Colorado Rockies
From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids
| Colorado Rockies Established |
|||
|
|||
| Major league affiliations | |||
|
|||
| Current uniform | |||
|
|||
| Name | |||
|
|||
| Ballpark | |||
|
|
|||
| Major league titles | |||
| World Series titles (0) | None | ||
| NL Pennants (0) | None | ||
| West Division titles (0) | None | ||
| Wild card berths (1) | 1995 | ||
- For the National Hockey League team (1976-1982), see
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Creation of the Rockies
After failed attempts going back as far as the 1880's, by the early 1990's a major league baseball team seemed an imminent possibility in Denver: the Colorado Baseball Commission, led by banking executive Larry Varnell, was successful in getting Denver voters to approve a 0.1 percent sales tax to partly finance a new baseball stadium. Also, an advisory committee was formed in 1990 by then-Governor of Colorado
The Rockies joined the National League in 1993, along with the Miami franchise, the Florida Marlins. The Rockies' first pick in the expansion draft was pitcher
[edit] First season
In their first season of 1993, Manager
[edit] Ownership issues
After a 1992 accounting and embezzlement scandal at Phar-Mor tarnished the reputation of Monus, both Monus and Antonucci were forced to sell their stakes in the franchise. Trucking company executive Jerry McMorris became head of the ownership group and served as the initial public face of management. His relationship with the other partners was somewhat poor, and his role in the leadership of the franchise dimished over time until he was finally bought out in 2005 (his situation was not helped by the 1999 failure of his trucking firm and subsequent related legal issues).
The team is currently controlled by chief executive officer Charlie Monfort (a former executive with his family's beef exporting firm and also with
[edit] Great attendance
The team set attendance records in its days back at
In 1995, the Rockies moved into a new stadium,
[edit] Power hitting team
In 1996, the team had three players who hit at least 40 home runs each,
[edit] Blake Street Bombers
The first several years of the franchise provided a lot of excitement as the team stocked up in the early years on players with enough offensive firepower to create real problems for opponents, especially when playing at Coors Field. A local columnist coined the term "Blake Street Bombers" soon after Coors Field opened (on Blake Street in Denver) to describe the heart of the batting order, and the first several years at the new ballpark saw a lot of run production. Galarraga, Burks, Castilla, Bichette, and eventually
[edit] Strengths and Weaknesses
Since their inception, the Rockies have always tended to have a strong hitting squad and home record, which are offset by a weak bullpen and road record. This can be attributed to the conditions of
[edit] Failed stars
The Rockies tried to mitigate the effects of mile-high pitching by signing high profile pitchers to large contracts, always ending in disaster for the pitcher and the ballclub. Free agents
[edit] Notable Rockies
The Rockies have had a number of well-known players throughout the years, including
[edit] The future
After years of futility with signing big names, in 2005 the Rockies adopted a policy of instead acquiring young quality prospects at all positions, and building through their farm system. 2006 was the first year the team holds any expectations of seeing increased success because many of 2005's rookie players returned with a year of major-league experience under their belt, and the Rockies' farm system was generally regarded as well-stocked with more up-and-coming talented players.
The Rockies got off to a strong start over the first few months of 2006, being near first place. However, as the season continued into summer, Colorado slowed down. After losing eleven of twelve games in early July, the Rockies seemed to start focusing on 2007. Despite their current standing (as of September 12, 2006) in last place, the Rockies had some close games in the season (including a six-run rally against the San Diego Padres' closer
Another big story in the season was the Rockies' pitching, which, for a time, was the best in the National League.
[edit] 2006 Controversy over Religion
On June 1, 2006,
- Behind the scenes, [the Rockies] quietly have become an organization guided by Christianity — open to other religious beliefs but embracing a Christian-based code of conduct they believe will bring them focus and success.
- From ownership on down, it's an approach the Rockies are proud of — and something they are wary about publicizing. "We're nervous, to be honest with you," Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd says. "It's the first time we ever talked about these issues publicly. The last thing we want to do is offend anyone because of our beliefs."
The article sparked controversy, including criticism in a column in
- San Francisco Giants first baseman-outfielder Mark Sweeney, who spent 2003 and 2004 with the Rockies, said, "You wonder if some people are going along with it just to keep their jobs. Look, I pray every day. I have faith. It's always been part of my life. But I don't want something forced on me. Do they really have to check to see whether I have a Playboy in my locker?"
Zirin also quoted journalist Tom Krattenmaker, who said:
- "I have concerns about what this Christianization of the Rockies means for the community that supports the team in and around Denver--a community in which evangelical Christians are probably a minority, albeit a large and influential one. Taxpayers and ticket-buyers in a religiously diverse community have a right not to see their team--a quasi-public resource--used for the purpose of advancing a specific form of religion. Have the Colorado Rockies become a faith-based organization? This can be particularly problematic when the religion in question is one that makes exclusive claims and sometimes denigrates the validity of other belief systems."
Soon after the USA Today article appeared,
- "[The article in USA Today] was just bad. I am not happy at all. Some of the best teammates I have ever had are the furthest thing from Christian," pitcher Jason Jennings said. "You don't have to be a Christian to have good character. They can be separate. [The article] was misleading."
