For fans in Minneapolis and Detroit, you get one more regular season game to enjoy. With the Tigers and the Twins ending the season in a virtual tie atop the American League Central Division there will be a one and done scenario. The winner of the game in Minnesota on Tuesday will send one team and their fans to the post season while the other team will go home to watch the playoffs from the comfort of their home.

The Arizona Diamondbacks end the season with an afternoon game in Chicago at Wrigley Field. Their fate at season’s end has been known since before the All-Star break. Just about everything that could go wrong this season did and the Diamondbacks will end the season in the same position in the standings that they were after Opening Day on April 6th; last place.

I doubt anyone would have anticipated that staff ace Brandon Webb would pitch just six innings all season nor would they have predicted the Arizona offense would disappear as it did for most of the season. The 2009 season has been a character building year. It humbled a lot of players and coaches in the Diamondbacks organization.

Outfielders Chris Young and Eric Byrnes found critics at every corner as they failed to perform at levels that the fans and coaches expected. Justin Upton and Mark Reynolds were both forced to endure life under a microscope as critics questioned their every game. Infielder/Outfielder Conor Jackson dealt with an unknown illness that continues to linger and introduces questions as to whether he will ever regain his previous level of performance.

While young players such as Gerardo Parra, Clay Zavada, Daniel Schlereth, and Juan Gutierrez made the most of their opportunities, there are other names such as Doug Slaten, Augie Ojeda, Trent Oeltjen, and Chris Snyder who are left to wonder whether they have played their final game as an Arizona Diamondbacks.

So as the sun shines brightly on a crisp fall afternoon, there are many more questions surrounding the Diamondbacks than were anticipated going into this season. Starting pitcher Doug Davis took the mound for the snakes, which seemed almost fitting considering what will happen this off-season.

Davis is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season and this may very well be his last start as a Diamondback. He could very well look at this game as an audition not only for the Diamondbacks but for the other 29 teams as well. A good performance on this day could go a long way to securing Davis a job next year. A poor performance could mean a substantial cut in pay or perhaps no job at all.

Davis did not seem to let that bother him though. Neither did he seem to mind the fact that the wind was blowing out at Wrigley Field. Instead he focused on the task at hand pitching eight innings for only the third time this season. With the second out of the fifth inning Davis also surpassed the 200 innings mark for the first time since 2006. That is a mark of durability and will undoubtedly go a long way when listed on his resume this off-season.

Center fielder Chris Young continued to progress since being recalled from Triple-A Reno in late August hitting a three-run home run in the fourth inning to give the Diamondbacks a lead they would never relinquish.

Fellow outfielder Justin Upton had the exact opposite success in this game going 0-4 with four strikeouts at the plate. His season average dipped to .300 and he was on the verge of going 0-4 and seeing his average fall below that mark when teammate Gerardo Parra was thrown out at second by 30 feet trying to steal.

The throw out ended the ninth inning and it allowed Upton to retain his .300 batting average. The base running blunder was not a blunder at all but rather a calculated move to protect a teammate. Manager AJ Hinch was clearly not amused but you do have to give Parra credit for taking care of his teammate. That may go a long ways this off-season and seasons to come as these two players become closer teammates.

In the end Juan Gutierrez came in the ninth inning and closed the door on the Cubs and the 2009 season by striking out Chicago catcher Geovany Soto to end the game securing the win for Doug Davis and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

It was with some sadness that I sat and watched the players and coaches of the Arizona Diamondbacks meet at the mound of Wrigley Field and shake hands for the last time this season. It’s hard to tell which of these players will be back and what their roles will be next season if they do return.

As of now the off-season has officially begun for Diamondbacks fans. We will have to be content to watch the playoffs from outside like a child window-shopping at a candy store. I’ll cheer for the National League and cringe when I have to clap for the likes of Manny Ramirez or Troy Tulowitzki. I’ll continue to count down the days until April 5, 2010 when the doors to Chase Field will once again be opened and the thoughts of another season dance in my mind.

I’ll look forward to the 162 games next season and pray for better results than we had this year. But I’ll also come to the ballpark with a better appreciation of fans such as those following the Chicago Cubs. While it is frustrating to think that it has been nearly ten years since the Diamondbacks won their world championship I can’t imagine how it must feel to have it be over a century since their last title.

Chase Field was not the first stadium I have ever been to; that distinction goes to Wrigley Field. As much as I hate to admit it, I was once a Cubs fan. That is not to say that I am ashamed to have been a Cubs fan, quite the contrary I was very proud to count myself among the loyal followers of the Chicago Cubs.

Growing up in rural Idaho I somehow gravitated to the Chicago Cubs. Perhaps it was the personalities of those Cubs teams. From Ernie Banks to Ferguson Jenkins I cheered for each of them and watched them every chance I could.

Each spring I would be glued to the television as the Cubs took to the field for the home opener at Wrigley Field. The ivy would still be dormant and the winds would swirl around the friendly confines but it was baseball and Wrigley Field was a cathedral.

After we were married, my wife Trina talked me into taking a trip to see her sister who lived in Indiana. A quick calculation and I realized that we were but a short distance from Chicago and I would at last be able to see a game in person.

It was a beautiful summer day with a slight breeze when the game started. I had tickets in the upper deck on the first base side and as the game went on the wind picked up. By the seventh inning it felt as though a hurricane was blowing and the air had a distinct bite to it. Trina and I sat there freezing to death. We bought a Cubs beach towel to wrap up in and prayed we would not freeze to death.

Regardless of how miserable it was, it was the best day of my life. I was there and watched as Harry Carey led the crowd in the singing of Take Me Out to the Ballgame. I ate a hot dog that had to have been roasting since Opening Day but it was the best tasting dog I had ever had. I watched the Bleacher Bums throw back an opposing team’s home run and I became engulfed in Cubs-mania that is rampant on the north side of Chicago.

That game solidified my love of baseball and especially the game day experience that can only be had by attending the game in person. I had no way of knowing that in my first visit to a Major League Baseball stadium that I had visited the pinnacle of locations.

Since that day I have attended games in several cities. In each case I have enjoyed my game experience but I continually find myself comparing the location to Wrigley Field and the ambiance that you feel when watching a game there. In nearly every case I come away with the realization that Wrigley is something special that can be imitated but can never be topped.

Today I watched as the Diamondbacks played the Chicago Cubs in this most holy of baseball sites. I watched as the Cubs bested the Diamondbacks by a score of 5-0. The score and the loss didn’t seem to matter today. I was content seeing the sights and hearing the sounds that you can only experience in a game at Wrigley Field.

Tomorrow the 2009 season will end and for the Diamondbacks they will take the field one last time. I know it will be a depressing event as it will mean there will be no more Diamondbacks baseball until next February but I will at least be content in knowing that I will be able to watch that game being played at Wrigley Field, and that will be special enough to keep me warm this winter.

One such player on the Diamondbacks roster is left-handed pitcher Clay Zavada. Zavada’s story is one that Hollywood movies are made of and he is perhaps the feel-good story of the year for the team and its fans. We find ourselves engulfed in a global recession and each and every one of us is struggling to make ends meet. It is stories like that of Clay Zavada that not only give you hope but they make you appreciate the American spirit.

In June 2006, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected a left-handed pitcher in the 30th round out of Illinois Valley Community College. He was not a highly touted ballplayer who was destined to receive multi-million dollar bonuses and become the poster child for a rebuilding ball club. Instead he was just a guy who had a fairly decent fastball and an above average change-up.

Zavada signed his first professional baseball contract and with it came a signing bonus of 1,000 dollars. The bonus money after taxes was used to pay the deposit on his first apartment in Missoula Montana where the Diamondbacks assigned him to their rookie level Missoula Osprey team.

Zavada had a fairly successful first season as a professional appearing in 22 games and accumulating a 3.10 ERA over 49.1 innings pitched. For a 30th round draft pick he had exceeded expectations.

When the season ended, Zavada like other minor league players returned home to try and find work and keep themselves in shape so that hopefully they would be invited back to Spring Training to continue their dream of becoming a Major League Baseball player.

That winter, tragedy came to the Zavada family when his father Clarence, age 55, passed away from a heart attack. In his passing, Clarence left the 40-acre farm in Streator, a small town in central Illinois, to his two sons Dustin and Clay. With Dustin serving in the Navy, it became incumbent for Clay to care for the farm. His dreams of becoming a professional baseball player were now put on hold as he tried to manage the family farm and its responsibilities.

When Spring Training arrived in 2007, the Arizona Diamondbacks attempted to contact Clay Zavada to invite him to camp. They were unsuccessful until the night before Spring Training was to begin. They finally reached him and Zavada explained his situation to the Diamondbacks and requested his release.

Rather than give him an outright release, the Arizona Diamondbacks placed him on the restricted list so that they could retain his rights. As per protocol, Zavada was notified via letter of his status. Clay did not understand the concept of the restricted list and felt it was some sort of blacklist. He implored the Diamondbacks to release him. Zavada explained that his father would be horrified if he knew his son had been placed on a restricted list. The Diamondbacks obliged and gave him his release.

For the 2007 season Clay Zavada was out of baseball. Zavada was now in survival mode trying to make ends meet to keep the farm and himself afloat. The 40-acre property is part farm and part forest and was a sense of pride within the family. Before his father died, he spoke to Clay about how important an education is in today’s society. That fall Clay went back to school completing his bachelor’s degree at Edwardsville and worked part-time delivering furniture.

In 2008 Clay Zavada graduated from college. To celebrate, a friend suggested that he once again try baseball. He tried out for the Southern Illinois Miners, and independent team. After some initial struggles, Zavada returned to form and began to dominate.

