Earning It Back With A Bang

The Rockies put on quite an offensive show yesterday, tying the franchise record for extra-base hits in a game and coming one shy of tying the franchise record for hits and runs in a game. The majority of the damage was done in the first four innings, making it even more impressive. Since splitting a 4-game set with the Cardinals at the end of May, the Rox have won nine straight home series and have won 21 of 27 games at Coors Field. For a few years now we have talked about the Rockies getting that home-field advantage back, recalling how dominant we were here in the mid to late 90's. Teams would leave Denver with their tails between their legs. Some opponenets literally HATED playing here, leaving with their bullpen in disarray and feeling like they'd just been beaten like a red-headed stepchild with a Louisville Slugger. The first evidence that this dominance was on the verge of returning was when the Yankees had just completed a three-game series here and had been swept. Joe Torre commented that he didn't really care to ever come back. The Rox managed that sweep in a different fashion than the recent sweep of the Brewers, by outpitching the Yanks. One of the wonderful things about this team is that they can out pitch you OR out slug the opposition. Back in the day of the Bombers, about our only choice was to out slug the other team, and we did that pretty well. Back then, in the pre-humidor era, players and managers would complain that Coors Field was a joke and you couldn't play "real baseball" here with the altitude. They wouldn't have complained if they'd won. Now that the game has been "normalized" with the humidor and 12-11 games aren't common anymore, they won't be able to use the "real baseball" argument. When teams start to come in here afraid that the Rox will take batting practice off them and they can't make a single mistake, then the LoDo Magic of the Bombers' era will have officially returned. That advantage can go a long ways to making the Rockies a team to be reckoned with year in and year out. A side benefit of recapturing this advantage at home is the attendance. The crowds are noticably larger than even at the beginning of the season and certainly larger than we've typically seen the last two seasons. I'm not saying that the average Rockies' fan goes to CF hoping to see a 19-4 drubbing or even a return of the "12-11, it's not over 'till it's over" type games, but they do want to know that the Rox have a pretty good chance of winning the game.

The Designation Committee met late yesterday afternoon and voted to restore CapR. A general criteria that the Committee had determined was necessary for CapR consideration was getting to five games over .500. With the Rox reaching that goal and in convincing fashion, the Committee voted unanimously. This time the chairman really is going on vacation, so hopefully there isn't a need for any meetings in the near future.

Until next time, Go Rockies!