One Weak Week and 25 More To Go
Rockies start 2025 in a similar rough fashion to 2024 behind great starting pitching, good defense and equally bad bullpening and offense
Starting 1-5 and scoring only 11 runs isn’t the worst start in Colorado Rockies history, but it’s close. Try the second worst. The 2024, 2008 and 2005 seasons all began in the same fashion with only the campaign in ‘08 coming with less runs scored (10).
The highs were few and far between during the series loss to the Tampa Bay Rays and the three-game sweep to the Philadelphia Phillies:
Hunter Goodman has a 1.179 OPS and nearly as many extra-base hits (5) and the rest of the Rockies (6)
Kyle Freeland is throwing strikes (0 BB) and missing bats (10) better than he has in years
That defense can really dazzle on any given night
The lows were witnessed in all six games, even that lone victory at George M. Steinbrenner Field last Saturday when Antonio Senzatela walked two and gave up nine hits.
Kris Bryant has one hit in 14 at-bats (.071)
Michael Toglia has 14 strikeouts in 24 plate appearances (58.3 strikeout percentage)
The relief corps has a league-worst 9.77 ERA
Other fun and un-fun facts you might polish off this weekend:
Senzatela has allowed 19 hits in 9.2 innings. Miraculously, he has not been charged with a single earned run. Since the Earned Run first became official in 1913, no pitcher has ever given up more hits with a 0.00 ERA in his first two outings. (And only three have ever done that in any two-game span.)
After the first week of baseball, Colorado is 6.0 games back of first place in the National League West.
Since 2019, the Rockies have the worst winning percentage (.413) in all of MLB. Team ERA is 5.49 during innings 1-3 in that span, also dead last. This year through six games, starters have a 1.00 ERA in the opening three frames.
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Trivia
Q: Bryn Smith, the oldest living Rockie at 69 years old, threw the first pitch in the first regular season game at Mile High Stadium on April 9, 1993. Who is credited with the first pitch in the first regular season game at Coors Field on April 26, 1995?
The 30 Greatest Moments in Coors Field’s 30 Years
It’s time to get back to Coors Field for the return of the Rockies. It may sound strange, but it’s already the 30th Anniversary of The House That Jerry McMorris Built.
I had an awesome time collaborating with the crew over at Blake Street Banter curating a list of the 30 greatest moments in the 30-year history of the ballpark at 20th and Blake Street. You’ll have to check out the series to see what I deemed the order to be, but I will share a list of some of my most favorite honorable mentions that just missed making the list.
Brent Mayne - Aug. 22, 2000:
A catcher earning the pitching win is not something you often see, even during this era of position players pitching. The circumstances of why Mayne was on the mound during the 12th inning of a tie ballgame is just as interesting as the headline: Andrés Galarraga, now with Atlanta, charged Colorado’s last remaining reliever (John Wasdin) prompting the team’s last line of defense to get ejected. Brian Bohanan, the starter the previous game, had to finish the 11th inning before Mayne was needed in the 12th.
Dante Bichette - June 10, 1998:
Bichette may be known for hitting home runs, including the walk-off variety in the first regular season game at Coors Field in 1995, but he also stole his fair share of bases. In 1996, he and Ellis Burks became the first in team history to slug 30 homers and steal 30 bases. So, perhaps the only surprise about Bichette becoming the first of nine different Rockies to hit for the cycle is that he didn't do it before 1998.
Barry Bonds - Sept. 9, 2001:
No player loved Denver as much as Bonds, I presume. He’s the only visiting player at Mile High Stadium (1993-94) with multiple two-homer games. Bonds hit more homers (26) at 20th & Blake than anyone who never wore purple. He had a .700 on-base percentage after being walked 17 times here in 2004. When the all-time leader in home runs hit 73 in 2001, three came on this date, not to mention a double and walk to go along with it. (I was surprised to learn that Bonds only had four games with three home runs during his 22-year career. Two of those games, not surprisingly, were at Coors Field.)
Rockies Rewind
4/4/1994 - Mile High Stadium hosts its only Opening Day as the Phillies, reigning NL Champs, defeat the Rockies 12-6
“If you don’t like the weather in Colorado, just wait five minutes.” The Rockies prefer to begin the season on the road in order to allow an extra week of spring to increase the likelihood of nice weather. Of course, Mother Nature does not always cooperate. (See: 2018 and 2025.)
4/4/199 - Rockies open the season against the Padres in Monterrey, Mexico
Major League Baseball plays their first game outside the United States or Canada. Colorado gets the reigning NL Champs (quite the coincidence) in this lone game at Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey before playing the next two games on April 6-7 back in San Diego. Bichette homers and Mexican-born Vinny Castillo goes 4-for-5 in front of 27,104.
4/4/2016 - Trevor Story becomes the first player in NL history to hit two home runs in his Major League debut
Believe it or not, only four position players in Rockies history have ever made their debut on Opening Day: Story (2016), Jayson Nix (2008), 3B Jeff Baker (2005) and 2B Luis A. Gonzalez (2004). Zac Veen could have been added to that list this season, but he was optioned to Triple-A on the final day of roster cuts.
Calendar of Events
Home Opener: Friday, April 4 at 2:10 p.m. (Coors Field)
Gold Glove Ceremony for Brenton Doyle & Ezequiel Tovar: Saturday, April 5 (Coors Field)
SABR Luncheon: Wednesday, April 16 at 12 p.m. (Stoney’s Bar and Grill, 1111 Lincoln St, Denver)
Denver Card Show: Fri-Sun, April 18-20 (Stockyard Even Center, 5004 National Western Dr, Denver)
30th Anniversary Celebration: Saturday, April 26 at 1:10 p.m. (Coors Field)