It’s time to mourn the D-backs. The good kind.

The dream has died. The offer will have to wait. Baseball season is over.

Good grief.

be honest. Isn’t that what we all feel?

Yes, there is sadness and anger after a 5-0 loss to the Rangers in Game 5 of the World Series. It’s never easy to say goodbye, and this was a premature funeral for a friend.

But there is also gratitude and hope. The Diamondbacks’ incredible run through the postseason marks the beginning of a new era in Arizona, along with a great new bond between the Valley and our baseball team.

Yes, this kind of sadness comes with a lot of good. Good aid pile. So, get some tools. It’s time to understand the Diamondbacks’ 2023 range.

Through a telescope, they represent a glowing team, a new star in the baseball constellation.

Under the microscope, they were the perfect blend of youthful spunk and seasoned spice, resulting in one of the most unexpected experiments in our sporting history.

Use your stethoscope, and you will hear the team that captured the heart of the valley. Even if their pulse fades forever.

“It’s like your favorite roller coaster,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “You never want to get off.”

When Lovullo entered the interview room, he immediately noticed his family sitting in the back. He was overcome with emotion. It was a touching and beautiful scene. And the pain was very real.

Lovullo was asked how long it will take to digest this defeat.

“Man, that’s a good question,” Lovullo said. “I want to run away and hide for a few days. I want to go camping and sit in the tent and suck my thumb and eat ice cream. Is that the weirdest answer you guys have ever gotten?”

In fact, it’s the best answer ever.

History will show that the Diamondbacks lost three games in three nights before three sold-out crowds at Chase Field. They joined the 1992-93 Suns, who reached the NBA Finals and lost all three games played in downtown Phoenix. This is frustrating. This is not how you treat paying customers.

But 2023’s scrapbook is full of indelible memories. The postseason will be remembered for its Lovullo party atmosphere. For managing the worst playoff win of Clayton Kershaw’s career. To sweep the dreaded Dodgers. For Alec Thomas’ dramatic home run. To rally to win two road games in a hostile hot spot in South Philadelphia, where no other team had tasted victory.

There was the powerful star power of Meryl Kelly. There was the emergence of Brandon Pvadt and other young players who would grow greatly from this experience. And there was a bounce-back performance on Wednesday from Zach Gallen, the team’s designated player who found himself dominant on the brink of elimination. He carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, raising his game to meet the moment.

Unfortunately, the Diamondbacks’ offense gave him very little in return, allowing the Rangers to win their 11th straight game and capture the first World Series title in franchise history.

The future is never guaranteed. As Valley fans can attest, many promising teams hit the ground running and never return to the top of the mountain.

But the Diamondbacks are different. Their young talent is undeniable, and there is so much more to come. Their leadership is outstanding, and I would not trade Lovullo and Mike Hazen for any other group of managers and general managers in baseball. And now comes the time for majority owner Ken Kendrick to upgrade this team with major financial boosts: another baserunner, a third baseman, and perhaps another power hitter.

Wait until next year?

definitely. Until then, it is a time to mourn and a time to grieve. The good kind.

“I want to be in pain,” Lovullo said. “I want to remember how I feel because I never want to feel that way again.”

Contact Bickley at [email protected]. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6-10 a.m. on Arizona Sports.

Follow @danbickley