In their 22-year history, the Arizona Diamondbacks have had their share of superstars, from Randy Johnson and Luis Gonalez to Paul Goldschmidt and Ketel Marte. None of these players have played their entire careers in Arizona, yet they are best recognized in their Diamondbacks colors.
Another series of D-backs stars are far more easily forgotten by D-backs fans, however. Their careers were just as legendary as some of the faces of the Diamondbacks franchise, but the baseball world doesn’t picture them in purple and teal, or Sedona red. But while they might have spent their proudest moments in other uniforms, they still shared their talents with D-backs fans for a time, even if it was short-lived.
I suspect you may have forgotten about them, so join me on a trip down memory lane.
- Richie Sexson, 2004
By 2004, the D-backs’ contention window that delivered a World Series three years prior was officially closed.
He had just moved Curt Schilling to the Boston Red Sox, but managing general partner Jerry Colanegelo was never one to tank a season. So the D-backs struck a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers to acquire two-time All-Star Richie Sexson, who was coming off a .272/.379/.548 season with 45 homers and 124 RBI.
Unfortunately, despite the massive six-player package it took to acquire Sexson, the star first baseman spent only one season in the desert. He slashed a respectable .233/.337/.578, but he needed season-ending shoulder surgery after just 23 games.
- Troy Glaus, 2005
After losing 111 games in 2004, the D-backs were desperate to get back on track. They struck a four-year, $45 million deal with Troy Glaus, who had posted an .892 OPS and 152 home runs with the Angels over his last five seasons. Unlike Sexson, Glaus stayed healthy in Arizona. He slashed .258/.363/.522 with 37 homers and 97 RBI in 2005, helping his club to a much more respectable 77-win season.
Despite Glaus’ success in the desert, the D-backs flipped him to the Blue Jays after just one season, acquiring Gold Glove second baseman Orlando Hudson and old friend Miguel Batista.
- Shawn Green, 2005-2006
Just a month after inking Glaus, the D-backs offered Shawn Green a three-year, $32 million deal that was good enough to pry him away from the Dodgers. Green slashed .286/.355/.477 with 22 homers and 73 RBI in 2005, and stuck around for most of 2006. When the D-backs didn’t find themselves in the hunt in 2006, they elected to move him to the Mets at the trade deadline.
Green went on to post 29.9 fWAR over 15 seasons.
- Tony Clark, 2005-2007
You may be familiar with Tony Clark now that he’s the executive director of the MLB Players Association, but you might have forgotten that he spent three of his 15 MLB seasons in the desert.
Clark joined the team in 2005 alongside Green and Glaus, but didn’t get nearly as much hype as they did entering his age-33 season and coming off a down season with the Yankees. Sharing first base with Chad Tracy, Clark mashed to the tune of a .304/.366/.636 line with 30 homers in less than 400 plate appearances in 2005. It wasn’t surprising to see the D-backs agree to terms with Clark in August of that year, extending his stay in Arizona to 2007 — just long enough to cue the “Anybody, Anytime” catchphrase that followed the D-backs all the way to the 2007 NLCS.
- Adam Dunn, 2008
On August 11, 2008, the D-backs’ lead in the NL West stood at just 1 ½ games over the fast-approaching Dodgers, who had just acquired Manny Ramirez two weeks earlier. The D-backs had no choice but to counter by making the move of their own.
They acquired Cincinnati Reds star Adam Dunn, who was tied for the NL lead in homers at the time. Dunn slashed .243/.417/.472 with eight homers in 47 games with the D-backs. Unfortunately, his efforts weren’t enough to stave off the Dodgers, who have won 9 of 12 division titles since. Dunn’s contract expired at the end of the season.
- Dontrelle Willis, 2010
By 2010, former Marlins ace Dontrelle Willis’ best years appeared to be behind him. Nonetheless, the six-foot-two lefty was still just 29 years old, and the Detroit Tigers had seen enough after he posted a 6.86 ERA over parts of three seasons with their club. The D-backs’ 2010 rotation was already in shambles by June 1, so they had little to lose by acquiring the two-time All-Star.
Unfortunately, Willis did not improve after the acquisition. He lasted only a month in the desert before being DFA’d, posting a horrific 6.85 ERA and 2.24 WHIP over six appearances.
- Eric Chavez, 2013-2014
With 35.7 career fWAR, longtime Oakland Athletics staple Eric Chavez arguably had the best career of anyone on this list. Of course, Arizona is a retirement destination for many, and it appears Chavez wanted in on the action.
The six-time Gold Glove recipient spent his final two major league seasons in the desert before retiring at the age of 36. Chavez slashed .281/.332./.478 in 2013 over 80 games. An injury sidelined him early in 2014, leading Chavez to announce his retirement after 44 games played.
The Beat @APU 