Rox Blox | Dedicated to Rockies baseball (and other sports)

Survivor- Rockies style

Posted on 2012-01-05 by Frank da Druid | Permalink 1

Wow, it’s the first week of January, and we have something to talk about with the Rockies. Granted, it’s not new news, but enough of a topic to allow me my usual Monday/Thursday format.

From the Clubhouse

After a dismal 2011, everyone knew that there should be some changes. So, Dan O’Dowd started a game called “Survivor of the Rockies”. But he put in some rules: He would not eliminate the old “senior citizens” (Helton, Giambi), his superstars (Tulo and CarGo), and his potential stars (Fowler, Chacin, Pomeranz and JDLR.) Those players not listed were not given immunity, and can be voted off at will. But, unlike the TV show, the island could accept new people when the outcasts were voted off.

Despite the fans demanding that Ian Stewart be the first to go, O’Dowd chose Wiggington. The fans rejoiced. The next to go was Iannetta, which caused a deep rift in the audience. But the remaining Rockies talked Ramon Hernandez to join the island. Huston, we have a problem: You’re fired… to the Angels. Ryan Spilborghs was given the finger to be released, and he left, but kept pleading to do anything to return. We have yet to see if O’Dowd will change his mind. And then O’Dowd, the mighty Lord, finally listened to the fans and the Almighty Cubs and had a dinghy ready for Ian Stewart, only to be returned with Colvert and LeMahieu with help from Google to get the correct spelling. (I hope you got the sarcasm in the last sentence.) Since there was still a gap opening, a nice man named Michael Cuddyer asked to join the fold, and was given a cruise boat to dock on the island by the ever-gracious O’Dowd and Charlie Monfort.

And now, the moment we have been waiting for. O’Dowd has his hand in the pot, ready to draw the next name. Rumor has it that it will be Seth Smith. But O’Dowd looks into his crystal ball, and sees a fog. He tries the telephone, but the line is down. He then goes to his crackberry, only to find it has been cracked, and he cannot read his screen very well. He squints to read what he can… To be continued.

So this is a funny story about how the Rockies have looked like during this offseason. But really, what will our team look like at Spring Training, let alone April 1st, when the regular season is finally under way? Some of the changes I do like. I do feel that Michael Cuddyer will be a great addition to the Rockies. Much better than Beltran, who I have compared to as a used condom. Sure, he might get the job done if he doesn’t break–but I feel that Cuddyer would make a better fit, and he doesn’t feel icky. I read the fan mail in the Denver Post for Cuddyer, and he’s a positive all-round character. Other deals I was not too happy, like when we sent Netta off. Netta was my all-time favorite Rox. I did felt that I could identify with him a lot better than, let’s say Tulo (when he acts like a tantrum-throwing 2 year old on the bases.) I was really upset when Iannetta was traded. But I remember holding hope that it was not wasted, and that we’d get Ramon Hernandez. Sure enough, less than 90 minutes later, it was announced on Twitter, and I was relieved quite a bit. It didn’t nullify the hurt, but it comforted me enough to know it was not a waste.

Now, everyone’s keeping an eye on Seth Smith. We know he’s probably going to see a better team, but it’s like looking at the top cards off the deck to see if the replacement will be that Ace of Spades to complete our Royal Flush. And so far, all we’ve been getting is garbage in response. It’s not too hard to find the news: From Troy Renck (Denver Post) or Ken Rosenthal.

We know there are a few pieces of the jigsaw puzzle missing from the 2012 Rockies puzzle, and I’m sure they will be fulfilled. The question is, will the picture, when complete, be a picturesque view of the World Series trophy, or just the pitcher’s mound? And do you agree with the changes?

Today’s blog post is brought to you thanks to @RockiesReview @gorox1983

On page 2

While there is little action in baseball, there was plenty of action in other sports not involving a bat. The Denver Broncos, somehow made the playoffs, despite losing their last 3 games, and going .500 (that’s 8-8) on the season. And they only made it in due to some complicated formula. They won’t win next week, but I sure like what KOA has done as a parody of the Bud Light commercial for the Broncos. (Warning, please pull your speakers up to hear this!)

I hear that the Nuggets are going good, despite the short start to their season, and more than one blowout game. Congrats!

