Our season ended tonight and it hurts to know we won't be playing tomorrow, but we are thankful for the season that we have had.

It's not every year that you have an opportunity to enjoy a group of young men for nothing more than their friendship. This year, having the opportunity to spend the last eight months with these guys, you appreciate the friendship, you appreciate their work ethic. You appreciate the accomplishment and you're simply hopeful moving forward that the group has the opportunity to experience again what they experienced this year.

Good, bad or indifferent, every day is an opportunity to learn something in hopes of applying it the next day and being a little bit better. This experience is no different. It hurts because you realize you were a handful of games away from realizing what your ultimate goal is every year, and that is to be a World Series champion.

In the playoffs, only eight teams start out and only one finishes. You're hopeful that you can catch a few breaks, that the ball can bounce your way and you can find a way to be that last team standing. But it doesn't always work out that way.

So you think back to what you experienced during the season, what you experienced physically and what you experienced emotionally, and you make some notes. You write down some keys or lessons that you learned along the way and you file them away for the offseason. Then you clear out the cobwebs, allow the body to recover and then before you get to camp, you look over all those keys you wrote down and you remind yourself of how close you were and how badly you want the opportunity to get back.

This team has a very real chance of doing some very special things over the course of however many years, as long as they remain committed to one another, as long as they remain committed to making the most of the talent they've been blessed with.

It's been a fun year and I want to take a minute to thank all of you for your support. Believe me when I tell you that we appreciate all the people that have stood by us the entire time and remained confident in us. That kind of support is always appreciated.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog over the last few weeks. I certainly appreciate all the kind comments that have been posted and e-mails that were sent.

I look forward to seeing all of you down in Tucson in four months.

In 2004, I was with the Yankees when the Red Sox came back and won four straight against us in the ALCS. I was two outs from realizing my dream of going to the World Series and I never got there.

It wasn't really until the last inning of Game 7 that I thought we may not make it and it wasn't until that point. I mean, there was no way. We were two outs away in Game 5; we were up with one out in the eighth the next night. So there's crazy circumstances, there's crazy ways the ball bounces. So having gone through it and realizing the emotion that was tied into it and how close we had come has helped me keep this in perspective.

I was with the Red Sox in 2002, so I knew a lot of guys on that '04 Red Sox team, so I know what they did. They simply came to the ballpark and played. They didn't listen to the TV or the radio or anything else with regard to the odds they were up against. They knew that if they came to the ballpark that day and took a chance and just played, you never know what might happen.

I mean, we beat the Red Sox 19-8 in Game 3 of that series. Think about that, 19-8. They had every reason to throw in the towel, but the Red Sox didn't throw in the towel. And I don't expect our ballclub to, either. We have been resilient all year long. We've bucked the trend all year long. We've battled all year long. And I don't expect that to change come tomorrow.

Now if I notice that we get caught up in the TV and the radio and what the percentages are, then, yeah, it's going to be a tough task. But if we commit ourselves to playing one game, just one game ... let it all hang out one game and see what happens. I've seen the ball bounce too many funny ways over the course of my career.

So I'm still remarkably hopeful that if we keep our perspective and our focus, we've got a chance to get back in this thing. But we've got to do it starting tomorrow, one game at a time.

In the first round, when we swept the Cubs, we couldn't have written the script any better. The second round has been just the opposite for us.

The great part about this game is that good, bad or indifferent, the game always gives you an opportunity to learn something from it. Looking forward to this series, we were obviously excited about the opportunity and we were looking forward to getting it started on a good foot.

That didn't happen and now we 've got a big challenge ahead of us. It's a BIG challenge, but it's not insurmountable. We are working towards making the physical adjustments and or any mental adjustments coming into Game 3 to try and give ourselves the best possible chance to put one in the win column.

That's all we're focused in on right now. Getting caught up in the percentage of teams that have come back or not come back or the way the ball hasn't found a hole for us, but has for them, gets you caught up in thinking about things you can't control.

The way you deal with that is to lock back in. You lock back in on your preparation, your game planning, your physical work all the while focused on the task at hand.

