The Diamondbacks have a better record than the 2010 World Champion San Francisco Giants.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies - Image provided by salvatoredbacks from Flickr.comComing off a dismal 97 loss season in 2010, I’d be inclined to believe that any player in their right mind would be frustrated – and that’s exactly what Arizona baseball needs to fuel a successful season.

There still may be 154 games left in the regular season, but the D-backs are  4 – 4, just behind the Dodgers and ahead of the Giants at – something Arizona fans are not used to saying.

Yes, we’ve barely seen two weeks of baseball, but management has taken an aggressive attitude concerning on field play which fans hope will continue throughout the season.

Several weeks ago I wrote on the Diamondbacks as Spring training began in the Valley, and praised them on their Kirk Gibson’s preparation for the new season.  With his style of play, it was my hope that they would embrace his toughness and stay focused come April – and it’s happened.

With a tough loss to the Reds on Saturday, they took their revenge on Sunday – going 6 for 15 and displaying moments of magnificence.  With a clutch play in ninth, fielder Chris Young made an amazing catch that  could have been a disastrous for the D-backs.  With that, they eventually held the Reds, defeating them 10 – 8.

His type of play is something that the D-backs need, but it’s up to the players if they can sustain that kind of fire for an entire season. As bad as a season 2010 was, it may have been the spark that they needed to wake up.

In recent years, they’ve become complacent with losing.

As they were down 5 – 0 in the third, it look like just another Sunday blowout of the D-backs.  But it wasn’t.  It wasn’t the same team I’ve seen in past years, and that’s a good thing.

Since their historic 2001 season, Major League Baseball in Arizona has been little more than a blip on sports fans radar.  If the focusArizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies - Image provided by salvatoredbacks from Flickr.com that was evident in Sunday’s comeback win can withstand the brutality of the regular baseball season, then I believe they have a chance.  Being down 5 – 0 early in the third, they found a way to win on Sunday and gathered momentum when the time called for it.

So, my intent is not to regurgitate game facts, but to pose the question to Diamondback fans out there – will 2011 be different?

They’ll stay home and take on the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants this week- possibly two of the best teams in the league, and we’ll truly see if their grit and focus pays off.



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