Diamondbacks Round Table: Last Orders, Please...

Special guest this week is AzDbackfanInDc. Next week will be a special, all comers edition, open to anyone interested. Speak up in the comments and I'll send you the questions, probably Friday or so.

We're done: Arizona was officially eliminated on Friday night. How do you feel?

John: Sorry to see the season coming to an end. One of the great things about baseball is it's every day, almost. We really weren't that far from getting in the playoffs.

soco: I've accepted it for awhile, so it doesn't feel any different. Disappointed in general, mildly optimistic for the future. One downside to baseball being everyday, though, is it's forever a trick on the horizon. You think, if I just make it to the ridge then everything will be fine, but then you're there and seeing another ridge at the horizon, and another after that.

Clefo: I've moved to acceptance already. Get ‘em next year and all that.

Jim: There was a sense of inevitability to it after three months of being more or less out of the race. It was more a mathematical, "Well, there it is," than any shock or horror. Ready to put the 2012 season in the books and forget it.

DC: I am with the others. It sucks the season is coming to an end but it was good to see some of our future studs come up this year and get a taste of the majors. Time to get on my second teams bandwagon and root the Nationals on. It is very exciting to have playoff baseball here in the nations capital as many people living here have lived their entire life and some died without ever seeing a post season game in DC. People of all generations are stoked right now and the Nats are the talk of the town.

3-3 for the Diamondbacks: losing the series in San Francisco, but beating the Cubs two of three at Chase. Thoughts?

Dan: Would have liked to go 4-2 with a sweep of Chicago. Letting Rusin get away with a decent outing was some offensive ineptitude.

soco: Things feel worse when you end on a sour note.

John: Was really hoping to sweep the Cubbies. The young pitchers are hitting the wall. They'll be better for it next year.

Clefo: Would have liked to have swept the Cubs. Being at the game Sunday, I really hate seeing Cubs fans happy. It's unnatural.

Jim: I'd probably have traded a Cubs win for a Giants win. Would have been nice to own a winning record over both the teams above us in the standings. The Cubs series has almost felt like spring training - we've clearly not been running out our strongest line-ups/

DC: The way this season has gone, that's about what I expected.

Who's your player of the month for September? For your consideration:

Trevor Cahill: 4-1, 2.62 ERA, 31 K in 34.1 IP
Josh Collmenter: 2-0, 1.13 ERA, 11 K in 16 IP
Aaron Hill: .333/.404/.569
Miguel Montero: .329/.441/.435
Justin Upton: .301/.354/.544

Dan: Man, that's tough. Probably Hill, honorable mention to Cahill, then Montero, then Upton. When a guy hitting .301/.354/.544 is having the fourth-best month of your team, well... it's sad that you're out of playoff contention, because your team is on fire.

soco: I'd be inclined to give it to Montero for playing a tougher position, but I think I'll give it to Cahill. Very good showing from him.

John: I have to go with Cahill. He and Kennedy were carrying the team down the stretch.

Clefo: Hill batting, Cahill pitching if I had to pick one, but Miggy and Upton's months do deserve some recognition.

Jim: Yeah, I was surprised to see Upton behind both Montero and Hill. It's good to see all of them finish strong, because they will all be key components of the team next year - even if, I doubt there's any actual correlation. I'll give it to Hill, by a nose-hair.

DC: I am going to have to go with Miggy, dude is a beast.

Upton seems to have finally regained his power in September. How optimistic are you that this is his "true" self, back for good?

Dan: Hugely. Hand injuries suck (sorry Spanky), and Upton has been through a rough one. But he'll be fine, and he's showing off what he's capable of this month.

soco: Very, which is going to lead to a super letdown when/if he gets traded. He finally get healthy, power seems to be coming back, and he might be forced to take these talents somewhere else.

John: Very much so. Hopefully we keep him. We're going to need him next year. That would be a huge hole in the lineup to fill and I'm not sure how they would fill it.

Clefo: Fairly. If he's anywhere near this next year we'll be in good shape.

DC: I have to agree with Clefo. If he can continue this into next year, that would be awesome. I would really hate to see him traded and go to another team and excel. Hopefully he can get his injuries taken care of and come back as the Justin we all know.

Jim: It's certainly good to see him finish on a strong note, and better than the alternative. Is he "healed" or is it just a hot streak? Probably only Upton can tell us for sure, until next April. Fingers crossed...

We lost Adam Eaton to a broken hand. What did you think of Eaton during his audition for a bigger role in 2013?

Dan: If he can play like he did prior to his hand injury, I think he'll lock down the spot. But if his broken hand affects him, Gerardo Parra and/or A.J. Pollock could take time from him.

soco: I liked what I saw, but I think I'd rather see him as a 4th outfielder and make sure that it isn't a fluke. I'd hate to see the team commit too early and lose a piece that could bridge the gap.

