"Joe Saunders doesn't allow his thoughts about next season to drift too far before he stops them cold.

He might have less than 1 1/2 seasons with the Diamondbacks, but the left-hander says he feels a connection to the organization and doesn't want his days with the team to come to an end.

"I just want to be a part of it," Saunders said when asked about the team's chances for 2012.

"For me, I hope they want me back. It would be a great honor to be back and be able to make another run at this thing.

"That's where I'm at. I can't worry about stuff I can't control."

This season, Saunders provided stability and durability to a club that won 94 games and the National League West, but his results and potential salary for next season come together at a tricky catch-22:

He had a good enough year that the Diamondbacks would be comfortable bringing him back, but his results might have been so good as to drive his 2012 salary into a range the team is unwilling to pay."