Anytime we're faced with a challenge I'm always excited to see how our group of guys comes through on the other side. We've done it all year and I look forward to us doing the same in Game 3.

At this time of year, all the games you come up short in are tough and they hurt. We had opportunities to push runs across, but unfortunately, we weren't able to do it tonight.

There were a couple of instances when we had opportunities and they made pitches on us, and for others, they made great plays in the field. So you keep grinding, you keep pushing, you keep battling and hope that some of these things start going our way.

When I hit that line drive to right-center in the seventh, I was begging for it to get down. I knew I hadn't caught it as clearly as I would have liked to and I knew the outfield was shaded to the opposite side. So when I hit it, I knew it was an area nobody was at, but it seemed like the more it hung up there, the more ground Willy was covering.

Obviously, he made a great catch. If that ball tips off his glove, Byrnsie scores and it's a different ballgame, so it was a great play by Willy. Very few players are athletic enough to make that play and Willy is one of them.

They made a lot of great plays tonight. Helton made an outstanding play on a ball that Salazar hit down the line to begin the sixth. They came up big when they needed to come up big, they were patient at the plate and pushed a run across there in the 11th.

We hoped things coming out of here were going to be different, but this is what we've got and we know we've got some work to do now. But we don't want to look any further ahead than the next game and just focus on trying to put ourselves in a position to win that game.

We've got to win one. We can't worry about two or three or four right now. We've got to focus on Sunday. That's all we need to be thinking about now.

Last night was a tough one for us and any time you have a night where things don't go your way, you really look forward to your next opportunity to try to settle back in and get things going back in the right direction.

You want to take a look at whatever adjustments you feel you have to make and come back the next day to come back and put yourself in a better position to win a ballgame. It doesn't guarantee you success, but you have to realize that today is a new day and if you dwell too much on what happened yesterday, you are doomed to repeat it.

The guys seemed loose to me before the game tonight. This group has done an outstanding job of coming to the ballpark and being indifferent to what happened in prior games and not looking too far ahead, but rather focusing on that day's game. That's a big reason why we've been successful this year and been able to bounce back from tough losses. We would really like to finish up on a good note tonight before we head to Colorado.

On a personal note, I'm going to be able to take my whole family to Colorado, so it will be great to have them with me as the series moves along. There is supposed to be some real cold weather in Denver and I'm hoping that my son, who is battling a cold, continues to get better even though the temperature is going to be quite a bit colder there.

Posted courtesy of MLB.com during the game.

This was a tough night for us. We had some opportunities, but they did a good job of keeping them at just that -- opportunities.

It started off well for us. We felt pretty good when Byrnsie was able to get us on the board in the first, but you tip your hat to Jeff Francis and his ability to keep things status quo. And while he did that, they added on.

It's one of those things where you didn't see too many balls hit hard off Webby, but they were able to get some key hits with runners in scoring position to open it up a little bit.

They scored three runs, though, in the third to take a 4-1 lead, and as the game went along, we didn't throw in the towel and instead tried to continue to work to try to give ourselves an opportunity to cash in. We did that, but unfortunately we just weren't able to cash in.

We really had a chance there in the seventh and I don't know if there was anyone we'd rather have at the plate than Stephen Drew in that situation right now with the way he's been swinging the bat. Man, he wasn't much off with that swing from tying up this game.

So, you tip your hat to them tonight and we're confident having Doug Davis taking the mound tomorrow night.

I haven't slept very well the last couple of nights as I've been battling a cold, but I can tell you when the lights come on tonight that I will feel good and ready to go. It certainly won't affect on me on the field.

Speaking of which, it's going to be nice to get back to playing tonight. In the four days since we eliminated the Cubs, we've had simulated games and we've tried to face live pitching as much as we can, but it's very difficult to replicate a game-like situation until you get back on the field.

It's going to be nice from now on to talk about games rather than how we match up with the Rockies and whether the layoff will help them or cool them off. It's hard to answer the hypothetical questions that get put to you about how a team will react to something that hasn't happened. If you get caught up too much in that stuff, it really can distract you from the task at hand. So we're excited to get back to what we enjoy most and that is simply playing the game.

It seems like the fact that we are one of only four teams left and playing on a bigger stage hasn't affected the guys. Pregame, everything was the same. Looking around the clubhouse before the game, the guys seemed relaxed and confident. I think we're ready to go.

We were happy to hear that there would be a sellout crowd tonight and we are excited to get out there in front of them.

Posted courtesy of MLB.com during the game.

I spent a lot of time today answering questions from the media. With each round of the playoffs, we get more and more people following the team. Sometimes it feels like you're answering the same questions over and over again, but that comes with the territory and I don’t mind it as long as I'm able to still get my work done.

As with all the other things that come with being in the playoffs, this time of the year you realize that you're fortunate to be one of only four teams playing. Anyone who is a baseball aficionado is going to want to ask questions and is going to want to be around.

Some of the main questions I've been getting are, "Do you feel slighted? Are you concerned about not getting the national attention that a lot of teams have been giving?"

They are questions that if I was a prideful man they might be more disconcerting. But they're not. Perhaps it's hard for some of them to understand that our commitment to each other is way more important to us than a commitment to try and please somebody else, especially people who have not been around the ballclub all year and are making determinations based on what a stat sheet says. When you just look at the numbers, you don't get an appreciation for the character of this group and the way we go about our business.

All that being said, I'm just glad that I still have to answer the questions. I'm glad to do it because it means we're still working and still performing. I'm hopeful that we have one more round to deal with.

It will be nice to get going tomorrow night. It's one of those things where the layoff can be a reward or a detriment. It's given the guys here at home a chance to kind of settle in and work toward the upcoming series that starts tomorrow.

I'm just excited about the possibilities. You always wish you had a crystal ball and knew ahead of time how things were going to turn out, but the one thing that makes this game so great is that regardless of what the experts pick, until you get between the lines and play, nobody knows what is going to happen.

I'm looking forward to it and glad to be opening up the series here at home. Hopefully, I'll have a victory to write about tomorrow.

I had a quiet dinner with my wife at Gibson's in Chicago after the celebration in the clubhouse Saturday night. I know that a lot of the guys got together later that night, and while I obviously enjoyed celebrating with them at the ballpark, I know that my wife didn't get to take part in that celebration so I wanted to have an opportunity to share it with her as well.

So we had a quiet bite to eat and then went back to the hotel to get some sleep, which we didn't end up getting. We were up the whole night. Even though we both tried to relax, we were absolutely wired to the point of breakfast coming to our door without a whole lot of snooze time.

Now we go back to work today with a light workout at the ballpark and turn our focus to the Rockies. Before I do that though, I want to take a moment to say thank you for the comments that have been posted by people in response to this blog.

It's special to me when your hometown fans support you and what you're about and what you're doing. So, too, have the comments that I've gotten so far. It just makes me feel good. It also reminds you that you're going about your business the right way and that day in and day out, when the eyes are on you, that they, one, have an expectation and, two, have the confidence in you in those situations.

It just means a lot to me, and I'm thankful for it. It's exciting -- especially this time of year -- to have our fans so in tune with what we are doing, and it's been a whole lot of fun for me to bring a little insight behind the scenes through this blog as we go through the postseason.

Published courtesy of MLB.com during Monday's Diamondbacks workouts.

What a night this was for us. Once again, the game felt no different for us while it was going on. This group has been able to focus and commit themselves to the task at hand and not get caught up in anything else. It wasn't like we were saying, "Hey, we're up 2-0 we've got to win the third." It didn't matter. We were just focused on any one inning. That's how we've been all year.

I know that I've said this before, but watching these young guys take advantage of the tremendous opportunities that have been presented to them, and how at the end of the day they come out as better men and better ballplayers, is exciting for me to watch and be a part of.

Livo put a lot of runners on base tonight, and when Livo puts those runners on base, on the outside you don't show any nerves, but on the inside you're, shall we say, a little excited. But with Livo, you appreciate the fact that you're only one pitch away in a situation like that from getting out of it. And when that happens, the momentum shifts very quickly, and you saw that in the fifth inning tonight.

After winning this series, it's probably going to be hard for us to continue to fly under the radar. But I've got to believe that we were the underdog for the last 162 and then these last three, so no matter what anybody says, this group is committed to what the job is that night, to what our individual responsibilities are so that we can come together and figure out a way to shake hands at the end of the day.

I'm looking forward to getting home with our home fans and whoever else we might see this week. I wish now that I'd be headed back to high five and wrestle around the room the rest of the night with the kids, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. I know they're watching and I'll make sure that when I get back I point out what I've written here, so that they know that I've been thinking about them. I just have enjoyed the ride so far and the journey and looking forward to some more good things the rest of the week.

As the last out was made in the game, I couldn't help thinking about how special this whole group is. And I really mean that. It doesn't matter how we're going to end up, how far we go, this group is very special to me. This is exciting. This doesn't happen every day.

At the end of their careers I think all these guys will look back on the 2007 D-backs as a special group of guys, regardless of how we end up this year. Because it certainly is special.

It was a long night for us Thursday. We flew out after the game and got into Chicago about 6 yesterday morning. My wife and I slept from about 7 to 1 p.m. before going out and grabbing some lunch and doing a little shopping for the kids.

Speaking of my kids, that's the hardest part about this trip is that I wasn't able to get Kiara, Jazzin and Aeneas here to be with me. I can't describe in words how much they mean to me, and I'm disappointed that they aren't here to be able to share in this playoff experience. A lot of times I can coordinate it to get them here, but with their school schedules, I couldn't get flights that worked out timewise.

I woke up today and thought about the game and couldn't help but be excited. I know I've said it before, but this time of year you constantly battle your excitement and the possibilities with making sure that you don't get distracted from the task at hand. So, I woke up today wondering what the possibilities were for today and also hoping that we'd come back after the off-day and have adjusted to the time change and put together a solid ballgame.

I don't have any concerns about the young players on our team in the postseason. They've have handled it very well and I'm really not surprised. The telling thing for me was watching them down the stretch in the pennant race. Having never been there before, they took in the excitement that a pennant race can bring, but at the same time, they kept preparing the way they always had and getting the job done. They've done an admirable job so far.

One note about the weather. It's a little warm here, which is a surprise, but I certainly am not upset about it. I'm just happy with the fact that it was 84 degrees instead of 54.

I took my time getting out of here last night. I stayed and just enjoyed the fact that we had won Game 1. Once I got home, I was done. I tried to do a little packing for the road trip, but my eyes were burning and I finally had to tell my wife that I had to go to sleep. All my energy was spent and I knew I needed rest before I came back out there and doing this again today.

All of my kids are off from school today, tomorrow and Monday, so I got a chance to spend some time with them and got a bite to eat together this morning. I got up a little earlier today, but otherwise stayed with my routine.

It was nice to get the win in Game 1, but your focus in Game 2 has to be the same. In the playoffs, it's all about who can focus the most and take the extracurricular activities and push them aside. At this point in time in the year, whoever focuses the best is the one that's going to put themselves in position to win.

I think the guys came out today ready to play. We continue to remain focused for 27 outs. Not two innings, not four innings, so we knew when they got out to a 2-0 lead, there was still a lot of baseball left to be played, and in the dugout we talked about just focusing on putting together solid at-bats and take it from there.

And that's what we did. We settled in and got a big two-out knock by Chris Young and then another two knocks by Stephen Drew and Eric Byrnes, so the guys did an outstanding job tonight.

We've had our success this year with pitching, defense and timely hitting. These first two games we've done exactly that. Tonight we knew we were going to have our hands full with Ted Lilly, so we didn't try to do too much. We just tried to keep the pressure on him and put together solid at-bats.

I know that we're up 2-0, but there's still a lot of work to do. We start back up on Saturday and we need to try to come out that day and try to win a ballgame regardless of whether we're up 2-0 or not.

What impresses me is their ability day in and day out to grind for 27 outs. It's fun to watch. It's exciting because their professionalism has been rewarded thus far.

We're going to be up all night tonight flying, so tomorrow will be a rest day, and we'll try to make the two-hour adjustment as quickly as possible. It's best to get out tonight and get there as quickly as you can and go from there.

Talk to you from Chicago on Saturday.

Tonight was a big night for us. You do all that you can to keep the game in perspective. But you know that being at home, you want to get off on the right foot, and you know they've got their best guy going and we've got our best, so you know runs are going to be at a minimum. Therefore, it's hard to keep everything relaxed when your insides want to jump out of you and you're so excited about the opportunity that you have.

I did the best I could to keep it in perspective, and the night was a lot of fun. I was glad we came out and did what we always do -- and that's get key hits from different guys at key times. Webby threw the ball well tonight obviously and that was big for him to step up like that for us.

He went out there in Colorado last week and threw a game that we needed to win, and he came out tonight and threw a game that we needed to win. That's what a No. 1 does, and that's what we've come to expect from him. That's why he's got a Cy Young sitting on his mantle at home.

You can't forget the guys that drove in the runs, played good defense and the guys that followed him to the mound that finished it up.

I also want to say something about our crowd. It was amazing tonight. It was outstanding to look out and see a sea of red and get the support that we did here tonight. It's a whole lot of fun to see everybody rally around this team. It means a lot to us.

As soon as I take a shower here, I'll start thinking about tomorrow.

Today is a big day, no question about it, but I tried to stick to my normal schedule as much as possible.

So I did what I usually do before a home night game. I got up, got my son ready to go to school and then grabbed a bite to eat before dropping him off.

I got here very early today and went through video again on the Cubs and got in a workout and some early hitting in the cage. I still prepared like it was a 6:40 p.m. game instead of 7:05 so I had a little extra time in there, but you want to keep everything as normal as possible and as regimented as you do during the regular season. Because while this is a big game and we're only one of eight teams playing and the circumstances are a little different, it's your routine that keeps you comfortable. Your routine is what makes you feel like you are as prepared as possible to play.

I think our young players are ready to go. I haven't noticed anything different from them. The guys are still bouncing around and running around as a young group of guys usually does. I know they are looking forward to getting out on the field and finally playing.

Monday turned out even better than I thought. I had an opportunity to go to my son's soccer practice for the first time. That was unbelievable, because it's his first time playing soccer, so to be able to watch him run around with his Afro afire, it was an absolute pleasure.

Then I got the chance to go to my daughter's practice. I thought it was going to be a game, but it ended up being practice at 6:30 p.m., and then my oldest daughter had soccer practice right after school, which I didn't even know about. So I ended up going 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., which was absolutely fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a better day.

When I get done with our workout here today, I'll be headed to another soccer game at 3:30 p.m. and then my son's practice at 6 p.m., and then we'll grab dinner together. It's been a lot of fun being Dad and to know that we're still working, and that we are one of only eight teams that are playing. That's pretty special.

Now it's time to lock in on the Cubs. I started doing that this morning, just reviewing in my mind my at-bats against them and what they tried to do against me. Then I took care of some things around the house and came here early and looked at some video of my at-bats against them. I was able to get a workout in and some extra swings in the batting cage before going out to take regular BP. Slowly but surely, we're getting dialed in.

You have to hope, after you do all that, that everything comes together tomorrow night at 7:05.

I know there's been a lot of talk about the Cubs heading into this series and that's OK. We were rarely discussed all season long and that doesn't bother us. This group in here knows that we have the support of our fans and the commitment of everyone in the clubhouse, and as long as we're committed to each other, we'll go out there and lay it on the line and see what happens.

We're indifferent to who is getting the headlines or who is being talked about. We understand that once you get between the lines, the ball can bounce in a lot of different directions. A little luck doesn't hurt, either. But like I've been telling people, luck is the result of when preparation meets opportunity. So we'll continue to work, continue to stay focused on the things that got us to this point, and be hopeful that all the hard work we put in over the course of 162 games and the preparation we've done prior to this series is going to give us the opportunity to be successful.

It should be fun tomorrow night. I'm looking forward to seeing a packed house here. Hope to see you out here.