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

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

Maybe the trick to enjoying the NFL draft is not to participate in it. In 2021 the Denver Broncos passed on linebacker Micah Parsons. The 2020 draft gave us Jerry Jeudy instead of Justin Jefferson. Noah Fant was hardly the steal of 2019, Josh Allen was available in 2018, Garett Bolles has been holding since 2017, and the 2016 NFL Draft…..that was Paxton Lynch. The Denver Broncos ended up trading a boat load of picks for quarterback Russell Wilson, finally joining the festivities with the 64th pick, and last one of round two. But let’s be honest. By the 64th pick, the Broncos could have... 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

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

Warm weather in April as spectators clammer to their seats.  The sound of laughter echoing off the brick walls of Coors Field.  Thousands of fans singing in unison as Charlie Blackmon strolls to the plate.  Cold beer.  Hot dogs. And losing three-out-of-four to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Baseball is back!  And here are some of the highlights of the opening weekend.   Nolan Arenado was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals and subsequently replaced at third base on Opening Day by his cousin, Josh Fuentes. In other news, the Albuquerque Isotopes, a Colorado Rockies minor league affiliate, signed... Read More

Jeff Bridich has been in a leadership role for the Colorado Rockies organization for more than 14 years.  A graduate of Harvard University and former major league player, Bridich was named Executive Vice President and General Manager back in 2014. Surely a man with an Ivy League education and plethora of experience would know the trade value of a 29-year-old, 5-time All-Star like Nolan Arenado.  Bridich must have had a class or two in negotiation, or at least read a book on deal-making before shopping the 8-time Gold Glove third baseman to the St. Louis Cardinals.  After all, Arenado had averaged... Read More

At the time, signing Von Miller to a six-year/$114 million contract seemed like a brilliant move.  It was July of 2016, and the 27-year-old Miller had already won a Super Bowl MVP award, twice made the All-Pro team, while racking up double-digit sacks every year, including 18.5 sacks back in 2012. After signing the long-term extension, Miller continued to be the face of the Broncos making eight Pro Bowls, forcing 26 fumbles, and eventually becoming Denver’s all-time sack leader with 106. But contracts are tricky, especially in the NFL.  After many years of Hall-of-Fame like production, Miller... Read More

As teams report to spring training, tension in the Rockies organization has reached an all-time high.  Rumors are flying around that All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado is unhappy with the direction of the ball club, and the treatment he is getting from General Manager Jeff Bridich, who has apparently offered up Arenado in multiple trade discussions. It is so hard for me to pick sides on this one. On the one hand, Arenado is a seven-time Gold Glove coming off another season in which he hit over 40 HRs, drove in more than 100 RBIs, while hitting over .300.  He’s the best player on the team,... Read More

How fun is baseball these days.  Major League players put on a show in the Home Run Derby last Monday, the All- Star game presented a pitching performance for the ages, and the Colorado Rockies were well represented with All-Stars Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, Charlie Blackmon, and David Dahl. And yet, after 99 games the Rockies are one game under .500. After two years of playoff appearances, Purple Nation is scratching their collective heads over this year’s 44-45 start.  Traditionally, it would be easy to blame it on ownership, youthful exuberance, and skeptical trust in the process. But the... Read More