And in hockey, the other sport that I care about until late February (when Spring Training starts), the Avalanche are on a roller coaster ride trying to get into a playoff position. Season is still quite early, and the difference between 5th and 10th or so is only a handful of points. The Colorado Eagles, on the other hand, are fighting for 1st in the ECHL West, though they didn’t do too well in Alaska. Losing all 3 games, including the final one in a shootout (after pulling an early lead) was a disappointment. I hope they can break the curse as they come home. Despite the short bench through most of December, they’ve been doing quite well apart from Alaska.

Final tweet: This came in from a friend of a friend: This tweet from @IndyFan18Always who shared to me and @CariSports:

@druidlove @CariSports Haha. Wings/Avs games aren’t what they once were. Think I’ll watch McCarty fight on Youtube and reminisce.

Avalanche, Football, Hockey, Rockies Chris Iannetta, Dan O'Dowd, Michael Cuddyer, Rockies, roster, Troy Tulowitzki

With a change of sports venue

Posted on 2012-01-02 by Frank da Druid | Permalink 0

Welcome to my first new Rox Blox posts of the 2012 year. Trying to come up with a good post, since the year is relatively new, and then I realized there’s another baseball-related event happening this week. On January 2nd, in Philadelphia’s Citizen’s Bank Park, there is a game happening.

Whose House? Our House!

This is really front-page news, though the biggest winner is the fan. It’s not every day that a sports venue hosts a sport it was not originally designed to host. This is especially true considering that the (now) Miami Marlins are moving out of their old (insert name and pay $20,000) stadium which was originally built for the Miami Dolphins. The biggest complaints included the line of sight for some seats were unsuitable. There were other concerns, but now that the Fish have their new stadium opening in time for next year, Coors Field is now the 3rd oldest ballpark (??) in the National League. The Twins moving out of the Metrodome to Target Field, in addition to Miami now leaves the MLB separated from the NFL in a movement that reversed the general multi-purpose stadiums of the 1950s, save for one. Trivia question: Which is the last venue shared by a NFL and MLB team? (Answer is at the end). The multi-purpose arenas, combining basketball and hockey is another story.

So it shows as a surprise when Citizen’s Bank ballpark, home of the Philadelphia Phillies is hosting the NHL winter classic on January 2nd. The Flyers have their own home at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. So why a game outdoors?

Hockey has been traditionally viewed as an outdoor sport since it requires skating on ice. And the NHL was originally conceived in Canada being a major sport in that country. But, like everything else, it expanded, stabilized itself, and moved indoors. And with the indoors, it was able to eventually expand to the southern portion of the 50 states. A lot of old tradition was lost.

2003 brought back a renaissance in Edmonton with the Heritage classic. A regular-season NHL game would be played outdoors. The NHL liked the idea and expanded it in 2008 in what would be called the “NHL Winter Classic”. First held in Buffalo at the Bills’ NFL stadium, it has continued in tradition in NFL stadiums and MLB ballparks, including classic Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. The first year was a huge success, drawing over 70,000 people–more than what any regular NHL arena could attract in a game. Other venues have voiced interest in hosting the NHL Winter classic. It’s like a prestige to hold a special yearly event, similar to the All-Star game, Super bowl or even the Olympics.

So why did the multi-purpose stadiums fall out of favor? For one thing, different sports have different views. Why the Marlins moved out was that Joe Robbie Stadium, as it was built, was conceived to host a NFL team and a future MLB team without too many changes. But the seats were designed to see from the football 50 yard line, making some seats unsellable for MLB games. (There are other problems with the Marlins not selling games that are beyond the content of this blog post.) Then there were stadiums like Mile High (I miss it) that were multi-purpose, but shifted their seats to make it possible. As sports became a bigger part of life, and the money rolled, many teams saw the benefits of having a venue customized for their specific needs. For football, more luxury boxes. For baseball, it was more that the ballpark would fit in snugly, and retain some of baseball’s past (for example, a manual scoreboard, or other baseball quirks.) This is partially why I desire the NHL winter classic at a ballpark less so: the seats are less-than-ideal for the action. But for it being one time a year, it’s not bad.

However, the reason for the Winter classic being outdoors has its advantages. First off, it’s a change of venue–literally. Instead of being in an arena enclosed in with other people in a tight space, it’s out in the open. Also, the return of possibly fighting the elements (as some Winter Classic games have shown) is an appeal. It brings it back in line with football (and less so baseball) with the conditioning for the weather. And also, it allows more people to see the game. For an annual event, it’s a win-win for the NHL and its fans. Now, let’s rock this roof— er game off.

