After an emotionally draining game with a disappointing ending, the Rockies finally had the chance to sit back and reflect.
In the visitor's clubhouse in Phoenix, the players tried to describe their wide range of emotions: amazement at the craziness of the game they just played in, sadness that their season had come to an end and appreciation for being a part of the club's fourth postseason berth in team history.
Here's just some of what was said to 9NEWS after the game.
Player Reflections
Pitcher Jon Gray, on his disappointing outing: "I think I was just doing too much out there. I could tell early that i was overthrowing my off-speed pitches.Things were up in the zone, and every time that happened they hurt me. The environment (in Arizona) was pretty loud. You want to step up and do something good for the team. It's tough. I'm just hoping to learn from it."
Gray, on the offense fighting back and making it a game: "It's awesome. That's what our team is all about. We've been fighting all year long, and that's what you get from our guys every single game. They're one of the best offenses I've ever seen. You can't count them out."
Third Baseman Nolan Arenado: "We should be remembered for being a very good baseball team. And, we're a young baseball team. We've got a lot of young guys. We're young, and that's a sign that we're only going to get better."
Arenado, on the comeback: "That's the way we've been the whole year. We don't quit. We battled with the best of them, and I'm very proud of the way we did that. The Diamondbacks were just the better team."
Arenado, on whether this season was a success: "Partially. We've got a lot of young guys, and this is our first go-round in the postseason. The experience is good for us. It's only going to make us better. This is also a sign that we all need to work hard and get better."
Outfielder Charlie Blackmon: "I'm really proud of the guys. I think we grinded all season, and not just today. We played hard. We prepared. We did a lot of things. It's kind of a shame that this is our last game of the year before everyone goes their separate ways. But, I don't think you can look at a successful season with a negative light just because of this last game. We had a lot of improvement this year from the year before, and I expect we'll take another step forward next year."
Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez on the Wild Card loss: "It was a crazy game, all the way from the beginning to the end. It's too bad that we didn't get the win, but at the end only one team can go farther. It's disappointing that we're not going to the next round, but there's a lot of things to be proud of in this room. A lot of people counted out the Rockies at the start of the season."
Gonzalez, on his looming free agency: "I don't know what the future holds for me. I'm really thankful for all the years. It's been nine seasons here with this organization. I am who I am today because of them and because of the fans. The way they treated me...there's not enough words to say thank you. I feel proud because I represented the Rockies the right way. I went to All-Star games and the playoffs wearing a Colorado jersey. I'll always be a part of this organization."
