PHOENIX -- The Diamondbacks said this week that Eric Byrnes will be their left fielder next season, but Byrnes knows he won't be able to ever replace Luis Gonzalez.

"I'm very excited about the prospects of being in Arizona for at least another year, and, hopefully, a lot longer than that," said Byrnes, who is eligible for salary aribtration.

"As far as replacing Gonzo, you can't do it. Neither the three of us out there that they plan on playing next year, nor whatever other outfielders they bring in next year, no one's going to replace Gonzo.

"He's like Joe Montana in San Francisco. He's irreplaceable. Not only what he did on the field statistics-wise and what he did to help the team win and in the community, with his relationships that he built, he's one of a kind. Arizona, in my mind, will never see another player like him."

Byrnes, who was signed as a free agent during the offseason, leads the club in homers (23) and stolen bases (21) and can play all three outfield positions.

"He's done a pretty nice job in any position we've thrown him out there in this year," D-Backs manager Bob Melvin said. "He's an energy guy that has really lived up to billing and probably exceeded it since he's been here."

Byrnes called Gonzalez "probably my favorite teammate I've ever played with" and added, "They're not making this decision because of me. It's not like I'm the heir apparent of left field. That's not the case. Don't kid yourself."

Another veteran departure: Infielder Craig Counsell will, in all likelihood, follow Gonzalez out of town. The veteran met with general manager Josh Byrnes prior to Friday's game to clarify his status.

Counsell, who will be a free agent, wants to play every day and there's not an opening with the D-Backs given the play of shortstop Stephen Drew and second baseman Orlando Hudson. Add in the emergence of top prospect Alberto Callaspo, a reserve role may not even be an option.

That came as no surprise to Counsell, who has previously said he didn't anticipate being back next season, a statement he reiterated before Friday's meeting with Byrnes.

"I don't expect to learn anything new," Counsell said. "We'll do it. It's not necessary, but we'll do it."

Byrnes said given what Counsell has meant to the franchise, he felt the meeting was important because he wanted to keep him posted as to where things stood.

Tough goodbyes: When Counsell first joined the D-Backs in 2000, he was assigned the locker next to Gonzalez and found out firsthand just how generous his new teammate was.

"I could not believe how accommodating he was to everybody and how much time he gave of himself to anybody that asked anything of him," Counsell said. "From media to employees to anybody. I was like, 'Man, why did you say yes to that?' He would never say no. I couldn't believe that he would never say no. There won't be another player that represents the team better than Luis for a long time. We were all lucky to be part of a team that's star player was also its best guy. There's not too many cases in sports where you find that to be the case."

The two were teammates on the 2001 world champions, a time that Counsell said he will never forget.

"I've said it before, I've played six years here and it's not just another team," Counsell said. "It's a team I won a World Series with. You know people with ties to that, it's going to be a lot more special for everybody because nobody's ever going to forget that."

Fellow veteran Tony Clark, who played with Gonzalez in Detroit before spending the past two seasons in Arizona with him, will miss his friend's presence in the clubhouse.

"The biggest thing for me about Gonzo has less to do with his baseball career and more with who the man is," Clark said. "I was fortunate enough in 1998 to have spent a full year with him even before he came here and had all the success that he did. I've learned to appreciate over the years who he is as a man, who he is as a father, who he is as a husband. What he's done on the field speaks for itself."

Up next: The D-Backs continue their three-game series with the Rockies on Saturday with Claudio Vargas (11-9) taking on Josh Fogg (9-9).