Major League Baseball team season
The 1998 Arizona Diamondbacks season was the Diamondbacks' inaugural season. They looked to contend in what was a strong National League West . They finished the season 33 games behind the National League Champion San Diego Padres with a record of 65–97, last in the division.
Jeff Suppan was the last player from the inaugural team still active in Major League Baseball when he retired in 2012.
Offseason
February 7, 1997: Mark Davis was signed as a free agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks.[1]
August 14, 1997: Mark Davis was sent to the Milwaukee Brewers by the Arizona Diamondbacks as part of a conditional deal.[1]
November 17, 1997: Jay Bell signed as a free agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks.[2]
November 18, 1997: Devon White was traded by the Florida Marlins to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Jesus Martinez (minors).[3]
November 18, 1997: Travis Fryman was traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Gabe Alvarez, Joe Randa, and Matt Drews (minors).[4]
December 1, 1997: Matt Williams was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Travis Fryman, Tom Martin, and cash.[5]
January 8, 1998: Andy Stankiewicz signed as a free agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks.[6]
January 11, 1998: Mark Davis was signed as a free agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks.[1]
Expansion Draft
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
1996–97 MLB June drafts and minor league affiliates
The two expansion teams set to debut in 1998, the Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays , had two full seasons to establish scouting and player development systems and were permitted to participate fully in the 1996 and 1997 Major League Baseball drafts . The Diamondbacks drafted 30th in both 1996 and 1997, selecting 62 players (1996) and 60 players (1997) in those drafts. The team began developing those players in a farm system with three minor-league affiliates in 1996 and four in 1997.
Among the players selected and signed by Arizona from those drafts were pitchers Brad Penny (fifth round, 1996) and Casey Fossum (seventh, 1996); infielders Alex Cintrón (36th, 1997), Jack Cust (first, 1997) and Junior Spivey (36th round, 1996); and outfielders Ron Calloway (eighth, 1997) and Jason Conti (32nd, 1996).
1996 farm system
Visalia affiliation shared with Detroit Tigers [7]
1997 farm system
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: High Desert [7]
Regular season
Opening Day starters
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]
Team
AZ
ATL
CHC
CIN
COL
FLA
HOU
LA
MIL
MTL
NYM
PHI
PIT
SD
SF
STL
AL
Arizona
—
1–8
5–7
4–5
6–6
6–2
4–5
4–8
6–3
2–7
4–5
2–7
6–3
3–9
5–7
2–7
5–8
Atlanta
8–1
—
3–6
7–2
5–3
7–5
4–5
8–1
7–2
6–6
9–3
8–4
7–2
5–4
7–2
6–3
9–7
Chicago
7–5
6–3
—
6–5
7–2
7–2
4–7
4–5
6–6
7–2
4–5
3–6
8–3
5–4
7–3
4–7
5–8
Cincinnati
5–4
2–7
5–6
—
4–5
9–0
3–8
5–4
6–5
8–1
3–6
4–5
5–7
1–11
2–7
8–3
7-6
Colorado
6–6
3–5
2–7
5–4
—
6–3
6–5
6–6
4–7
7–2
3–6
5–4
5–4
5–7
7–5
3–6
4–8
Florida
2–6
5–7
2–7
0–9
3–6
—
3–6
4–5
0–9
5–7
5–7
6–6
3–6
4–5
0–9
4–5
8–8
Houston
5–4
5–4
7–4
8–3
5–6
6-3
—
3–6
9–2
7–2
5–4
7–2
9–2
5–4
6–3
5–7
10–4
Los Angeles
8–4
1–8
5–4
4–5
6–6
5–4
6–3
—
5–4
5–4
3–5
5–4
7–5
5–7
6–6
4–5
8–5
Milwaukee
3–6
2–7
6–6
5–6
7–4
9–0
2–9
4–5
—
6–3
1–8
4–5
6–5
3–6
5–4
3–8
8–6
Montreal
7–2
6–6
2–7
1–8
2–7
7–5
2–7
4–5
3–6
—
8–4
5–7
2–7
4–4
3–6
3–6
6–10
New York
5–4
3–9
5–4
6–3
6–3
7–5
4–5
5–3
8–1
4–8
—
8–4
4–5
4–5
4–5
6–3
9–7
Philadelphia
7-2
4–8
6–3
5–4
4–5
6–6
2–7
4–5
5–4
7–5
4–8
—
8–1
1–8
2–6
3–6
7–9
Pittsburgh
3–6
2–7
