Goodbye Goldy, Arizona’s Legend it Couldn’t Capitalize On

An Era of Humbly Exuberant Moments

I’m not entirely sure why, but the memory of Goldy that stands out most clearly in my mind comes from June 18, 2013.

I was at a sports bar in Ahwatukee that I had never been to before and have not returned to since. My buddies and the rest of the patrons were transfixed by what was becoming the legendary Game 6 of the NBA finals in which Ray Allen’s miraculous game-tying 3 saved LeBron and The Heat.

Unlike seemingly anyone else at the establishment though, I was eyeing a tucked away TV showing the Arizona Diamondbacks locked in a 2-2 tie late in a game against the last-place Marlins. Goldy led off the 9th with a beautiful walk-off home run to straightaway center and no one in the bar appeared to notice.

I gave a lonely fist pump and delightfully watched Goldschmidt smiling shyly and rounding the bases in seeming anonymity — the perfect Goldy moment.

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An Era to (Hopefully) Learn From

Timing is everything in relationships, life, and baseball. The Paul Goldschmidt era in Arizona was largely a dysfunctional one, but it is him, rather than incompetent management that we will remember it by.

He was the most comforting of cornerstones, by all accounts an exceptional teammate, player, and person. We are as sad and sickened as sports can make us to see him go. The lineup will feel naked without him.

He is the greatest Diamondback position player of all time and was never surrounded by a team capable of playing past the divisional series. It is some strange consolation to Arizona Diamondbacks fans that he is now in the hands of such a proven and competent organization.

In St. Louis, he will hit home runs, see an exorbitant amount of 3-2 counts, win gold gloves and contend for an MVP and a World Series.

Arizona Diamondbacks fans have nothing but love for him, and nothing but hope that a player of his caliber will fall into its arms once again. Maybe next time, the team can support him with the sensical and successful team that he deserves.