franchise

Probably a fist fight between the other moments to bottom out the top 10.

Knock off the hippie crap, strap on a helmet, and start shooting. This is baseball, Diamondbacks, I want you to storm that beach like it's Normandy!

by soco on Jul 23, 2008 2:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hmmm, I’ll go with

1) Luis Gonzalez singles to win World Series vs. Yankees (Nov. 4, 2001)
2) Randy Johnson Perfect Game at Atlanta (May 18, 2004)
3) First Regular Season game in Franchise History (March 31, 1998)
4) Randy Johnson strikes out 20 vs. Reds (May 8, 2001)
5) Tony Womack singles home Danny Bautista to win NLDS vs. Cardinals (Oct. 14, 2001)
6) D-backs clinch NL West with win over Giants (Sept. 24, 1999)
7) Tony Womack’s double to tie Game 7 in ninth inning vs. Yankees (Nov. 4, 2001)
8) D-backs named expansion team (March 9, 1995)
9) Brandon Webb’s 42-inning scoreless streak (2007)
10) D-backs clinch postseason with win over Colorado (Sept. 28, 2007)

Although, I really don’t like that last one. Much more fun was the playoff series sweep over the Cubs last year. Game 1 was electric. Game two featured that fabulous CY home run off Lilly. I will never ever forget Lilly’s reaction to that. And game three was just great.

That postseason clinching game against Colorado just didn’t feel quite that exciting. I mean, the players didn’t even know they had clinched when the game ended.

Oh, and I also would have liked to see winning the 2001 NL Pennant on the list.

by SongBird on Jul 30, 2008 2:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’d drop “D-backs clinch postseason with win over Colorado (Sept. 28, 2007)” and add “Byung-Hyun Kim pitches two scoreless innings in Atlanta to save NLCS game 5 and Arizona wins its first National League pennant. (Oct. 21, 2001)”.

Fire Bob Melvin

by nihil67 on Jul 23, 2008 2:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It was cool to win the 2007 division

but it was kind of anticlimatic in a way. The series against the Cubs afterwards was more exciting, so I’d put the NL pennant higher as well.

Knock off the hippie crap, strap on a helmet, and start shooting. This is baseball, Diamondbacks, I want you to storm that beach like it's Normandy!

by soco on Jul 23, 2008 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

1 and 2 are a lock. After that it's a bit fuzzier...

1) Luis Gonzalez singles to win World Series vs. Yankees (Nov. 4, 2001)
2) Randy Johnson Perfect Game at Atlanta (May 18, 2004)
3) First Regular Season game in Franchise History (March 31, 1998)
4) D-backs named expansion team (March 9, 1995)
5) D-backs clinch postseason with win over Colorado (Sept. 28, 2007)
6) Brandon Webb’s 42-inning scoreless streak (2007)
7) Randy Johnson strikes out 20 vs. Reds (May 8, 2001)
8) D-backs clinch NL West with win over Giants (Sept. 24, 1999)
9) Tony Womack’s double to tie Game 7 in ninth inning vs. Yankees (Nov. 4, 2001)
10) Tony Womack singles home Danny Bautista to win NLDS vs. Cardinals (Oct. 14, 2001)

by TAP on Jul 23, 2008 3:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

my list

1) Luis Gonzalez singles to win World Series vs. Yankees (Nov. 4, 2001)
2) Randy Johnson Perfect Game at Atlanta (May 18, 2004)
3) Tony Womack’s double to tie Game 7 in ninth inning vs. Yankees (Nov. 4, 2001)
4) Tony Womack singles home Danny Bautista to win NLDS vs. Cardinals (Oct. 14, 2001)
5) D-backs clinch NL West with win over Giants (Sept. 24, 1999)
6) Brandon Webb’s 42-inning scoreless streak (2007)
7) Randy Johnson strikes out 20 vs. Reds (May 8, 2001)
8) D-backs clinch postseason with win over Colorado (Sept. 28, 2007)
9) First Regular Season game in Franchise History (March 31, 1998)
10) D-backs named expansion team (March 9, 1995)

"There are only two seasons: winter and baseball"
-- Bill Veeck

by njjohn on Jul 23, 2008 11:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Let's see...

1) Luis Gonzalez singles to win World Series vs. Yankees (Nov. 4, 2001)
2) Randy Johnson Perfect Game at Atlanta (May 18, 2004)
3) Brandon Webb’s 42-inning scoreless streak (2007)
4) Randy Johnson strikes out 20 vs. Reds (May 8, 2001)
5) D-backs clinch NL West with win over Giants (Sept. 24, 1999)
6) Tony Womack singles home Danny Bautista to win NLDS vs. Cardinals (Oct. 14, 2001)
7) First Regular Season game in Franchise History (March 31, 1998)
8) D-backs named expansion team (March 9, 1995)
9) Tony Womack’s double to tie Game 7 in ninth inning vs. Yankees (Nov. 4, 2001)
10) D-backs clinch postseason with win over Colorado (Sept. 28, 2007)

by Azreous on Jul 24, 2008 5:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Am I the only one

that’s going to vote for Randy’s perfect game? The world series win was special, there’s no doubt, but will another Diamondback pitcher ever throw another perfecto? Only 2 teams have ever had more than 1 pitcher do it (Cleveland and the Yankees… the Cleveland games being about 70 years apart).

