National League West – From The Middle Blog

From Expansion Franchise to World Series Champions The Arizona Diamondbacks are one of Major League Baseball’s youngest franchises, but they have already built an impressive history. Arizona was awarded an expansion franchise in 1995 and began National League play in 1998. In only their sixth season, the Diamondbacks won the 2001 World Series, defeating the New York Yankees in one of the most dramatic World Series ever played. The franchise has also produced or featured MVPs, Rookie of the Year winners, Cy Young Award winners, All-Stars and future Cooperstown Hall of Famers. The Birth of the Arizona Diamondbacks Major League Baseball announced the addition of Arizona and Tampa Bay as expansion franchises on March 9, 1995. Aizona’s ownership. The group was headed by Jerry Colangelo, the longtime Phoenix sports executive who had also been involved with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. The Diamondbacks began play in 1998 as members of the National League West. Their first regular-season game was played on March 31, 1998, against the Colorado Rockies at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix. Arizona won its first game, defeating Colorado 9-2. The expansion Diamondbacks immediately demonstrated that they intended to compete rather than simply develop slowly. Arizona Diamondbacks Ownership History The Diamondbacks have had two principal ownership eras. Years Principal Owner/Ownership 1995-2004 Jerry Colangelo-led ownership group 2004-present Ken Kendrick-led ownership group Jerry Colangelo — 1995-2004 Jerry Colangelo was the driving force behind bringing Major League Baseball to Arizona. He assembled the original ownership group and served as the Diamondbacks’ managing general partner during the club’s formative years. Colangelo’s aggressive approach helped Arizona become competitive almost immediately. The Diamondbacks won the National League West in only their second season, 1999. Ken Kendrick — 2004-present In 2004, Ken Kendrick became the Diamondbacks’ managing general partner and controlling owner. Kendrick had been an investor in the franchise before becoming its controlling owner. He remains the Diamondbacks’ managing general partner. The current ownership group also includes prominent Arizona business and sports investors. Diamondbacks Home Ballparks Arizona has had one permanent home stadium. Bank One Ballpark — 1998-2005 The Diamondbacks opened their franchise at Bank One Ballpark. It featured a retractable roof and was one of the first major-league stadiums designed specifically to deal with Arizona’s extreme summer heat. The stadium also featured a natural-grass playing surface. Bank One Ballpark became one of the most recognizable facilities in Major League Baseball. Chase Field — 2005-Present Bank One was acquired by JPMorgan Chase, and the stadium was renamed Chase Field in 2005. Chase Field remains the home of the Diamondbacks. The retractable roof allows the club to play through Phoenix’s hot summer weather. The stadium also contains one of baseball’s most unusual features: a retractable swimming pool beyond the right-center-field fence. Chase Field hosted the 2001 World Series, the 2001 All-Star Game and numerous memorable postseason games. The Amazing 1998 Expansion Season The Diamondbacks were expected to struggle in their first season. Instead, they quickly developed a competitive roster. Some of the early stars included: Randy Johnson, Luis Gonzalez, Matt Williams, Jay Bell, Steve Finley, and Andy Benes. The Diamondbacks finished their first season 65-97, but the foundation for something much bigger had already been established. Randy Johnson Arrives One of the most important transactions in franchise history came before the 1999 season. Arizona signed Randy Johnson, already an established star but entering the prime of his career. Johnson became the greatest pitcher in Diamondbacks history. From 1999 through 2002, he won the National League Cy Young Award four consecutive times. His 1999 season was extraordinary: 17 wins 9 losses 2.48 ERA 364 strikeouts He struck out 364 batters in 1999, one of the greatest strikeout totals of the modern era. The 1999 Diamondbacks Arizona went from expansion team to division champion almost overnight. The Diamondbacks won 100 games in 1999 and captured the National League West. They became the fastest expansion franchise to reach 100 victories. Although Arizona lost to the New York Mets in the Division Series, the 1999 season announced that the Diamondbacks had arrived. Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling The Diamondbacks eventually formed one of the greatest pitching combinations in franchise history. Randy Johnson The intimidating left-hander was nearly unhittable during his prime. Curt Schilling Arizona acquired Schilling from the Philadelphia Phillies in 2000. Together, Johnson and Schilling became the foundation of the 2001 championship team. Their combination of power, experience and postseason pitching made Arizona one of baseball’s strongest clubs. The 2001 World Series The 2001 Diamondbacks won 92 games and captured the National League West. They defeated: St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees to reach the World Series. The Yankees had won the previous three World Series and were attempting to win a fourth consecutive championship. Arizona had other plans. Diamondbacks vs. Yankees — 2001 The World Series became one of the most memorable in baseball history. Arizona won Games 1 and 2 at home. The Yankees won Games 3, 4 and 5 in New York. The series returned to Phoenix for Games 6 and 7. Arizona won Game 6 behind Randy Johnson. Then came Game 7. The 2001 World Series Game 7 The Diamondbacks led 2-1 entering the bottom of the ninth inning. Mariano Rivera was pitching for New York. Arizona rallied. Tony Womack singled. Luis Gonzalez came to the plate with the bases loaded. Gonzalez hit a soft single over the head of Derek Jeter. Bob Brenly scored from third base. Arizona won 3-2. The Diamondbacks became World Series champions. It was the first professional major-league championship for an Arizona team. 2001 World Series MVP Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling shared honors. The two aces combined to dominate the Yankees throughout the Series. Arizona’s championship was particularly remarkable because the franchise was only four years old. Arizona Diamondbacks World Series History The Diamondbacks have reached the World Series twice. Year Opponent Result 2001 New York Yankees Won 4-3 2023 Texas Rangers Lost 4-1 World Series Championships 1 — 2001 The 2023 World Series Return More than… Continue reading Arizona Diamondbacks: Complete MLB History