During this same time the Arizona Diamondbacks found themselves in need for minor league relief help. Farm director AJ Hinch asked his staff to begin combing the statistics of Independent League teams to see if they could find a suitable candidate. From the research, a familiar name returned – Clay Zavada.

Hinch contacted Zavada to gauge his willingness to return to professional baseball and in general to find out what had happened in his life. The discussions ensued and Zavada agreed to once again to attempt to follow his dream. He had one request of the Diamondbacks; he wanted to be assigned to South Bend Indiana.

Typically a player does not dictate to a club where he will play and his request was met with some resistance. Zavada explained that he meant no disrespect; he just was hoping to play there so that on off-days he could return to the family farm to properly maintain it. Given the circumstances the Diamondbacks agreed and Zavada became a member of the South Bend Silver Hawks.

While a member of the Silver Hawks, Zavada dominated the competition. In 24 games he had a 0.51 ERA in 25.1 innings. Clearly he had what it took to be a professional baseball player. At the conclusion of the season the Diamondbacks assured the left-hander that they were interested in seeing him continue his professional career as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.

Zavada retreated to the farm in Streator and picked up where he left off, trying to make ends meet while waiting for baseball season to begin again. As a minor league baseball player Zavada earned $280 a week. Once the season ended, so did that paycheck.

He made ends meet by splitting logs on the family property and selling them for firewood. He refurbished go-karts and sold them on e-Bay. He looked for items he could buy cheap, fix-up, and resell for a profit. He did what all of us have had to do; he survived.

In the spring of 2009, Clay Zavada was back in Tucson with the Arizona Diamondbacks. This year he was someone to watch, a pitcher with a future. Out of Spring Training the Arizona Diamondbacks sent him to Mobile Alabama to play for the Double-A Mobile Bay Bears.

In 11 games with the Bay Bears he had a 2.60 ERA over 17.1 innings pitched. On May 12, Zavada was summoned to the Diamondbacks when right-hander Bobby Korecky was demoted to the minors. It was an exciting day and was the culmination of a lot of hard work. The excitement barely had an opportunity to sink in when Zavada was sent back to Mobile the very next day without even an opportunity to pitch.

His demotion did not last long. When pitcher Scott Schoeneweis was notified of the death of his wife on May 21, he left the team immediately to fly home to Fountain Hills. The Diamondbacks recalled Clay Zavada That night in the final game of a series against the Florida Marlins, Clay Zavada made his major league debut. He threw one inning not allowing a hit or a run and striking out two. The Diamondbacks would score two runs in the top of the inning and Clay Zavada would be the winning pitcher.

Zavada has become an important part of a developing Diamondbacks bullpen. He has shown a knack for getting out right-handers as well as left-handers when called upon. As the Diamondbacks entered the final week of the season, manager AJ Hinch and general manager Josh Byrnes have both suggested that Clay Zavada will be a part of their 2010 plans.

This final series of the season, the Arizona Diamondbacks are playing for nothing but pride. They have long sense been eliminated from the post season and when many players are counting the innings before the off-season starts, Clay Zavada is living a dream.

He travelled with the team to Chicago to play their final three games against the Cubs. To Clay Zavada, it is the biggest moment of his life. He grew up just two hours away from Wrigley Field, a diehard Cubs fan. When he walked out onto the playing field it was a validation that he was now a Major League Baseball player.

The citizens of Streator Illinois came out in droves to support their favorite Diamondbacks player. Zavada estimated 150-200 people came to the game hoping to see Zavada in action. Today was definitely one Clay will never forget although he would probably like to forget part of it.

Zavada was in the bullpen and was assigned the duty of watching out for errant foul balls that might hit the pitcher or catcher warming up. In the seventh inning a scorching ball was hit by Chicago’s Micah Hoffpauir and was heading directly for Diamondbacks bullpen catcher Jeff Motuzas. Zavada reached out and caught the ball. He looked up at first-base umpire Ed Rapuano who was motioning it was a fair ball. Zavada immediately dropped the ball and took a step back. The call was a ground-rule double and the hit allowed the Cubs to score the first run.

While that may have deterred other players, it was just another learning experience for Clay Zavada. He put it out of his head and when the ninth inning came, it was Zavada who entered the game throwing a perfect ninth inning preserving a Diamondbacks win.

Clay Zavada left the field to the cheers of 200 fans who had made the journey from Streator, among them his grandmother. In this one game he realized a lifelong dream and was able to share it with family and friends.

When the season ends on Sunday Clay Zavada will once again pack up his things and head back to the family farm in central Illinois. This time though it might be a little easier for him to survive knowing he has a place on baseball. Knowing Clay, this winter you’ll still find him listening to “Swap Shop” on the local AM radio station hoping to find a rare item he can turn around and sell on e-Bay to earn a little extra money. I only wish the Diamondbacks had more people like Clay Zavada.

During the movie, El Guapo has an exchange with his henchman Jefe where he asks if Jefe would say he has a “plethora of piñatas”. Jefe answers yes and is then caught when El Guapo questions whether Jefe even knows what a “plethora” means. It is a whimsical movie that somehow finds its way into my DVD player at least once during the off-season.

Today I find myself with a plethora of small subjects, which on the surface are not related. What am I saying, they are not related on any level other than the fact that I was thinking about them. Rather than have a bunch of little disjointed subjects I decided to combine them to have one disjointed entry.

The Arizona Diamondbacks finished a three game series with the San Francisco Giants this afternoon. The first two games were just a further continuation of the disappointment that Arizona Diamondbacks fans have felt all year.

Game one of the series saw Doug Davis make a start for the Diamondbacks. Davis is inching closer to 200 innings for the season. It has been a rocky road for Davis as he has generally given his team an opportunity to win but has been the recipient of no run support. Today though it was Davis who let down the team.

Lasting only four innings Doug Davis gave up seven hits and four runs while walking five. Considering Davis is about to enter free agency that is not exactly the kind of box score you want to have on your resume.

There are a lot of questions surrounding the 2010 Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitching staff. There was a time during this season where I felt the Diamondbacks had no choice but to bring Davis back next year. As the year has progressed though I question whether he belongs here.

I love the idea that he is once again at nearly 200 innings. Having a pitcher go deep into a game will definitely help manage the number of innings your bullpen has to be on the field. The problem is you never know which Doug Davis is going to step onto the mound. Is it the crafty southpaw who had a string of quality starts or will it be the Doug Davis who walks more batters than he strikes out and constantly pitches with runners in scoring position?

When Davis is on the mound you always feel like the opposing team is one pitch away from a big inning. If the Diamondbacks bring him back they would want to do so with a one-year contract while Davis has made it clear he is only interested in a multi-year contract. I expect that we may have seen the last of Doug Davis in a Diamondbacks uniform.

Game two of the series the Diamondbacks sent Kevin Mulvey to the mound. Mulvey was the player to be named later in the Jon Rauch deal with the Minnesota Twins. At the time General Manager Josh Byrnes was very high on Mulvey and made it clear he expected him to battle for a spot in the rotation next season.

So far Mulvey has gotten four starts with the Arizona Diamondbacks and none of them have been very impressive. He has given up 18 runs on 23 hits in 23 innings of work. Not exactly a body of work that will endure him to Diamondbacks fans. The knowledge that Mulvey may be one of the Diamondbacks five starters does not leave me with comfortable thoughts when I go to bed.

In the finale the Diamondbacks sent staff ace Dan Haren to the mound to face reigning Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum. During the first half of the season when Haren stepped onto the mound you could almost guarantee a victory. Over the second half of the season Haren has been erratic. I have to wonder whether the 223.1 innings he has pitched are now starting to catch up to him.

His lack of consistency reminds me a little bit of Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers. During his rookie season Verlander dominated during the first part of the season but by the time the post season arrived there was not much left in the tank. Verlander adjusted his workout regime and has now become a dominating force for the Tigers.

I’m concerned with Haren that if the Diamondbacks could somehow reach the play-offs next season would he have enough left to pitch them deep into October? I’m hoping that the Diamondbacks training staff reviews the training schedule for Haren and makes some changes that will allow him to be more consistent for the whole season.

During today’s game both pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. and manager A.J. Hinch were ejected for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Hunter Wendlestadt. Stottlemyre was tossed first when he voiced his displeasure at the ump while visiting the mound. Hinch was ejected after coming out of the dugout to understand why Stottlemyre was ejected.

I usually do not condone arguments or brawls but in the case of the Diamondbacks, I think the team needs an attitude adjustment this off-season. I remember watching the Diamondbacks in 1998 and they played rather complacent ball throughout the year. After that season the Diamondbacks retooled adding several free agents including Randy Johnson, Todd Stottlemyre, and others.

During the 1999 season the Diamondbacks played with an aggressive fire as though they had a chip on their shoulder that they dared the entire National League to knock off. There were several heated moments where both benches cleared but overall this attitude was one that they didn’t take crap from anyone. This team has somehow lost it and plays a very timid game.

As a fan I would much rather see a team who is ticked off when things go wrong and even more arrogant and feisty when things are going right. They need to seize the moment and take the game rather than wait for the game to be given to them as though they entitled to it.

That kind of attitude needs to be taught by veteran ball players. I would like to see the Diamondbacks go out this off-season and tool up their roster with mean and tough players who play the game with grit. Mark Reynolds shows glimpses of this attitude but it needs to permeate through all 40 members on the roster.

Tuesday September 29 at 11:59 PM was the deadline for fans to enter the Where in the World is Augie’s Bobble Head contest. I was hoping they would post the winner yesterday but as of today there is still no word on their web site as to who may have won that contest.

I’m really curious what kind of places the fans put Augie’s bobble head. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for an answer.

