When the first pitch is thrown on Thursday night, the Diamondbacks will have begun their third decade of major-league games. We offer up four chapters dividing those two decades. This is Chapter Two.
Though they failed to make the playoffs in 2003, the Diamondbacks were fortunate to stay in the wild-card race into September. That they did it without the help of Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling made it that much more impressive.
Both aces struggled through injuries and landed on the disabled list for extensive stays. Neither posted a winning record or reached 10 wins as Schilling, who suffered a broken bone in his right hand, finished the season 8-9 and Johnson, out following surgery on his right knee, ended 6-8.