This post brought to you thanks to a few friends: Matthew @brosanta, Katie @ellisfan14, Mark @townie813, Sackor @supahfly328 and @fiyahpowah

From the clubhouse

Not a whole lot of baseball news, but with the Michael Cuddyer @mcuddy3 and the Beltran signings, I think the Rockies got the better of the two deals. Cuddyer was a bit cheaper, and he has a better attitude. Plus every time someone shortens his last name (as a nickname) to Cuddy, I think of the comfort under a blanket. Nice place to be in bed, comfortable… aaaah! I’m hoping that this month, we can stabilize our pitching rotation.

Under further review

“Truly underwhelming excitement for the end of the #NFL regular season.” -@brosanta original tweet
Great words to describe the Broncos, and the NFL, which was the complete opposite of the MLB in 2011. Don’t worry, the Broncos, despite losing 7-3 in a snoozer and making the playoffs, will lose next week, and the season will be over.

This is late, though I was just informed by Nathan @lecroy24fan that Comcast/NBC blocked out the ability to DVR the winter classic. I mean, WTF? This is beyond stupid. I think a boycott on Comcast should be in order.

And the answer to the above: Oakland Coliseum is the last outdoor multipurpose stadium hosting 2 teams: The Oakland Raiders, and the Athletics. Indoor Arenas do not count, as they usually host basketball and hockey under one roof. And for purposes of this argument, we got into a discussion on what qualifies. Thanks to everyone above, though it has to consider professional sports of significance. The fan attendance drops significantly below soccer, and collegiate sports are considered amateur or farm team events.

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Throwing a change up

Posted on 2011-12-28 by Frank da Druid | Permalink 0

Thank you for reading my blog–also known as druidlove.com sports. The original name was chosen because I wanted to focus on a sports blog, but I wanted to focus on topics that don’t directly involve stats or recaps. the druidlove.com is my domain, But I feel like I am going to change this blog a bit.

As of January 1st, this blog will have a new look and name to it. It will also have a closer dedication to baseball. But it will have a familiar writing style. Now while I am shifting my focus towards a baseball and Rockies blog, the spirit of my posts will not change much.

Let me tell you what is not changing in my posts. First, I will continue the theme of not providing game recaps. I will also not be heavy on stats, or discuss on fantasy action. There are plenty of blogs out there dedicated on these things. I will also not promote heavily on social networks of players, broadcasters, or industry-related things, though I will maintain a page for this. Also, my writing style should not change much.

Yet, what is changing? The blog will be called Rox Blox, as I focus to become more of a Rockies blog first, baseball second. Also, the frequency of my posts will be on a once or twice a week, on a consistent basis. This will be less focus on other sports unless it becomes breaking news, or during the offseason. Having a consistent schedule will make it easier to publish content and have more people read it. The content will be organized, as I will explain next.

For each Rox Blox post, I will post baseball content on Mondays starting January 1st. During the season, I should also be posting on Thursdays, as a preview for the weekend. During the offseason, the Thursday posts will be dedicated to other sports such as hockey, football, or in general. If there is a post on any other day, it will be dedicated to breaking news only. Other than breaking news, my posts will be organized into 2 or 3 topics. These topics include:

ʞaught looking. This will be dedicated to general negative action or inaction caused by a player or team to produce negative results. The backwards ‘k’ is a strikeout caught looking, and also my favorite character. I claim trademark™ on it.
Grand Slam. A positive action by a player or team that deserves attention. A grand slam in baseball is a home run with bases loaded.
From the clubhouse. This may be my main topic, as this is what goes on from the Rockies, but off the field.
#umpfail. A twitter tag stolen to dedicate topics involving rules, and problems officiating, or umpiring in games.
Whose house? Our House! I dedicate topics under this heading for fan action with games. I stole this from the Colorado Eagles cheers as fans always cheer this late in games when we are winning (or close to tying).*
Under further review. The instant replay of action going on in the week (in general).
Up on deck. I take a look at action to be previewed over the next few days or week.
On page 2. This is my general off-baseball topics. **

I look forward to spending 2012 with you talking about baseball. And if you have not done so already, feel free to add me on twitter (@druidlove)
–Frank

* I had originally thought of using “Need more cowbell”, but this is purely an Eagles thing, and not seen at Rockies games.
** I was going to use “On Channel 4″ to change to topic, but that made no sense. As books and newspapers are going out of style, I had to used a good metaphor to change topics.

Uncategorized blog

Players really don’t care for the game… or each other.

Posted on 2011-12-10 by Frank da Druid | Permalink 0

This week, we have had 2 players make headlines. One of them was a result of shock, and the other just brought bad news. Of course, twitter goes ablaze with the chatter. If it’s an issue such as Huston Street or Ian Stewart traded, that’s only a local issue. But when Pujols decided on the Angels, that was not only a shock, but hurt many fans, especially Cardinals fans. Then as Ryan Braun of the Brewers made news on Twitter that he was caught taking “performance enhancing drugs”. And again, he denies it. Boy it must be hard to be an athlete.

Some players never have the luck when it comes to money. Look at Albert Pujols. He couldn’t decide on a contract extension with the St. Louis Cardinals before the season started, so talks stopped. At years’ end, he tested the free market for the offers. There were talks about 10 year-$200+ million deals not only with his host team, but with the Miami Marlins (who are building a new team for next year in their new facilities), and at least one unnamed team. The time during the winter meetings this week was taking a while for him to decide, so speculation was that he’d return to his old team. He made his decision the last day of the meetings, and Pujols chose the unnamed team, also known as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (or just the Angels.) The world seemed to be shocked at first. Then later on, there were tweets about anger and sadness from the Cardinals fans. In the end, what’s done is done. But Cardinals fans probably felt as betrayed as Cleveland fans were about LeBron James. To be fair, Cleveland was worse because ESPN made a big mockery TV show about his “decision”, and was seen as poor taste by the network. But it must be tough for an athlete to not care for its home team because of money.

Ryan Braun was also a new headline today (about 2 hours ago as I write this.) He was the NL MVP. But a month before he won the award, he was told by MLB that he tested positive on his drug test. MLB is mum about it because of the appeal. Of course Braun is mum as well. But ESPN’s article made it look like he was innocent. (rolls eyes when it comes to ESPN.) There are a few things to note here: Braun had a great year, which is why he got the MVP award. But the award is based in regular season only, as the ballots are cast by game 162 of the regular season. And he is fighting what may be a losing cause, since no player has won an appeal on MLB’s drug arbitration. So, it’s all but certain that Braun will be suspended for the first 50 games next year. And even if he did win, the public sentiment is against him. I asked a friendly tweep (Thanks Cari for being a good sport) for some opinions. She echoed what I expect to hear from most fans. Basically, people try to cheat, and circumvent the spirit of the game just to put up bigger numbers, and pad their wallets. And the more figures in the salary, the better. She noted that it’s easier to ‘assume players are juiced’, which is really sad to hear. I guess with names like Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, and others, they really tainted the sport of baseball forever. It must be tough for athletes to try to risk their health and their bodies just for some short-term stardom.

In the end, competition is healthy, and fun is great as well. But players in general are losing contact with the general population with their actions, with maybe the exception of Tim Tebow. Part of it is that they lose respect for their own selves for their 15 minutes of fame. And the other part is the lack of respect towards everyone else. I talk about respect a lot, and I try to respect others. At the same time, being fair is also a goal of mine, so it’s not easy to balance both of these factors out. It should be the same for any person, no matter how big of a star they are.

Footnotes: This week, Huston Street and Ian Stewart were traded to two teams. Street to the Angels, while Stewart to the Cubs. I’m not sure I like the former (though we freed up money for it, and got a token prospect to add to our farm system.) Stewart gone helps a lot, considering he sucked donkeyballs last year to the point he wasn’t even playing for the Rockies (or even the Sky Sox) by the end of the year. I also did not like his attitude (which goes along with respect), so a change of scenery for him helps. We’ll see what happens with the Rockies over the winter to strengthen our team.

Notes: Next week, I’ll be announcing a change for my journals. Stay tuned… Expect it on Monday night.

Baseball Albert Pujols, athletes, drugs, LeBron James, money, Ryan Braun, Tim Tebow

Cryin’

Posted on 2011-12-02 by Frank da Druid | Permalink 0

One day later, and I still feel hurt. There’s still nothing anyone can do to ease the pain, though I did get some comfort that same day. I’m talking about the trade with Chris Iannetta to the Angels for Chatwood, and then the later signing of Ramon Hernandez. I know, it was not Netta’s fault for being traded. but it also feels like someone just stole my heart.