John: It was good enough for me to think he can handle 500 at bats next year and score 100 runs out of the leadoff spot with a .350+ OBP. A bunch of teams wish they had a .350+ leadoff hitter. I hope the club thinks he's shown enough to trade Parra and Young, pick up a 4th OF that has some pop in free agency and give Pollock a roster spot. If we go and get a starting shortstop Bloomquist is just fine as the utility guy. We don't need McDonald too. And if Bloom's back acts up Elmore can fill in as a backup. I'd rather have the extra outfielder than infielder.

Clefo: If his hand is okay in the spring, I can see him making the 25 in some capacity. I imagine one of the four outfielders from the start of the season gets moved in the offseason (Young or Parra would be my guess). He's the sort of "prototypical" leadoff guy that we haven't had in forever.

DC: I really liked what I saw of Eaton. He seems like he could grow into our leadoff guy as mentioned above, something we haven't had in forever. I love his effort and his scrappyness. Did I spell that correctly? I dunno. Anyways he reminds me of our old pal Tony Womack, especially when he is on the bases. He seems to give pitchers fits.

Jim: Lived up to expectations and then some. Seemed remarkably streaky, though sample sizes don't get much smaller than a hundred PAs. It could change the dynamic of the entire batting order if Eaton does prove to be a lead-off hittier. Be interesting to see a top of the order going Eaton, Parra, Upton: that's potentially a really fast trio.

OT: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

Dan: Somewhere where there's always baseball. If I can put baseball in any geographic location in the world, probably the Irish countryside.

soco: NYC, but it wouldn't be for very long because then my wife would murder me in my sleep.

John: South Florida. I love the easily accessible fishing of Florida. Golf, baseball and fishing are my passions. I have 2 of 3 here in Phoenix. The fishing is kind of shaky here.

soco: What, you don't want to fish in the canals?

Clefo: Somewhere in the pacific northwest, west of the Cascades.

DC: This is an easy question for me. ANYWHERE BUT HERE IN DC. I hate it here so much. If my parents didn't need my help there is no way in hell I would live here in the ghettos. If I could live anywhere, I would have to say back in Arizona where we will be next year. Arizona is the most beautiful place I've ever seen. It's like living in paradise. The scenery is just awesome. I cant wait to get back there. Queen Creek here we come (also miss going to Chase to watch my boys play baseball).

Jim: The Swiss Alps. Providing of course, there is satellite TV and high-speed Internet. I don't think Zurich is in the blackout zone for Diamondbacks baseball, but Bud Selig probably thinks otherwise.

Three left against the Rockies at Chase. Any "care" left in your heart?

Dan: Sure. Would like to seal up a winning season with a series win.

soco: Yes and no. I'm ready for the season to be over and for the grind to be done. This year was draining, for some reason. Maybe it's having a kid now, I don't know. But I do love baseball, and I'll miss the everyday rhythm of it. Sure, there will be distractions, but that's all they'll be until March. It'll be nice to get a few months to recharge, though.

John: I want to finish over .500. I'll be attending Monday for my final game of the year. It's always sad to see it come to an end.

Clefo: Would like to finish over .500, and would like to sweep the Rockies in such an embarrassing fashion that Jim Tracy gets a contract extension (lol O'Dowd).

DC: I care. Just sucks a few more wins here and there this season and we'd be going to post season.

Jim: Two wins: like the others, above .500 still seems like a significant goal. Hey, it's a winning season [LOLPirates]. Be nice for Miley and Kennedy to get that one additional W by their names.

What will you miss most once the season has ended?

Dan: Baseball. What, you expected something specific?

soco: I'll miss the everyday rhythm of it? I really need to read all the questions before I start answering.

John: The day-to-day action. I like football and all but it's only once a week. In baseball, something exciting happens almost every day whether it's in Arizona, the minors, or around the league.

Clefo: The sort of nightly ritual I had for six months. I'll watch the playoffs and World Series in a religious manner as well, but it won't quite be the same as following the same guys with the same announcers (this season notwithstanding) night in and night out.

DC: I will miss Clefo the most. The thing that sucks is it seems like it takes forever for the next season to start. At least we have Nats baseball and Football to watch but when those two seasons are over, life is really going to be boring. I enjoy watching the Dbacks every game, although I have lost interest here as the season has winded down.

Jim: The community. Hanging out in Gameday Threads, dropping sarcasm in there, seeing obscure references that those outside the ‘Pit won't truly get, passionately arguing with people on topics that, to be honest, really aren't that important. It's the little things that make life worthwhile.