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Annual Rockies-Bashing Article
June 7, 2005-
Showed up for yet another Rockies game on Monday night, 6/6/05. We're halfway through the sentence,
as I only have 3 more Rockies game to attend for the rest of the season...and 2 of those are Pirates
games.
No having anything worth celebrating in their own history, I found out that the Rockies have recently
unveiled a new statue at the homeplate/20th & Blake entrance. It's a non-descript
statue of "The Player", commemorating..... Branch Rickey. Okay. I know the Branch Rickey Foundation
is headquarted in Denver, but I don't see the need for a statue. I imagine the Rockies
"braintrust" of Keli McGregor, Charlie Monfort and Dick Monfort thought "hey, Rickey was involved
in BASEBALL... and the Rockies ALSO play BASEBALL! Do it!"
Reporting from our traditional left field spot, the usual load of crap begat
more crap. Before the game, approximately 4,000 kids and coaches from the local Arapahoe Youth League
were allowed to parade
around the warning track. But NOT on the grass... security was stationed around the dirt walkways to
make sure no rugrats ran onto the grass. I hollered to one group of kids as they walked by :
"Hey! Give ya' 10 bucks if ya' run onto the grass!" One kid looked up and said "Really?!" His coach
quickly shoo'ed him away. Another coach, light on the life load, told his kids "soak it up, guys..
soak it up". Right, because ALL kids should be inspired by the awesome-tack-ular-ness of
Coors Frickin' Field, home of the Shittiest Franchise in MLB History Not-Named "Devil Rays".
Game got underway with Freddy Garcia and Joe Kennedy on the mound. The Chicago White Sox
were the last MLB team to visit Denver. Thus, Gracia seemed to struggle in the first inning.
Giving up a single, plunking a batter, then surrendering up a three-run home run to Brad Hawpe.
After that, Garcia was lights-out as he limited to Rockies to one additional hit in
a strong eight inning performance. I wasn't counting pitches, but I believe he had
a 5-pitch, 3-out inning at one point.
Kennedy didn't fare as strongly, giving up a homer and allowing multiple
extra-base hits. Around the sixth inning or so, Sox lead-off man Scott Podsednik
got on. Kennedy was incredibly concerned and made three straight shitty pick-off
attempts at first. After all that, Podsednik promptly stole second as soon as Kennedy
pitched to home plate. So much for "keeping the runner close" or "sending a message".
A few batters later, A.J. Pierzynski knocked a bases-clearing double into left field.
Paul Konerko was heading for home, and it was up to the Rockies' JD Closser to
block the plate. Closser MOVED OUT OF THE WAY of the incoming throw, jumped away from Konerko
and the ball hit the umpire. Wow. Biggest wuss move I've ever seen by a catcher.
Usually, Rockies games lean towards the pathetic side, but overall you can find some
fun in them. This was probably the most futile effort I've ever seen these bozos put on.
That includes games I've attended with Alex Cole in center, and Scott Karl on the mound.
After the game, I found out that the Rockies had lost their new superstar, SS Clint Barmes
to a freak stair-climbing incident, earlier in the day. Barmes broke his collar bone
while running up the steps in his apartment complex and is out for 3 months. Also,
manager Clint Hurdle's 2 year old daughter was re-admitted to Children's Hopsital. Seems
mean-spirited to kick the losers when they're down....but when your catcher jumps
out of the way of an incoming throw, that's inexcusable.
Plenty of good seats are still available for ALL Rockies' home games...
Third!
It may not last long, but yesterday's standings (June 6) had the Pittsburgh Pirates in
THIRD PLACE in the NL Central. A half game ahead of the Brewers and 9.5 behind the Cardinals.
Pittsburgh wont make the wildcard this year, and they're still under .500, but the optimistic
point is that they've been IN most of their games, recently. They've been able to
hold their own with the Braves and Cardinals. Losing 3-4 still sucks...but considering it's
not the usual 3-9 is encouraging.
With Ian Snell and Zach Duke doing well in Triple A, the Bucs can afford to lose
their annual starter at the trade deadline. Kip Wells
is the most likely to be shipped out, this year.
The upward trend began back in early May before a nine-game roadtrip. The Bucs were in last place
and speculation was that manager Lloyd McClendon wouldn't survive the trip. The Bucs
then won 2 out of 3 at every stop-- Houston, Arizona and San Francisco. They went on to finish above
.500 for May and things seemed to have worked out. Rick White began to settle down and Rob Mackowiak
has gone on to lead the team in RBI's. It'll be interesting to see how their upcoming trip
to New York and Boston will work out.
Oh yeah...I'll be in Pittsburgh this weekend to see them play the Devil Rays. Have a few more
stops, then I'll be in New York to see them play the Yankees. While I'm in New York, I hope
to see the usual touristy stuff. Especially the Statue of Liberty...where COUNTLESS superhero
meetings have taken place. Too bad the Statue's arm is closed off, as that's where Spider-Man
used to meet up with the Human Torch. Oh well.
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