To me, Chris Iannetta was more than a star to me. I kinda ‘fell in love’ with him. What I meant by that was when I first saw him, and saw how clutch he was, I liked him and made him my #1 player. I still like him more than any other player, despite Todd Helton being homegrown from beginning to end, and other stars such as Ubaldo Jimenez sprouting up. I could also identify with his personality because it matches me quite a bit.

So, having a great player being traded away hurt. I do wish I had a #20 uniform. But I know he’ll probably do fine with the Angels. I also recognize the matter of the business of baseball. Netta has always drawn ire from both the Netta lovers and haters. I’ve defended him (though I have to admit, I’m fair with everyone.) And to be fair, he’s been the person he is.

So, he’s now gone, and I’m really torn. I didn’t like what would be the catching situation next year (shudder–I’m not sold on Rosario.) But 90 minutes later, the deal with Ramon Hernandez helped. A solid free agent catcher playing with the Reds last year, and he had a good bat. All factors we need for the Rockies. It helped relieve me of the worry of our staff for next year, especially catcher wise. It also softened the blow of losing what I value as one of the better players on the Rockies.

Now, can we get rid of Ian Stewart and get some quality players? I hope you’re reading, Dan O’Dowd…

Footnote: If anyone asked me what my favorite all-time Rox player is, it’s a tough call. Helton, Walker and Netta are in the top 5. I also liked Big Cat (Andres Galarraga) and Joe Girardi (though Girardi may not make my top 5)

Baseball, Rockies

I’m not a Bronco fan unless I get free food

Posted on 2011-11-18 by Frank da Druid | Permalink 0

I’m not going to lie here. Despite living and raised in Colorado, I am not a Broncos fan. I was always sick of hearing the news coverage around here talk about the Broncos, 365 days a year. Even if the Rockies, or Nuggets were on, you’d be certain to hear something about the Broncos. And to be honest, 9News didn’t help the situation out. So I’ve been turned away from the Broncos. But I’m not going to complain about free food if they win (especially in this economy.) But I’m not going to root for them anytime.

I have experienced the same thing while living in KY: all the news would talk about UK football and basketball during the year I was there, and I was personally turned off by it as well. Who cares what Coach Squid did in his personal life? And why does it have to always be the first news item? Abusing sports does not help build up your fanbase. I’m not going to say that’s part of the reason why I’m a Rockies fan, but it is why I’m more passionate about them until 2007 when they started to get more press time from the local media. Even then, my passion is also for the game of baseball, and I have strived to learn more about the sport, my teams (including the farm system), and my competition. But for football, I’m not really involved in it. In fact, I’ve learned to avoid Twitter on Sundays, and when the Broncos play. (but not afterwards, when everyone is ranting and raving about the game.)

Now, when I say I’m not a Broncos fan (unless I get free food), I don’t consider myself a bandwagon fan at all. For me, free stuff is a bonus, not a given right. And for me, I hate bandwagon fans. A typical bandwagon fan usually jumps on and cheers (usually for the local team) when the good is going. They tend to miss the first win or more (depends on the sport.) They cheer for the winning momentum, and when a loss or more happens, they complain, and hate the team, or ignore it. That’s never good for any team. For me, I’m not going to root for (or against, even if I joke that I like any team that plays the Broncos). I’m just not interested.

On the other hand, Denver has a bunch of pessimistic Broncos fans. Some of it I can believe, especially if I heard what they have been through in the past years. But now, even when they are winning, they complain. I mean, for crying out loud, Why complain when you are winning? Ask me the same question about a Rockies game, and I’ll tell you that I’m always happy for a win. It does frustrate me when certain elements happen (like when Huston Street toying with the winning run on base.) But I’m always grateful for a win, no matter how it happens. I’ve heard many people complain about Tebow. So would you like cheese with that whine? I’m serious!

There are 2 cliches I could use, but I’m not going to. Just enjoy the win for what it is. And don’t complain about free food.

Footnote: The free food is offered by McDonald’s as shown here. There is also the Taco Bell promo if the Broncos get 2 TD in a game.

Football Colorado Rockies, Denver Broncos, Huston Street, sports

Stop the press: changes in MLB

Posted on 2011-11-17 by Frank da Druid | Permalink 0

I’ve been quiet this time, since I really don’t like to speculate much in the Hot Stove league. So when the word broke about two changes, naturally, I have to pipe in.

