Editing 2001 World Series (section)

===Arizona Diamondbacks===
{{Main|2001 Arizona Diamondbacks season}}

The Arizona Diamondbacks began play in [[1998 Arizona Diamondbacks season|1998]], along with the [[Tampa Bay Devil Rays]], as the youngest [[expansion team]] in Major League Baseball (MLB).<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Chuck|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/diamondbacks/2001-10-23-cover.htm|title=Diamondbacks quenching fans' thirst for winner|work=[[USA Today]]|date=October 23, 2001|access-date=July 31, 2017}}</ref> After a mediocre debut season, the Diamondbacks finished [[1999 Arizona Diamondbacks season|the following year]] first in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) [[National League West|West]] with a {{Win–loss record|w=100|l=62}} record, but lost to the [[1999 New York Mets season|New York Mets]] in the [[1999 National League Division Series|National League Division series]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Magruder|first=Jack|title=D'backs' future looks promising|work=[[Arizona Daily Star]]|date=October 11, 1999|page=1D}}</ref> With several [[Major League Baseball All-Star|All-Star]] players like [[Randy Johnson]] and [[Matt Williams (third baseman)|Matt Williams]], the Diamondbacks had high expectations for the [[2000 Arizona Diamondbacks season|2000 season]], but finished third in the NL West with an {{Win–loss record|w=85|l=77}} record.<ref name="Bob Brenly new manager">{{cite news|last=Magruder|first=Jack|title=D'backs hire Brenly – Former major-league catcher's knowledge, vivacious personality convince Colangelo|work=[[Arizona Daily Star]]|date=October 31, 2000|page=C1}}</ref> During the [[offseason]], team manager [[Buck Showalter]] was fired, and replaced by [[Sports commentator|sportscaster]] [[Bob Brenly]].<ref name="Bob Brenly new manager"/> The Diamondbacks acquired several notable [[free agent]] players during the offseason, including [[Miguel Batista]], [[Mark Grace]], and [[Reggie Sanders]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gilbert|first=Steve|url=http://www.mlb.com/ws/news/ws_news_story.jsp?article=10262001-1613|title=D-Backs wasted no time in building a winner|work=[[MLB.com]]|date=October 27, 2001|access-date=July 2, 2017}}</ref> Most of the Diamondbacks players were above the age of 30, and had already played on a number of teams prior to the 2001 season.<ref name="Old Team">{{cite news|last=Hummel|first=Rick|title=D'Backs Move Into Series With Loads Of Experience – Problem Is That Not Much Has Been In Postseason|work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]|date=October 23, 2001|page=D4}}</ref> In fact, the Diamondbacks [[starting lineup]] for the World Series did not include a player under the age of 31, making them the oldest team by player age in World Series history.<ref name="Old Team"/> With several players nearing the age of retirement, [[Luis Gonzalez (outfielder, born 1967)|Luis Gonzalez]] noted that the overall team mentality was "there's too many good guys in here to let this opportunity slip away".<ref name="Documentary">{{cite video|title=Destiny in the Desert: The 2001 World Series|publisher=Major League Baseball Productions|date=2001|medium=DVD}}</ref>

Although the Diamondbacks were only one game [[Winning percentage|above .500]] by the end of April,<ref name="2001 DBacks season">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ARI/2001-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2001 Arizona Diamondbacks Schedule|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=July 2, 2017}}</ref> Gonzalez had a particularly memorable start to the season, in which he tied the MLB record with 13 [[home run]]s during the month of April.<ref name="Documentary"/> The Diamondbacks found greater success in May and June, and at one point had a six-game lead in the NL West. During this span, the team won nine consecutive games, and Johnson tied the MLB record with 20 [[strikeout]]s in a nine-[[inning]] game.<ref name="Documentary"/><ref name="2001 DBacks season"/> The six game lead did not last long however, and by the end of July, the Diamondbacks were a half game behind the [[2001 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]] in the West.<ref name="2001 DBacks season"/> A resurgent August pushed the team back into first place, a spot they maintained for the rest of the season.<ref name="2001 DBacks season"/> By the end of the season, several Diamondbacks players had put up exceptional [[Baseball statistics|statistics]]: [[Curt Schilling]] had the most wins of any pitcher in MLB that year with 22, while Johnson nearly broke the single season strikeout record with 372.<ref name="Documentary"/><ref name="Schilling and Johnson">{{cite magazine|last=Verducci|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Verducci|url=https://www.si.com/vault/2001/12/17/8112289/the-power-of-two-spurring-each-other-on-curt-schilling-and-randy-johnson-carried-arizona-to-victory-in-the-world-seriesand-enthralled-a-nation|title=The Power of Two|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=December 17, 2001|pages=112–115|volume=95|number=24}}</ref> Johnson and Schilling also had the two lowest [[earned run average]]s (ERA) in the NL, with 2.49 and 2.98 respectively.<ref name="Schilling and Johnson"/> Gonzalez ended the season with a .325 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] and 57 home runs, and finished third in voting for the NL [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player Award]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_2001.shtml|title=2001 Awards Voting|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=July 2, 2017}}</ref> The Diamondbacks were also one of the best defensive teams in MLB that year, second in fewest [[Error (baseball)|errors]] committed, and tied with the [[Seattle Mariners]] for the best [[fielding percentage]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2001.shtml|title=2001 MLB Team Statistics|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=July 2, 2017}}</ref>

The Diamondbacks entered the postseason as the #2 seed in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]], and played the #4 seed [[2001 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]] in the [[2001 National League Division Series|National League Division Series]].<ref name="Schilling and Johnson"/> Schilling threw a [[Shutouts in baseball|shutout]] in Game 1 to give the Diamondbacks an early series lead,<ref name="Documentary"/> but the Cardinals won Game 2 thanks to a two-run home run from [[Albert Pujols]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Ostermeier|first=Joe|title=Cards Even Series At 1–1 – Williams, Pujols Show How To Do It|work=[[Belleville News-Democrat]]|date=October 11, 2001|page=1D}}</ref> [[Craig Counsell]] hit a three-run home run late in Game 3 to give the Diamondbacks a 2–1 series lead,<ref name="Documentary"/> but the Cardinals won Game 4 with strong pitching performances from [[Bud Smith]] and their [[relief pitcher]]s.<ref>{{cite news|last=Fallstrom|first=R.B.|title=Cards extend series Rookie's pitching forces final game|work=[[Charleston Gazette-Mail]]|date=October 14, 2001|page=P4E}}</ref> The Diamondbacks clinched the series in Game 5, when [[Tony Womack]] hit a game winning [[single (baseball)|single]] that scored [[Danny Bautista]].<ref name="Documentary"/> They then faced the third seeded [[2001 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]] in the [[2001 National League Championship Series|National League Championship Series]].<ref name="Schilling and Johnson"/> Johnson also threw a shutout in Game 1,<ref name="Documentary"/> while the Braves hit three home runs in Game 2 to tie the series at one game apiece.<ref>{{cite news|last=Reid|first=Jason|title=Glavine, Braves knot NLCS – Atlanta hands Arizona its first loss at home in playoffs|work=[[Charleston Gazette-Mail]]|date=October 18, 2001|page=3B}}</ref> Schilling threw a [[complete game]] in Game 3,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL200110190.shtml|title=2001 National League Championship Series (NLCS) Game 3, Diamondbacks at Braves, October 19|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=July 31, 2017}}</ref> and the Diamondbacks scored 11 runs in a Game 4 victory to take a 3–1 series lead.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL200110200.shtml|title=2001 National League Championship Series (NLCS) Game 4, Diamondbacks at Braves, October 20|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=July 31, 2017}}</ref> The Diamondbacks clinched the series in Game 5 with another strong performance from Johnson.<ref name="Schilling and Johnson"/> With the win, they became the fastest expansion team to reach the World Series, in just their fourth year of play.<ref name="Documentary"/>