The San Diego Padres entered Major League Baseball in 1969 as an expansion franchise, joining the National League along with the Montreal Expos, Kansas City Royals and Seattle Pilots. More than five decades later, the Padres have built one of baseball’s most recognizable franchises, produced multiple Hall of Famers, won two National League pennants, and become one of the most aggressive teams in baseball when it comes to acquiring star players. Yet one accomplishment remains missing from the Padres’ résumé: a World Series championship. The Padres have reached the World Series twice, in 1984 and 1998, but lost both times. The 1984 club lost to the Detroit Tigers in five games, while the 1998 team was swept by the New York Yankees. The Birth of the Padres San Diego had a long baseball history before joining the major leagues. The original San Diego Padres played in the Pacific Coast League beginning in 1936. San Diego was awarded a National League expansion franchise on May 27, 1968. The new Padres selected 30 players in the expansion draft, with outfielder Ollie Brown becoming the first player selected by the franchise. The Padres played their first major league game on April 8, 1969, defeating the Houston Astros 2-1 at San Diego Stadium before 23,370 fans. The early years were difficult. The 1969 Padres finished 52-110, and losing seasons became the norm during the franchise’s first decade. But San Diego gradually developed stars such as Nate Colbert and Randy Jones. Padres Ownership Through the Years C. Arnholt Smith — 1969-1974 C. Arnholt Smith was the original owner of the Major League Padres. A San Diego banker and businessman, Smith had also been involved with the Pacific Coast League Padres. Smith’s ownership nearly ended with the franchise leaving San Diego. Financial problems and controversy surrounding Smith’s other business interests put the Padres’ future in jeopardy. In 1974, McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc purchased the team and prevented the franchise from moving to Washington, D.C. Ray Kroc — 1974-1984 Ray Kroc became one of the most important owners in Padres history. The McDonald’s founder immediately increased the team’s visibility and spending. Attendance passed one million during his first season as owner, and Kroc became known for his willingness to spend money on major-league talent. Kroc died in January 1984, just months before the Padres reached their first World Series. His ownership helped establish the foundation for the most important season in early Padres history. Kroc was later inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame. Joan Kroc — 1984-1990 After Ray Kroc’s death, ownership p assed to his widow, Joan Kroc. Her first season as owner became the greatest season in Pa dres history to that point. The 1984 Padres won the National League West, defeated the Chicago Cubs in the NL Championship Series and reached the World Series for the first time. The Padres ultimately lost the World Series to the Detroit Tigers, four games to one. Joan Kroc sold the franchise in 1990 to an ownership group headed by television producer Tom Werner. Tom Werner and the Werner Ownership Group — 1990-1994 Tom Werner headed an ownership group that eventually included 15 investors. The Werner era produced some of the most memorable and controversial trades in Padres history. One of the most important was the December 1990 trade with Toronto that sent future Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter to the Blue Jays in exchange for Fred McGriff and Tony Fernández. Alomar and Carter subsequently became major parts of Toronto’s back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993. John Moores — 1994-2012 Software entrepreneur John Moores purchased controlling ownership of the Padres in 1994. His tenure produced two NL West championships, the 1998 National League pennant and the construction of Petco Park. The 1998 Padres became one of the greatest teams in franchise history, going 98-64 before winning the NL pennant. They faced the powerhouse New York Yankees in the World Series but were swept in four games. Moores also played an important role in bringing the Padres into downtown San Diego with the development of Petco Park. He was inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame in 2023. Jeff Moorad and the Attempted Purchase — 2009-2012 Former player agent and executive Jeff Moorad assembled an investment group and attempted to purchase the Padres from Moores. The proposed transaction was structured as a gradual purchase of the team. Moorad eventually withdrew his application to become the controlling owner in 2012. The situation ultimately led to another ownership change. Ron Fowler and the Seidler/O’Malley Ownership Group — 2012-2020 In 2012, a group led by Ron Fowler, Peter Seidler and members of the O’Malley family purchased the Padres. Fowler became the controlling owner and executive chairman. The purchase was valued at approximately $800 million and was approved by Major League Baseball in August 2012. Peter Seidler — 2020-2023 In November 2020, Peter Seidler became the Padres’ largest shareholder and controlling owner after purchasing additional shares from Ron Fowler. Seidler’s ownership transformed the Padres’ approach to building the roster. San Diego became much more aggressive in free agency, trades and long-term contracts. The Padres signed and acquired stars including Manny Machado, Juan Soto and other major players while building a team designed to compete for championships. Seidler died in November 2023. John Seidler and the Seidler Family — 2023-2026 After Peter Seidler’s death, his family continued to oversee the franchise, with his brother John Seidler serving as chairman and control person during the transition period. The family eventually agreed to sell control of the franchise. Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano… Continue reading San Diego Padres: The Complete History