Used to be in the Grand Canyon state each spring that you could count on sunshine, warm weather and Jerry Colangelo to make you proud to be an Arizonan.

Alas, while the sunshine and warm weather continue, Colangelo is long gone, rode into the sunset with his ’01 World Series ring in hand.

Colangelo’s commitment to the state was that he was always ready to open the checkbook, and at least try to bring the state a winner each season.

But Arizona baseball fans are about to experience what it’s been like in a lot of cities, with Arizona’s only MLB team set to give the NBA’s worst team, the Suns, a run for its money.

WHAT HAPPENED:

Two years ago the Dbacks found themselves in postseason play.

That’s after J.D. Martinez was brought onboard midway through the season and helped power the team the rest of the way.

When the season ended, the Dbacks couldn’t afford to keep Martinez and traded him away to the Red Sox.

To the surprise of absolutely no one, after they refused to try to find another supernova slugger to replace him, they failed to reach postseason last year.

Then, the fateful decision by owner Ken Kendrick, known as the “never will be Colangelo” in baseball circles, decided to take the team into the abyss.

In an indescribably bad decision, the geniuses in the front office decided last winter to trade away the heart of the team, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.

Paul Goldschmidt, the most recognizable face of Arizona sports teams.

Goldy as he is affectionately known (hello St. Louis).

The face of the franchise for years, the stability in the clubhouse, the one recognizable face when you think of all Arizona sports teams.

Gone.

Paul Goldschmidt’s contract has already been extended in St. Louis.

To prove how far into the abyss Kendrick is determined to take the team, the Dbacks then traded away its strikeout leader on the pitching staff—Patrick Corbin, and saw its starting center fielder—AJ Pollock—leave for the division winners.

And their replacements?

Nobody of note.

Cheap.

Cost saving.

“Rebuilding year.”

Screw the fans, let’s tighten the belt.

That’s who.

PREDICTION TIME:

The Arizona Diamondbacks are destined to be “that team” this year.

The one that will be 8 games back at the break, and will continue to slump further as other NL West teams beef up for the end of the season.

They will finish last in the NL West.

And the Arizona fans, remembering the glow of the Colangelo era, will be left debating whether the Suns or Dbacks are the worst joke in professional sports.

NL WEST:

1. Dodgers – Rotation health again a big concern, but too much talent not to win West again.
2. Rockies – Daniel Murphy might hit .350 with 40 homers at Coors Field.
3. Padres – Manny Machado + top-rated farm system = improvement in 2019.
4. Giants – Bumgarner and Posey remain, but the rebuild is now officially underway.
5. Diamondbacks – Seems like they’re stuck in no-man’s land, leaderless and just awful.

WATCH: Jim Heath’s Profile Of Jerry Colangelo: