Positive D-backs not panicking over slow start

DENVER -- As the team bus rolled in from the airport to the hotel here Thursday night, several of the D-backs' players tried to put their 1-5 start, which included dropping three of four to the Giants this week, in perspective.

"They came to our place to start the year and we swept them, and we were up three games on them to start the year and they went on to win the World Series," D-backs reliever Brad Ziegler said, referring to the 2012 season. "So slow starts don't necessarily kill you. There's just got to be a turnaround point, and at the same time, we can't panic. We've just got to go out and stick with the plan. We know there's nothing wrong with the game plan. It's been an issue with execution, and that's a matter of minor adjustments."

The D-backs made a point this spring to focus on preparing themselves mentally for the inevitable slumps and rough patches that come up over the course of a long, grinding baseball season.

Little did they know that their resilience would be tested right out of the gate, but manager Kirk Gibson said he did not feel the need to have a meeting prior to Friday's series opener with the Rockies.

"We had normal meetings," Gibson said. "We could have easily won three out of four against the Giants. Some things didn't go right in situations. We just try and prepare to excel in those situations in this series. I think we've had good game plans. Execution wasn't there with a couple of things."

That's the D-backs' plan and they're sticking to it.

"I've said several times to just stay involved and focus on your approach and the process, and that's what you do unless you think that's wrong. Then you change it," Gibson said. "But I don't think that's been wrong."