Richie Sexson
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2009 DIAMONDBACKS SEASON PREVIEW - PART III
* WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN - As a franchise, the Diamondbacks' age, payroll and record rocketed sky-high on the way to their 2001 World Series victory. Those expensive, aging veterans that won Arizona's first major professional title began to fall from the stratosphere in the seasons to follow. The 2002 Diamondbacks (98-65) managed to repeat as NL West champs, but were swept 3-0 in a NLDS rematch with St. Louis. By 2003, Arizona would slip to a third-place finish at 84-78 behind a half-hearted mix of veterans and youngsters.
Fortunately, Arizona had found its cornerstone in Brandon Webb, whose sinker opponents were helpless but to pound into the infield grass. Drafted in 2000 while the "old" school roster was still ascendant, Webb would make his debut in 2003 and come to exemplify the Diamondbacks' new strategy: to win by developing its own talent. Another pair of building blocks joined the organization that year with the selections of Conor Jackson and Carlos Quentin....
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Major Chords: Take a Bow, Craig Counsell
The first casting call was answered by Andy Fox. More recently, Augie Ojeda and David Eckstein have reprised the role. In Arizona franchise history, however, no one has played the part of scrappy utility infielder quite as famously as Craig Counsell.
Like fellow underdog Rudy Ruettiger, Counsell played his college ball at Notre Dame. Drafted in 1992 by the Rockies, he made his ML debut in 1995, but Counsell's Colorado career amounted to a total of one hitless at-bat in three games. A 1997 trade to Florida gave Counsell his first big break; in the post-season, he demonstrated his flair as a supporting actor by scoring a run in extra innings to win Game 7 of the World Series. The Fish sent Counsell to Hollywood midway through the 1999 season, but his spell with the Dodgers was panned by the critics.
Los Angeles released Counsell in the spring of 2000, and he soon thereafter signed with Arizona. He performed well in his first year with the Snakes, playing quality infield defense and...
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