Goldschmidt: As a Player, You Put the Blame on Yourself

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced Monday of the shakeup in management and their front office as the fired general manager Dave Stewart and manager Chip Hale. After a 69-93 season, you knew changes may be coming, but these moves now completely shakeup the organization.

One constant through the last two regimes in the Diamondbacks front office has been first baseman Paul Goldschmidt who on Tuesday weighed in on the situation.

“Knowing them so personally, the first reaction you have is just sadness,” Goldschmidt told Sports360AZ. “You get to know them on a personal level. You get to see the work they put in and how positive they were. Just the effort they gave day in and day out doing everything they could to help our team win and get us to a World Series.”

“That was our goal,” he added. “Unfortunately they are not going to be with the organization to help us accomplish that goal.”

When it comes to Chip Hale, there are many believe that it may have been too early to jump ship on him but ultimately the Diamondbacks have opted for a clean slate. Goldschmidt states that though Hale and Stewart have taken the fall, the blame spreads around to everyone for the disappointing season they had.

“As a player, you put the blame on yourself,” Goldschmidt stated. “You say ‘what could I have done different?’ or ‘how could I have played better? What plays could I have made? Any more hits I could have had? What more could I have done differently?’ and I know the other guys on our team are feeling the same way.”

Stability is important to franchises in sports. Though the Diamondbacks have lacked that for the last several years, Goldschmidt mentions as a player, it should not impact you.

“Honestly, I think as a player, you are so focused on doing your job that that stuff doesn’t effect you as much,” he explained. “Guys are used to getting traded, guys are used to going up and down to the Minor Leagues, in college, high school, you’re almost on a different team every year. So I understand them wanting to have the continuity but if it happens, you still have to go out there and do your job.”

The Diamondbacks reportedly are already active in their pursuit of a general manager and the fans along with Paul Goldschmidt anxiously await to see how the chips will fall.

In the mean time, Paul and his wife Amy are getting ready for their first ever ‘Goldy’s Bowling Bash’ at Lucky Strike in CityScape in Downtown Phoenix next month.  Proceeds from the event benefit Goldy’s Fund 4 Kids which support Phoenix Children’s Hospital Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders. Paul and Amy have been very active in their support at Phoenix Children’s Hospital for the last five years and find themselves even more passionate about than ever after Amy gave birth to their first son about a year ago.

Amy mentioned that on the alley, she has gotten the best of Paul before and is looking to get the best of him in front of everyone at the event next month. She added that their may need to be a trophy on the line for in-house bragging rights.

On November 10th is the night to join the Goldschmidts as well as Luis Gonzalez, Mark Grace, Jim Bones Mackay, Drew Stanton, Dustin Pedroia, Andre Ethier, Brandon McCarthy, Justin Upton, Miguel Montero, Paul Konerko, David Peralta and many more at 5:30pm.