With the baseball season upon us, I must admit that I struggled to find the positives when it came to writing about the Colorado Rockies. The team had gotten off to another slow start, the pitchers were getting shelled, and Kris Bryant was again, a virtual no-show. So, I cheated. I sat down at my computer, then asked ChatGPT to write me an 800-word article about the Colorado Rockies and all that was good. Within minutes, there it was. The words Cold Beer repeated 400 times. So, here it is. My annual story about the Colorado Rockies, written before they become too irrelevant, which is roughly... Read More

Seneca, the great Roman Philosopher once wrote – Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. But no one could have been prepared for this. Elias Diaz was a no-name, journeyman catcher for the Colorado Rockies, batting .270 with just 9 HRs and 45 RBIs. He spent his days calling pitches for a staff that had a league worst 5.66 ERA, and his nights thinking about being on a team that was dead last in their division, 18.5 games out of first place. And it was only July. The original plan was to probably go fishing, visit some relatives, or simply rest at home with an ice pack on his right... Read More

The baseball season is ridiculously long. Pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in early February. Opening Day is at the end of March, and with 162 games to be played, the regular season lasts all the way to the end of September. And now that Major League Baseball has expanded their Playoffs to include six teams in each league, it is fair to believe that your favorite team may be playing in October – or even Game Seven in November. The point being – baseball lasts forever. Even the worst of teams can hover just below .500 for months, go on a decent winning streak sometime after... Read More

The beginning of spring brings us warm weather, Easter brunches, bottomless mimosas, and plenty of empty carbs. Spring also brings us the NBA Playoffs, The Masters, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and a Rockies team that is not yet mathematically eliminated. Unlike the Dallas Mavericks, I was interested in the final games of the NBA season this fine spring weekend. Unlike Bryson DeChambeau, I participated in all four rounds of The Masters. And unlike Jorge Masvidal, I finished the weekend on my feet, and ready for more – despite the bottomless mimosas. • Intrigue at The Masters usually begins... Read More

It makes sense that C.J Cron has gone virtually unnoticed for the last nine years. The first baseman/DH spent the first four years of his major league career in the shadows of Mike Trout and Albert Pujois in Anaheim. The next three years were spent buried in the obscurity of the Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins, and Detroit Tigers. After batting just .190 for the Tigers, and with limited options, Cron found himself signing a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies that happened to include an invitation to Spring Training. Making the major league roster was quite the accomplishment but... Read More

Name any baseball movie and you will generally find loveable losers that conquer in the end. A drunk coach, a female pitcher, and a team of misfits turn it around in The Bad News Bears. Jake Taylor and his team of castoffs take Cleveland to the playoffs in Major League. And once Roy Hobbs finally gets his shot (no pun intended if you’ve read the book), the fledgling New York Knights are practically unbeatable in The Natural. Unfortunately, the Colorado Rockies are not a movie. The script reads like one with frugal owners, star players leaving for greener pastures, and a roster full of colorful... Read More

Stop me if you have heard this story before.  A young team with playoff potential trades their best player, fires their General Manager, fails to develop their pitching staff, and eventually ends up 32.5 games out of first place with a record of 74-87. Meanwhile, ownership cries about the woes of being in a small market environment, defends himself by stating that his team has the 11th highest payroll in the major leagues, and fans exit the gates as soon as “last call” is announced. It started with Matt Holliday leaving back in 2008, then Troy Tulowitzki in 2015. DJ LeMahieu left for a batting... Read More

Tourists lined the streets of LoDo, legends returned to the X Games, and the coronavirus continued to steal the headlines.  A look at the whacky week that was in the world of sports. Coors Field hosted the All-Star Game festivities this past weekend, including Monday’s Homerun Derby, a fan favorite. The balls were flying out in record numbers as the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, Colorado’s Trevor Story, and eventual derby winner Pete Alonso put on a show. Story performed well in the homerun contest but continues to struggle during his regular-season hitting a mere .246 with just 11 homeruns. The... Read More

Late in the third period, the outcome was obvious.  The Colorado Avalanche had just scored their seventh goal of the night and the Las Vegas Golden Knights had no answer.  The Avalanche faithful of more than 10,000 fans pounded on the glass and waved their white pom-poms.  The score was now 7-1 and the first game of the second round of the NHL playoffs was all but over.  The Knights had only one move left. Bring in the Goon Squad. The first line was pulled from the ice to make room for five Las Vegas mercenaries and their mission to make things ugly. The game finished with cheap shots, bloodied... Read More

After a year of isolation, I slowly entered the health club with a gym bag around my shoulder and a mask upon my face.  Regardless of the Peloton bike, exercise ball, and weight bench gathering dust in my living room, I was fully vaccinated, and it was time to get out. It felt like a Saturday, but in the aftermath of quarantine naming days, months, or even years remained a challenge.  The gym was quiet as I reintroduced myself to the various machines, worked out for about an hour, then headed to the jacuzzi to ease a few aches. The confusion began once exiting the locker room as a high school... Read More