"Awesome game," the Rocket said.

 "Let's do it again next year," the Arizona ace answered.

 Come to think of it, baseball fans, let's replay the whole season.

 Barry Bonds hitting a beyond-belief 73 home runs. Mark McGwire, Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn taking their last swings. Rickey Henderson running -- and sliding -- past Ty Cobb, walking past Babe Ruth and joining the 3,000-hit club.

 Ichiro Suzuki, and his record-setting Seattle Mariners.

 From the first hit of the year -- quarter-billion dollar man Alex Rodriguez got it in Puerto Rico -- to the very last -- Luis Gonzalez's broken-bat single in November -- the entire trip was a treat.

 Especially for the Diamondbacks. In only their fourth year of existence, Arizona wrapped up a wild World Series with a comeback for the ages.

 Game 7 began as a duel in the desert between Schilling and Clemens. A double-play grounder away from defeat, the Diamondbacks rallied against the great Mariano Rivera for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the three-time defending champion New York Yankees 3-2.

 "We knew this Series was going to end kind of funky," said Mark Grace, whose single started the comeback.

 The 37-year-old first baseman was among many Arizona old-timers to finally win a ring. Rookie manager Bob Brenly, Series co-MVPs Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, Matt Williams, Jay Bell, Bobby Witt, Greg Swindell, Steve Finley and Mike Morgan also were on that list.

 Byung-Hyun Kim could join the celebration. The Arizona closer nearly threw it away, giving up tying, two-run homers with two outs in the bottom of the ninth at Yankee Stadium in Games 4 and 5, leaving him near tears, crouched on the mound.

 Despite being thanked by New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani for the Yankees' effort on behalf of a shaken city, owner George Steinbrenner did not rest easy, particularly after Paul O'Neill and Scott Brosius retired.

 While baseball headed toward yet another labor showdown and talked about getting rid of two teams -- the Montreal Expos and Minnesota Twins were the likely candidates -- the Boss was busy.

 The Yankees quickly signed free agents Jason Giambi, Rondell White and Steve Karsay, and traded for Robin Ventura and John Vander Wal.

 "The Yankees are the Yankees," Boston Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette said.

 Other big-name players changed places before the season. Manny Ramirez, Juan Gonzalez and Mike Mussina joined new teams, and Roberto Alomar, John Rocker and Carl Everett switched clubs after it ended.

 The only prime player the Yankees did not pursue, it seemed, was Bonds.

 Bonds put on one of the game's truly great performances, breaking McGwire's 1998 record of 70 homers and topping Ruth's marks with an .863 slugging percentage and 177 walks.

 With a previous career high of 49 homers, it was a startling display and earned him his record fourth MVP award.

 "Once you've won it a few times, the standards for you are very high," Bonds said. "It's very difficult to achieve it again."

 At 37, getting an enormous, multiyear contract proved to be tough for the often-prickly Bonds. He became a free agent, then stayed with the San Francisco Giants.

 Ripken, McGwire and Gwynn moved on, though. They're already enjoying retirement.

 Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and one more that didn't count in the official records -- a fitting home run that made him the MVP of the All-Star game in Seattle. He's looking forward to running youth leagues in Maryland.

 McGwire bowed out because of a bad knee, leaving with 583 home runs. He's getting ready for marriage.

 Gwynn left with 3,141 hits and eight NL batting titles. He's set to coach at his alma mater, San Diego State, which plays at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

 "I'm not sad that I'm leaving by any means," Ripken said. "I've had a lot of people cry in front of me, fans who would say, 'Please don't go. One more year. It's not going to be the same without you.'

 "I find myself consoling them. I say, 'It's going to be all right."'

 While baseball said so long to a few others, including Albert Belle and Eric Davis, most fans got their first look at the incredible Suzuki.

 Suzuki became the first Japanese-born player to be an everyday major leaguer and went on to be the AL MVP. He batted a league-leading .350, topped the majors with 56 stolen bases and got 242 hits, the most in the majors since 1930 when Bill Terry had 254.

 Suzuki also won a Gold Glove in the outfield while helping the Mariners win 116 games, tying the major league record set by the 1906 Chicago Cubs.

 Henderson also had a big year.

 In April, he broke Ruth's career mark with his 2,063rd walk. In the final week of the season, he got the record he really wanted when he passed Cobb by scoring his 2,246th run -- he homered and slid into the plate.

 On the last day of the season, baseball's career steals leader became the 25th member of the 3,000-hit club.

 Also in 2001:

 -- Following a week off after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, baseball returned to tighter security and poignant scenes. New York Mets players wore the caps of police, fire and emergency personnel, the Pittsburgh Pirates handed out "I Love New York" buttons and Boston fans sang along to Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York."

 -- Kirby Puckett, Dave Winfield, Bill Mazeroski and Hilton Smith were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Ozzie Smith leads the list of new candidates for January's election.

 -- Injuries took their toll, with Mo Vaughn missing the whole season, Nomar Garciaparra out for most of the year and Ken Griffey Jr. never getting into a groove. John Smoltz, sidelined for all of 2000, overcame more problems and became the Braves' closer. Derek Jeter began the season on the disabled list and wound up making a backhand flip in the playoffs that was the play of the year. He also homered to win Game 4 of the World Series, just minutes into November.

 -- PNC Park opened in Pittsburgh and Miller Park opened in Milwaukee. While those teams did not challenge, Philadelphia and Minnesota became surprise contenders. Longtime Twins manager Tom Kelly retired after the season.

 -- Pittsburgh and Cleveland made unbelievable rallies. Down 8-2 with two outs and nobody on base in the bottom of the ninth, the Pirates beat Houston 9-8 on Brian Giles' grand slam. Down 14-2 in the seventh, Cleveland matched the biggest comeback in big league history by beating Seattle 15-14 in 11 innings.

 -- Two weird situations developed. Asked by the Indians' Omar Vizquel to take off his diamond earrings, Mariners reliever Arthur Rhodes became incensed and the teams nearly brawled. After singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh-inning stretch, former Chicago Bears lineman Steve McMichael criticized an umpire and was ejected from Wrigley Field.