3–8
7–5
4–5
6–3
2–9
5–7
5–6
7–2
5–4
1–8
—
5–4
2–7
6–5
6–7
San Diego
9–3
4–5
4–5
11–1
7–5
5–4
4–5
7–5
6–3
4–4
5–4
8–1
4–5
—
8–4
6–3
6–7
San Francisco
7–5
2–7
3–7
7–2
5–7
9–0
3–6
6–6
4–5
6–3
5–4
6–2
7–2
4–8
—
7–5
8–5
St. Louis
7–2
3–6
7–4
3–8
6–3
5-4
7–5
5–4
8–3
6–3
3–6
6–3
5–6
3–6
5–7
—
4–9
Notable transactions
June 23, 1998: Alan Embree was traded by the Atlanta Braves to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Russ Springer.[8]
June 26, 1998: Aaron Small was selected off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks from the Oakland Athletics.[9]
Roster
1998 Arizona Diamondbacks
Roster
Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Other batters
Manager
Coaches
Game log
1998 Game Log (65–97)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
Streak
1
March 31
Rockies
2–9
D. Kile
A. Benes (0–1)
47,484
0–1
Loss 1
2
April 1
Rockies
0–6
J. Thompson
W. Blair (0–1)
43,758
0–2
Loss 2
3
April 2
Rockies
4–6
P. Astacio
B. Anderson (0–1)
Dipoto
42,876
0–3
Loss 3
4
April 3
Giants
3–8
M. Gardner
J. Suppan (0–1)
45,590
0–4
Loss 4
5
April 4
Giants
3–5
D. Darwin
G. Olson (0–1)
Nen
47,047
0–5
Loss 5
6
April 5
Giants
3–2
A. Benes (1–1)
S. Estes
Rodriguez (1)
47,593
1–5
Win 1
7
April 7
@ Dodgers
1–9
C. Park
W. Blair (0–2)
52,424
1–6
Loss 1
8
April 8
@ Dodgers
3–0
B. Anderson (1–1)
H. Nomo
Rodriguez (2)
37,016
2–6
Win 1
9
April 9
@ Dodgers
2–7
I. Valdez
J. Suppan (0–2)
39,541
2–7
Loss 1
10
April 10
@ Padres
4–6
D. Mecili
F. Rodriguez (0–1)
27,246
2–8
Loss 2
11
April 11
@ Padres
0–7
P. Smith
J. Adamson (0–1)
37,753
2–9
Loss 3
12
April 12
@ Padres
2–4
J. Hamilton
W. Blair (0–3)
Hoffman
26,217
2–10
Loss 4
13
April 13
@ Padres
0–1
A. Ashby
B. Anderson (1–2)
36,278
2–11
Loss 5
14
April 14
@ Cardinals
5–15
M. Bushy
C. Sodowsky (0–1)
31,477
2–12
Loss 6
15
April 16(1)
@ Cardinals
4–5
T. Stottlmyrer
J. Adamson (0–2)
Brantley
N/A
2–13
Loss 7
16
April 16(2)
@ Cardinals
8–2
A. Benes (2–1)
D. Osborne
32,039
3–13
Win 1
17
April 17
Marlins
7–5
R. Springer (1–0)
V. Darensbourgh
Rodriguez (3)
47,401
4–13
Win 2
18
April 18
Marlins
7–5
B. Manuel (1–0)
A. Alfonseca
Rodriguez (4)
49,910
5–13
Win 3
19
April 19
Marlins
3–4
B. Meadows
J. Suppan (0–3)
Stanifer
47,339
5–14
Loss 1
20
April 20
Marlins
15–4
C. Sodowsky (1–1)
L. Hernandez
45,256
6–14
Win 1
21
April 22
@ Braves
2–5
J. Smoltz
A. Benes (2–2)
30,952
6–15
Loss 1
22
April 23
@ Braves
1–3
T. Glavine
W. Blair (0–4)
Wohlers
33,013
6–16
Loss 2
23
April 24
@ Braves
5–6
K. Ligtenberg
R. Springer (1–1)
41,514
6–17
Loss 3
24
April 25
@ Marlins
4–3 (11)
S. Brow (1–0)
V. Darensbourogh
Rodriguez (5)
28,710
7–17
Win 1
25
April 26
@ Marlins
6–12
E. Ludwick
J. Adamson (0–3)
24,782
7–18
Loss 1
26
April 27
Braves
5–6
M. Cather
O. Daal (0–1)
Wohlers
47,410
7–19
Loss 2
27
April 28
Braves
2–12
T. Glavine
W. Blair (0–5)
47,593
7–20
Loss 3
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
162
Legend: = Win = Loss = Postponement
Player stats
Batting
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; Avg. = Batting average
[10]
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; Avg. = Batting average
Pitching
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts; BB = Walks allowed
[10]
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts; BB = Walks allowed
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts; BB = Walks allowed
Farm system
[7] [11]
References
External links
Franchise Ballparks Culture Lore Rivalries Key personnel World Series championships (1) National League pennants (2) NL West division titles (5) NL Wild Card (2) Minor league affiliates Broadcasting
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