When the season started I looked at this last road trip on the schedule and really expected that this upcoming series with the Chicago Cubs would have play-off implications possibly for the NL wild card. Going into these last three games, they are meaningless. Both teams are well out of the playoff hunt and failed to meet expectations.

The Diamondbacks are now in the midst of a three game losing streak having just completed their worst month of the season. Part of me almost wants to see the team lose these last three games in hopes of having a better draft position for the 2010 draft. When your fans start rooting for the team to lose you know you’re having a very bad season.

So after a whirlwind of various topics I’ll leave you with the words of Lucky Day from The Three Amigos, “In a way, each of us has an El Guapo to face. For some, shyness might be their El Guapo. For others, a lack of education might be their El Guapo. For us, El Guapo is a big, dangerous man who wants to kill us. But as sure as my name is Lucky Day, the people of Santa Poco can conquer their own personal El Guapo, who also happens to be *the actual* El Guapo!” Let’s hope that the Diamondbacks can find an answer for defeating their own El Guapo.

Today was the second deadline for season ticket renewal payment but it was also the deadline for turning in Seat Relocation forms. Seat relocation is a huge event in our house. My kids think of it as a giant game of musical chairs.

In their simplistic view of seat relocation, all of the Diamondbacks season ticket holders put their names in a hat requesting to have their seat location changed for the upcoming season. The Diamondbacks Season Ticket Representatives then group these fans together and invite them down to Chase Field.

Once at the stadium, the fans will listen to a brief presentation explaining the rules of the game. The fans are then released out into the stadium where they will find seats with white papers attached to the seat backs. As music plays on the stadium sound system, fans walk around all of these seats with the white papers eyeing the seats and the other fans.

When the music stops, the fans all run to one of the seats with the attached white paper. If more than one fan chooses the same seat then the winner will go to the person with the lower priority number. In the end, if you are not standing next to a seat with a white paper, you lose and you are sent back to the seat location you had last year.

I would love to tell you that my kids’ simplistic view of seat relocation was erroneous but in actuality that is pretty much how it works. In my mind there are two important aspects to winning the game of seat relocation. First, try to outwit the other season ticket holders by pretending that you are not interested in a seat all the while scoping out the other person’s priority number. Second, and perhaps most importantly, bring your kid who has the best sad puppy dog face with you to the stadium.

Never underestimate the value of tip number two. Last year I found the perfect seats and even had a low enough priority number that I was able to get the seats I wanted. At the last minute a woman came by with a priority number just under mine and snatched the seats away from me.

I happened to be alone when I went down to the seat relocation event last year. One middle-aged guy didn’t stand a chance against a little old lady wearing a dead peacock on her head. Besides, she was a grandmother and had her grandchild with her. I had absolutely no leverage. I mean who wants to fight with a grandma who is buying tickets for her grandkids?

I didn’t stand a chance. Even though grandma admitted she was only going to go to 10-15 games this season it was the thought of displacing a little kid with his grandma that relinquished the seats. The only chance I had was if I was dying and those seats were my Make-A-Wish wish; and that wasn’t the case.

When my season ticket account had fallen through the cracks, my priority number had disappeared too. That meant instead of having trusty 5,205 like I had the previous two seasons I was now assigned 10,832. Any hopes I had of relocating disappeared the moment I saw that number. I felt like the weight of the Chase Field roof was on my shoulders.

At the moment where I felt the lowest I received an email from the Arizona Diamondbacks Season Ticket office saying that there had been a mistake and that my priority number was in error. My priority number was instead 5,122. I let out a huge sigh of relief.

Granted, 5,122 is not exactly going to set the world on fire but it at least gets me in the same ballpark as the other players. Now if I can just get Dakota out of school that day and get him to perfect that sad puppy dog look that he uses on my wife whenever he wants to stay up an extra half hour past his bedtime; I might just stand a chance.

There are going to be a lot of sleepless nights between now and the week of October 25th when seat relocation begins at Chase Field. Between now and then I plan on wearing the Lucky Hat, and continuously rubbing my Sedona Red lucky rabbit’s foot while praying that everyone with a priority number lower than 5,121 has a flat tire the day of seat relocation. If I thought it would help I may even sacrifice a Kentucky Fried Chicken to the baseball gods.

Seat relocation isn’t just another event. It is much more important than that. After all, that one event determines where I am going to live next season. And considering that the Diamondbacks have never made the play-offs when my seats are on the first base side; this decision may have an impact on the final standings in the National League Western Division. So there is a lot of pressure riding on this decision.

The prizes were pretty substantial including a trip to the 2010 All-Star game, taking batting practice with Mark Reynolds, fielding practice with Chris Young, or Staycations to local resorts. There was really something for everyone.

I was eager to begin the season ticket renewal process. That’s not to say I was eager to send in my money for next season, I am constantly reminded by my wife and kids that they have a million and one other uses for the money we spend on baseball tickets. I have to keep reminding them that I am already just borderline sane, loss of baseball tickets would be the item that would probably push me over the edge to insanity. So far they have not been willing to see if I am right or not.