Fire Bob Melvin

by nihil67 on Jul 24, 2008 5:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes

You probably are the only one.

"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."

by kishi on Jul 24, 2008 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That’s fine

Fire Bob Melvin

by nihil67 on Jul 24, 2008 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Will another D'Backs player ever have a walkoff game 7 hit?

The team that continues to disappoint, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

by srdmad on Jul 25, 2008 6:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely

And when it happens, it won’t be some sissy bloop that breaks a tie. It will be bottom of the 9th, two outs, full count, bases loaded, down by 3 and then a walk off grand slam to seal the win.

by UofAZGrad on Jul 28, 2008 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And for those that take me seriously. . .

Let me add that Bobby Thomson’s shot was sissy as well because it was only a three-run homer with one out and it won a pennant, not a World Series.

by UofAZGrad on Jul 28, 2008 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, that kind of hit is really only a big deal if you’re a fan of a lame team like the Giants.

"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."

by kishi on Jul 28, 2008 8:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not to mention

That Thompson hit his sissy shot with Willy Mays on deck. Mays would have been the hero that day if Thompson hadn’t stolen his thunder. In addition to being a sissy, this obviously makes Thompson a racist.

by UofAZGrad on Jul 28, 2008 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mays was a rookie that year and he himself said he was scared, because he didn't want to hit.

The team that continues to disappoint, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

by srdmad on Jul 28, 2008 9:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What Mays didn't say

Mays was only scared cause that season Thompson would often stroll through the clubhouse in clan-garb, threatening violence to Willie if he ever hit the game-winning homer in a pennant deciding playoff. No wonder the guy was shaking in his boots on deck.

by UofAZGrad on Jul 29, 2008 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

LOL!!

Mark Reynolds: back to turning me gay.

by DbacksSkins on Jul 30, 2008 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know...

...nothing is bigger than the 2001 WS, but a part of me wants to say that AZ being awarded the franchise deserves to be further up the list. I mean, if that doesn’t happen then nothing else does. And I certainly put it ahead of the first regular season game.

by Red Reign on Jul 27, 2008 1:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

honestly

I kind of want to put sweeping the Cubs in the NLDS over clinching the post-season. Maybe if it had been clinching the division title, I might be more inclined to rank it higher.

"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."

by kishi on Jul 27, 2008 2:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Based mostly on rarity and significance

Winning the 2001 Series – Gonzo’s bloop is unquestionably the franchise’s popular defining “moment”- Womack’s double our “Bernie Carbo” precursor, that changed it from a series we’d probably lose to one we’d probably win. Counsell’s Game 1 first inning jack was also huge psychologically, heralding the nature of Arizona’s participation in the entire series (ie we’re not just happy to be here).

Inaugural Game – 1998 – not a particularly great game, but the on field culmination of a longstanding effort to bring baseball to Phoenix, and the ultimate community celebration of that accomplishment, triggering a thousand dreams tenfold. Lots of celebs, Mrs Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays. Alice Cooper et al sang the anthem. A night that was bigger than baseball, when my adopted city came of age. I’d actually rank this #1 if we had lost the World Series.

Johnson’s 20 Strikeout Performance – 1999 – about as rare as a 60 home run season or a 560 ft smash – sans steroids

Womack’s clincher v Card’s – 2001 NLDS – the franchise’s first playoff series win, in dramatic fashion.

Division clincher and 100th win – 1999 – unprecendented 2nd year accomplishment

Awarding of Franchise – 1995 – hugely significant, but not the visceral impact of the first game. There was no stadium, no players, no team. Exciting, but abstract.

Randy’s Perfect Game – 2004 – marvelous individual accomplishment, but not as rare as the 20 strikeouts or as franchise significant as some other items listed

CY homer off Ted Lilly - 2007 NLDS – Game 1 was actually a more electric atmosphere, but I think this was our best “moment” of the series – possibly the best moment since the ownership change, now immortalized by Teddy’s Tantrum.

Intentional Walk of Bonds with bases loaded – 1998

Triple Play against Mark McGwire -

Jay Bell’s Million Dollar Grand Salami – contrived corporate nonsense, but an enormously fun moment

Yamil “Coulter Cadillac” Benetiz parks a ball…ON THE ROOF!!! – most fun double I ever saw. Sort of like the Larry Bird commercial when he bounces the ball off the stands and arena walls into the basket…but this was REAL dude!!!

by Diamondhacks on Jul 29, 2008 6:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs