Anyone who's paid any attention to the Arizona Diamondbacks in this summer of 2011 knows how gritty the team it. Grit manifests itself in various ways, most of them having nothing to do with the amount of dirt the equipment manager has to wash off the uniforms.
↵Skipper Kirk Gibson said before the season started that he wanted teams to feel uncomfortable playing his team. He wanted the opposition to know that they were in a fight and that meant that his squad was going to compete for nine full innings -- something that the 2010 version of the D-backs most certainly did not do.
↵If he were able to be completely honest with us, Gibby would admit that this team has far exceeded his expectations for the season. They might even be the most surprising team in Arizona Sports History.
↵One reason for that and one sure sign of the grit and determination that Gibby promised us in the spring is their propensity to come from behind. AZ Snake Pit does its typical fantastic job breaking down those details which includes such gems as...
↵↵↵Arizona Diamondbacks: Comeback Kings - AZ Snake Pit
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The difference is that last year, we had 43 comebacks inflicted on us - almost twice as many as the figure thus far (23). Overall, we've gone from -9 to +11 , a very significant turn-around. Another clear difference is that, in 2010, Arizona got walked-off in defeat no less than 13 times: that was never less than crushing, and has happened a mere four times in 2011.
Check it out and see even more charts like this one.
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