As the end of August approached I would eagerly flag down the mail man and inquire if he had anything in a Sedona Red envelope for me. Each day the answer was always the same, no. When the final week of August arrived and I still had not gotten season ticket renewal information I began to panic.

I remembered that earlier this season Trina had made the comment that the Arizona Diamondbacks have never made the play-offs when my season tickets were on the first base side. I began to wonder if the Diamondbacks had also figured this out and in an effort to try to return to the post season they had chosen to not allow me to renew thereby eliminating the potential jinx.

I started to get sick to my stomach at the thoughts that perhaps the team had decided to go a different direction with their fans and that I did not figure into the equation. I also had a recurring dream that I had been traded to the Chicago Cubs for a fan to be named later and that I had to get rid of all my Sedona Red items and replace them with blue. I won’t even go into the dream where I had to try and break the goat curse.

I began making some frantic calls and sent emails to everyone and anyone I could find trying to see if I had been traded or not. What I learned was even more discouraging. My account had somehow been moved or displaced or something and that I had fallen in a crack in the system.

All I knew about cracks was that they weren’t good. The time I hit Trina’s Precious Moments figurine with a Nerf baseball causing it to fall and crack; bad. The time I was hit in the head by a pitch and my batting helmet cracked; bad. Stepping on a sidewalk crack and breaking my mother’s back; bad. Yeah cracks are definitely not a good thing.

I was assured that the team did want me to renew my season tickets and that it was going to take a little bit to try and get everything back to where it was. For the next three weeks my life has been filled with stress as I worked with the Diamondbacks to try and get my account restored to a point where I would be back among the living.

Finally this week I was sent an invoice for renewing my season tickets. I was also sent information on seat relocation which has to be turned in by tomorrow. Right now our house is at Def Con 2. The kids have been given specific assignments as dad prepares the battle plan for renewing season tickets and even more importantly seat relocation. The good news is my account is almost completely healed. It was close; I never want to go through that again. It’s hard to almost lose a loved one.

The Diamondbacks finish out the regular season with six games on the road. Beginning on Tuesday Arizona opens up a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants and then finish the season visiting the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

With the Diamondbacks packing their bags for one last time, it is time for the final episode of State of the Home Stand Address for the 2009 season. As is always the case, these views are my own and in no way represent the thoughts of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Bud Selig, Major League Baseball, or any other sane fan for that matter. Your mileage may vary, objects in the rearview mirror may be closer than they appear, and this offer is not valid in the states of Texas or Arkansas. I think that covers all of the necessary disclaimers.

This home stand began with a three-game series featuring the Colorado Rockies in their final trip of the season to Chase Field. The series started off well enough with the Diamondbacks taking game one when Arizona got to the Rockies bullpen in the late innings. Unfortunately for Arizona this was the only game of the series they would win dropping the next two games to Colorado.

The San Francisco Giants then came to Chase Field for their final trip of the season. Arizona continued to struggle winning only the middle game of this three game series. At the time the Rockies were the leader for the National League wild card while San Francisco was right behind them.

After watching these six games it was clear that the Rockies were the better of the two teams and if I were a betting man I would put my money on the Rockies finishing in front of the Giants in the standings. I’m still not convinced that Atlanta won’t end up the wild card team from the NL.

The final home series of the year saw the hot San Diego Padres come to town. San Diego has been on a mini tear having won every series this month with the exception of the series against the Diamondbacks at Petco Park.

The Padres took the first game of the series but the Diamondbacks battled back in the final two games to win the series. Augie Ojeda and Chad Tracy were two of the more unlikely heroes during those games and it was good to see the team end the home stand with a couple of wins.

During this home stand the Diamondbacks had an on-field parade for members of the APS Renewables Kids Club who reached 3,000 points in the year. There appeared to be more kids this year than in seasons past which bodes well for 2010. To get 3,000 points a child has to attend about 30 games (not counting bonus points) so that is about a third of the games played at home each season.

The parade was well conceived and flawlessly carried out. The members of the game staff were friendly and made each child feel special for their accomplishment.

The final series marked Fandemonium with the Diamondbacks offering several great prizes. The final two games always seem to draw the best crowds and this year was no exception. During yesterday’s game they announced that the season total for Chase Field was 2,128,907 which is roughly 500K less than last season.

Part of the drop can be attributed to the weak economy and part can be the result of a poor season on the field. Even with a struggling economy there are signs of a rebound. Already the Diamondbacks have had approximately 67 percent of their season ticket holders renew their tickets for 2010. The team is hoping for a 75-80 percent renewal so they have some work to do to reach that level.