While the initial USA Today article caused some controversy, the main claims have been repudiated by the ballclub and its players in the subsequent Denver Post story.
[edit] Humidor Controversy
In 2002, a humidor was installed to store baseballs at the manufacturer's specification. Since the discovery of the humidor, it has cast suspicion in baseball of the Rockies talent, or lack thereof. Tampering with equipment, or more accurately, perceived tampering of equipment is an old phenomenon in baseball. That is in part why there is much discussion about the Denver humidor, and why Baseball has not stepped in on the situation.
Since the installation and discovery of the humidor in Coors Field, runs and high scoring games have since gone down in frequency. The Rockies do not deny this, however they point to the reason for balls flying out of Coors Field is not so much the altitude (5,280 feet above sea level), but the extremely dry air in Denver. They liken it to playing baseball with golf balls, as harder objects travel faster than softer objects when hit, like a baseball when kept at a humidity level recommended by the manufacturer. Columnists in Denver's newspapers also speculate that most players are stopping the use of
To the contrary, skeptics will say that any tampering of the equipment would create an advantage for the home team, and if it did not, then the changes might never had been made. These accusations arrived again through the course of the 2006 season, as the Rockies had their best year since 2000 (however this doesn't account for the fact that none of the Rockies four seasons over .500, including a playoff berth in 1995, came before the installation of the humidor, as well as their 2nd worst season in franchise history in 2005). There does not seem to be any real end to the controversy in sight, when the Rockies play is poor, it is not an issue, and when they win, the humidor casts a shadow of doubt on their success.
[edit] Other controversies
Not all Major League baseball teams have similar revenue streams, which contributes to a disparity of "haves" and "have-nots" amongst franchises. Major League Baseball franchises average spending 48.9% of every revenue dollar on player payroll while the Rockies spend 28.1% of team revenues on player payroll.[
[edit] Season record
| Season | Won | Lost | Win % | Games Behind |
Finish | Attendance | Average | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National League West Division | ||||||||
| 67 | 95 | .414 | 37 | 6 | 4,483,350 | 55,350 | ||
| 53 | 64 | .377 | 6.5 | 3 | 3,281,511 | 57,570 | ||
| 77 | 67 | .535 | 1 | 2 | 3,390,037 | 47,083 | Lost |
|
| 83 | 79 | .512 | 8 | 3 | 3,891,014 | 48,037 | ||
| 83 | 79 | .512 | 7 | 3 | 3,888,453 | 48,005 | ||
| 77 | 85 | .475 | 21 | 4 | 3,789,347 | 46,782 | ||
| 72 | 90 | .444 | 28 | 5 | 3,481,065 | 42,976 | ||
| 82 | 80 | .506 | 15 | 4 | 3,286,773 | 40,577 | ||
| 73 | 89 | .451 | 19 | 5 | 3,163,821 | 39,059 | ||
| 73 | 89 | .451 | 25 | 4 | 2,740,585 | 33,834 | ||
| 74 | 88 | .457 | 26.5 | 4 | 2,334,175 | 28,816 | ||
| 68 | 94 | .420 | 25 | 4 | 2,338,071 | 28,865 | ||
| 67 | 95 | .414 | 15 | 5 | 1,914,389 | 23,634 | ||
| 76 | 86 | .469 | 12 | 5 | 2,104,558 | 25,982 | ||
| Totals | 1025 | 1180 | .465 | 44,087,149 | 41,159 | |||
[edit] Quick facts
- Founded: 1991
- Began play: 1993 (National League expansion)
- Uniform colors: Black, Silver, Purple, and White
- Logo design: Purple mountain with baseball
- Team motto: R you in?
- Playoff appearances (1): 1995
- Victory Song:
- Local Televison:
- Spring Training Facility:
[edit] Baseball Hall of Famers
- none
[edit] Retired Numbers
- 42 Jackie Robinson, retired throughout Major League Baseball
[edit] Current roster
Active roster
Last updated on November 6 , 2006
|
Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
|
Outfielders
Disabled List
Extended Roster
|
Manager
Coaches
|
[edit] Championships
| Preceded by: None (First) |
Succeeded by: Los Angeles Dodgers |
|
[edit] Minor league affiliations
- AAA:
- AA:
- Advanced A:
- A:
- Short A:
- Rookie:
- Rookie: VSL Rockies,
[edit] See also
- Rockies award winners and league leaders
- Rockies players of note
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Colorado Rockies official web site
- Current records and standings
- Monfort buys out McMorris' ownership stake
- Profile of the ownership of the Rockies
| Colorado Rockies Franchise | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| AAA | AA | A | Rookie |
| MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL | ||||
|
|
||||
| AMERICAN LEAGUE | ||||
Baltimore Orioles |
Chicago White Sox |
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim |
||
|
|
||||
| NATIONAL LEAGUE | ||||
Atlanta Braves |
Chicago Cubs |
Arizona Diamondbacks |
||
| World Series | History of baseball | |
||||