Arizona looks to future

PHOENIX – The season was sweet, just the ending was sour.

The Arizona Diamondbacks seem loaded for the future after a surprising run to the N.L. championship series ended in a four-game sweep by the Colorado Rockies.

The youngsters who played key roles in the team’s strong season gained invaluable experience in the playoffs.

“We’re going to be reckoned with in this league for many years to come,” third baseman Mark Reynolds said. “We’ve got a young nucleus here. We’ll be back and we’ll be making some noise next year.”

Reynolds was one of three rookies usually in the starting lineup.

The others were flashy center fielder Chris Young and 20-year-old right fielder Justin Upton.

Two others – shortstop Stephen Drew and first baseman Conor Jackson – were in their second big league season.

Tony Clark, the 11-year veteran who was the unquestioned leader in the clubhouse, said the youngsters could not have asked for a better year of seasoning.

“Having the opportunity to experience a postseason that doesn’t come around very often, as some of us will attest to, they have that under their belt,” Clark said.

The Diamondbacks persevered through the loss of Randy Johnson (back surgery), infielder Chad Tracy (knee surgery) and Gold Glove second baseman Orlando Hudson (hand surgery).

After signing a two-year, $26 million deal to come back to Arizona, Johnson went 4-3 with a 3.81 ERA before his back gave out for the second year in a row.