Going into the final home stand it always comes down to what ballpark foods am I most going to miss during the off-season. At the top of this list is the Hungry Hill Italian Sausage and the Polish Sausage. Both of these are great. The only complaint I have with them is that they still do not have packets of spicy mustard at their stands. You can get spicy mustard at most of the Levy concessions so it is available just not at Hungry Hill.

According to my family the next item on the most missed food list is the Poco Chimis at Garcias. These have become a family favorite followed by the homemade tamales. The tamales may have ranked higher but they are on the other side of the stadium and there is usually a line to get them making the kids look elsewhere for food.

A pleasant surprise was the Mets Reuben Sandwich at Taste of the Majors. This is served on a marble rye bread and is very good. The only problem is that Taste of the Majors is notorious for being the slowest concession stand in the ballpark so allow yourself plenty of time before the game otherwise you’ll be standing there waiting while the game starts without you.

At the conclusion of the final game the Diamondbacks allowed everyone to run the bases rather than just the kids 12 and younger. This was very popular with the lines stretching nearly to the upper deck. After running the bases, season ticket holders were allowed out on the field to have pictures taken with coaches and players. There were also inflatable toys and areas where kids could hit wiffle balls.

I applaud the Diamondbacks for offering this experience to their season ticket holders. Unfortunately you had to RSVP earlier in the week to get a wrist band and not all season ticket holders were notified (including me). There appears to be a hole in the communications. I met several season ticket holders who were frustrated that they were not contacted about this and even though they had their season ticket account numbers were not allowed to pick up a wrist band. This inconsistency is not normal for the Diamondbacks so hopefully they learn from this to make events like this run more smoothly in the future.

Kudos goes to head groundskeeper Grant Trenbeath and his staff. This was not an easy season with a lot of early season games being played at Chase Field. For the most part the grass held up but towards the end it was clearly a struggle to keep it green. Even on its worst day the playing surface at Chase Field is one of the tops in Major League Baseball and that can all be attributed to the work that Grant and his team put in every day.

The season is now over at least from the perspective of games at Chase Field. Over the course of the next few weeks I plan to write several articles of my thoughts on what went right for the Diamondbacks and the challenges they have going forward both on the field and some suggestions of changes I would love to see at Chase Field.

Until then mark your calendars for April 5, 2010 when the Arizona Diamondbacks open at home against the San Diego Padres in a 2:40 PM afternoon start. I’ve already begun thinking of excuses of why I won’t be at work that day.

My father’s second word of advice to me was, “Never forget your anniversary”. There is nothing that will bring the wrath of a woman quite as fast as a husband forgetting an anniversary. My dad tells stories of seeing the dent in his father’s head where grandma whacked him with a frying pan the year he forgot their anniversary. I am allergic to cast iron especially when it is applied to my head so I was going to make sure that I always followed this second tip.

I can only assume that my future mother-in-law sat my wife down and had a similar conversation explaining the rules of a happy marriage. These would of course include never getting between a husband and the remote control especially during October baseball and never suggesting that the children’s dental hygiene was a higher priority than baseball season tickets.

Given these tips for marital bliss, it should come as no surprise that I have circled September 27 on my calendar with a big Sedona Red marker. Within this circle in my handwriting are two important words, “my anniversary”.

I remember September 27 like it was yesterday. I had trouble sleeping the night before. I kept going over the events of the day in my mind trying to grasp the importance of what I was about to do. There was no doubt that I was making the right decision. It was about the only thing in my life that I was really sure of.

This relationship had been one of love at first sight and with each passing day my love grew stronger. Sleep was the last thing I was thinking about as I laid there in bed. I kept glancing at the clock trying to will it to go faster so that the activities of the day could finally begin.

Finally morning arrived and I quickly showered. As I got out of the shower I looked down at the clothes I had laid out. I wanted to look my best for this day. I was surprised at how nervous I was. Even though I was doing the right thing and I had absolutely no reason to question my decision I still wondered whether I would be able to go through with it.

What if I panicked when I walked down the path? What if my partner didn’t show up? What if I got there too late and missed the ceremony? All of these questions rolled over and over in my mind causing my stomach to roll like a grounder down the first base line.

Things all worked out though and none of my fears were realized. Looking back now it seemed kind of silly to worry about this stuff. After all, it worked out perfectly and I am now left with the perfect memories of that joyous event.

Today I again woke up early with sleep the last thing I was thinking about. I got up and quickly showered and dressed in my best outfit. I ran downstairs as quietly as I could so I would not wake my wife. I wanted to get everything ready.

When she got up and came downstairs I handed her a card and kissed her as I said, “Happy Anniversary dear!” She looked quite puzzled and stared at me. After what seemed like an eternal silence she said, “we were married in June”.

Well duh, I knew that. This anniversary is much bigger than that. Looking at her though you would have thought she had no idea what day this was. Finally I started to get a little frustrated. “Today marks the 12th anniversary of when I threw out the First Pitch at the Diamondbacks game” I said.

