Winning the Valley over:
The Diamondbacks may not have a lot of personalities, but they have a lot of heart, columnist Dan Bickley writes — and that’s why the Valley’s jaded sports fans are beginning to embrace the local baseball team.
The Diamondbacks are a quiet bunch. They have no sense of entitlement. They don’t complain about much. Their collective attitude is a big reason why jaded Valley fans are letting down their guard and letting go of their mixed allegiances, embracing a baseball team that has made a powerful statement over the first half of the season.
They may not have a lot of personalities. But they have a lot of heart.
Their character was on display before their showdown with the Dodgers in Los Angeles, when they rallied to win a series against the Rockies at Chase Field. Zack Greinke snapped a three-game losing streak, fulfilling one of his primary roles as ace of the staff. The team absolved Fernando Rodney after another blown save. And in between, they helped brighten the mood of Tyler Dispenziere, a 16-year old spending his first summer without the most important man in his life. This is where the story gets personal: Tyler’s father, Glenn, was a good friend of mine. He moved to Arizona 11 years ago. He was successful, generous, a doting father and a diehard New York Giants fan. He seemed to be in good health in the middle of February, when he left for a family skiing vacation in Telluride, Colo.
Then everything changed. Shortness of breath. A cough that couldn’t be muted. Trips to the doctor. Weeks in the hospital. The unbearable diagnosis of Stage 4 lung cancer. A glimmer of hope when chemotherapy seemed to be working. Defiant texts from Glenn that he wasn’t going to lose this battle. Then, silence. And on May 10, he was gone, taken at the
age of 54.
We all know death is undefeated. But the pain is always in the details and the ruthless finality, and the swiftness of Glenn’s passing sent shock waves through our circle of friends. You can only imagine the effect on his two children.
I shared the story with a member of the Diamondbacks front office, who came up with a brilliant idea. They arranged for Tyler to attend a game and meet his favorite player, third baseman Jake Lamb, who lost a friend to cancer five years ago. The two chatted for a while, and Lamb relayed how he had yet to meet his favorite player, Ken Griffey Jr. And then Paul Goldschmidt wandered over to say hello, even though he was in the midst of his batting-practice sessions.
The gesture might not seem like much, but it’s always the small stuff that matters. And someday down the road, after he navigates through the pain and heartbreak, young Tyler will surely remember the day the Diamondbacks cared enough to put their arms around him.
“The toughest thing for all of us is that we’re still grappling with the shock and disbelief,” said Tyler’s mother, Lynn. “We can’t believe he’s really gone. It’s really hard to believe our lives have changed so profoundly. We’re still trying to come to terms with the fact that he will not come home again. That’s what’s so difficult.”
The baseball season takes on greater significance this week. In terms of geography, only 372 miles separate the Diamondbacks and the team they are chasing. But the Dodgers have massive payroll advantages and serious star power. They have a closer who just blasted the fans for not voting more Dodgers into the upcoming All-Star Game. Their games are blacked out in millions of homes because of a dispute between cable providers. While they lead Major League Baseball in attendance, their season does not feel like ours.
In Arizona, we often bemoan our lack of championship banners. But we’ve been blessed with a history of star players that value humility and common decency. That list includes Goldschmidt, Larry Fitzgerald, Kurt Warner, Shane Doan, Steve Nash, Carson Palmer and David Johnson, just to name a few.
Collectively, these Diamondbacks fit that mold. They are more than an underdog threatening the big-market juggernaut in Los Angeles. They are a team full of good guys that seem to fully appreciate their fans and the impact they can have on the community. That stuff can go a long way.
Judging by the growing love affair in the Valley, it already has.