She still just stood there staring at me. At that particular moment I completely understood my grandmother’s actions with the cast iron frying pan. How in the world could my own wife forget this anniversary? I was flabbergasted. I mean I wasn’t expecting a giant Sedona Red cake with a Rallyback jumping out of it but I was at least hoping for a personalized Los D-Backs jersey that I have been hinting about for the last month.

Clearly this was going to be one of those days where I was going to be going to be up really, really late so that I didn’t go to bed angry. And to think, everyone in my family thought it was going to be me who forgot our anniversary. I guess I proved them wrong huh?

Between innings they also have video tributes displayed on dbTV that show highlights of the season and give the players, coaches, and baseball staff an opportunity to say thank-you to their loyal fans.

It is always a bittersweet experience for me. On the one hand I appreciate the Arizona Diamondbacks paying back to the fans who stuck with them throughout the season. On the other hand it marks the final two games of the season which means there will be nearly six whole months where we won’t have Diamondbacks baseball at Chase Field.

The prize drawings are done by seat location. Some of the prizes being given away during Fandemonium include a big screen television, golf memberships, a 2010 Camaro, and the ultimate prize – a sport bike autographed by the entire Arizona Diamondbacks team.

I am not sure why I get so excited about this. After all I have been coming to these for 12 years now and I have yet to win any prize. I think part of it is that the final games of the season usually are the best draws of the year meaning that the attendance spikes at the very end of the season.

This year was no different. Saturday’s game was the second largest crowd of the year for Chase Field. It was good to see a packed house again. It reminded me of the meaningful games in 2007 when the Diamondbacks were on the verge of winning the National League Western Division. It helped to remind me that for better or for worse the average fan in Phoenix was a fan for as long as the team was winning.

That is not to say that all Diamondbacks fans are fair-weather fans. There are a group of very loyal and very dedicated Diamondbacks fans who attend every game. It is just that the number of these fans is still fairly small. I keep hoping that each year we will see more and more of these dedicated and diehard fans.

The Diamondbacks fed off the energized crowd and came from behind to beat the San Diego Padres on a grand slam by Chad Tracy. Tracy has seen his playing time reduced as of late so it was great to see him have some success in what might be his final home game as an Arizona Diamondback.

As for me, my streak was finally broken. I won a Fruitista drink from Taco Bell as part of Fandemonium. I don’t want to hear that they give Fruitista drinks to whole sections during the season when that character wins the food fight at Saturday games. Let me bask in the glory of being a Fandemonium winner if only for just a few minutes before you burst my delusion of grandeur.

The fans were invited to go to the Arizona Diamondbacks web site and vote for one of five choices that they would like to see rendered as a bobble head. I chronicled our family’s vote as we registered and cast our votes for who we wanted to see as the final bobble head. At least one-fifth of our family was extremely excited when Augie Ojeda was chosen as the winner.

Like everything in Augie’s career, nothing was easy when it came to this stadium giveaway. The promotional schedule changed in July when the Arizona Diamondbacks traded Tony Pena and his bobble head night to the Chicago White Sox for Brandon Allen and a bobble head to be named later.

This trade sent the promotions staff into a frenzy as they tried to figure out what they would do. It was finally decided that Augie’s bobble head would be moved up in the schedule to take the place of the Tony Pena bobble head night and there would be a second fan favorite bobble head produced from the second place winner in the fan vote.

Third baseman Mark Reynolds was chosen to be the final bobble head of the season and have his bobble head night take the old place of the Augie Ojeda bobble head on the schedule which would be September 26.

As if all of this rearranging was not enough to confuse the fans and the game day staff; an additional wrinkle was introduced. Typhoon Moracot disrupted production of the Augie bobble head. The Augie Ojeda bobble head was missing in action and there was no telling where he was at.

The Diamondbacks used this to their advantage announcing the Where in the World is Augie’s Bobble Head contest. It has been fun seeing the various places where people thought Augie’s bobble head had disappeared to.

So on the day of his bobble head night, Augie Ojeda fans received a paper voucher that would be good for redemption for an actual bobble head once they finally arrived. As a family we wondered when we might see little bobbing Augie?

Our questions were answered when the Diamondbacks announced that the Augie Ojeda bobble heads would be delivered to Chase Field on Friday September 25. Fans holding vouchers could stop by the plaza beyond left field below the picnic pavilion to redeem their vouchers.

It seems funny that the Augie Ojeda bobble head would arrive just one day before the date of his original bobble head. Before the game we eagerly ran over to the plaza and presented our six coupons so that each member of the family would have their own personal Augie Ojeda bobble head.

The bobble head looked to be in great shape especially given the fact that he had survived a typhoon and a long boat ride before finally arriving at Chase Field. I’m not positive but I think this may be the first bobble head the Diamondbacks have given that is the actual size of the player.

For those who are unable to attend the last three games of the season, you can still pick up your Augie Ojeda bobble head by bringing your voucher into the team shop at Chase Field during regular business hours.