First of all, a major change is official: the Astros have a new owner, and are moving to the AL West. Now, I’m mixed here. The problem is that with 30 teams, splitting it 15 per league instead of the current 16 NL/14 AL team division as it stands now. If this was any other sport, the even division wouldn’t be a problem. The rules for other sports (NFL, NHL and NBA) are the same across the board. In MLB, there is one polarizing issue: the AL allows the DH (Designated Hitter) to substitute for the pitcher for each at bat. The fact that it has its advantages and disadvantages has split and enriched both sides of fans. It’s a good thing Bud Selig made clear that the DH issue is not changing.

MLB has experimented with the interleague games during regular season starting in 1997, which were deemed a success. They have become a staple since then, but played in limited quantities. In 1998, the expansion teams Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays were added, but one for each league. But to counter the off balance problem with scheduling, the Brewers would be the first team to switch leagues. The only problem is that now the NL Central has 6 teams, and the AL West had 4 teams–none of which would be perfect, but would have to do. The ideal solution would be to have 32 teams, and 8 divisions of 4 (without a wild card), but that will never happen now due to the economy. But I’m not really in favor of adding more interleague games (I’m a NL purist.) To see Houston move to the AL strengthens the AL West, and the in-state Texas rivalry. But to the rest, it’ll just make interleague games that much cheaper. At least the DH rule isn’t changing anytime soon.

The other change was the implementation of the extra Wild Card spot in the playoffs. I’m not a fan of this, but when they implemented it, they chose the best solution possible, which was to mirror the one-game play-in game. No word if they’ll implement it next year, but it’s highly likely. The other alternative, the best of 3, would have been painful, and taken the fall classic way too long. One factor that was not considered is that any play in games would have counted for the stats as they are regular season games. But the Wild card playoff games will NOT count as regular season statistics now. It feels kinda cheap now.

Either way, these changes aren’t going to feel well for baseball, a sport that has more to do with tradition than any other sport.

Footnote: Did you know the main reason the DH was implemented was not because of pitchers, but because of money? If it was because of saving pitchers, the NL would have implemented the rule earlier than the AL did. But because the AL was suffering in attendance, they figured the DH would make games more fun… like Pinball games. And I like pinball games. but not the DH rule.

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World Series 2011

Posted on 2011-10-28 by Frank da Druid | Permalink 0

Well, I haven’t posted since the Rockies season ended, and part of it is my end. But here it is, the World Series is going to end tonight, one way or another. Tonight is game 7, and so far it’s been a great series. Yet, how much of a fan are you really?

For fans of 22 teams, your team’s season has ended at the end of September. (Some may argue earlier, but that’s another issue.) So, these fans have the right to be fairweather, or not interested at all. Last year I was not interested. This year, I had an interest in one team, the St. Louis Cardinals. But here is my logic on why I chose the St. Louis Cardinals. I had already determined that I could not root for the Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox or the Giants. The Giants are a hated NL West rival, and after the accusations of cheating, they really turned me off. I’ve had problems with fans from SF, Philly and Boston fans, so, they are hated. In addition, there’s rivals with Philly after 2009, and then the stealing signs in 2010 that turned me off. I’m still upset with the Red Sox after the 2007 World Series where they swept the Rockies away. Boston and New York (and Philly to an extent) are also East Coast teams, and suffer from bias. I feel another team does deserve a chance. So, with that said, I’ve not had a problem with the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Minnesota Twins fans, and these two teams would be ones I could support over other teams. I also like the NL over the AL any day (and the fact that the Twins didn’t qualify this year) narrowed my choice.

Now, I stuck with ‘my team’ for the rest of the postseason, though my voice and opinion was like a crescendo throughout October. However, as the postseason went along, I was getting annoyed with what was going on with the Rockies fans. It seemed that by a 5:1 ratio of Rockies fans were choosing the Rangers to win. Some people did have the right to choose the Rangers. But then I was hearing excuses from others that were not making sense. Some of the excuses were “Well, it’s their first win”, and “my friend is going for them.” I thought that this was so lame. I didn’t think people could be so shallow when it comes to a postseason, but I guess I was wrong. If you are going to be fairweather, then be honest with yourself with why you choose a team. I remember seeing a quote by a Cardinals fan that was rebuking all the bandwagon Rangers fans. I have to agree with him. Yeah, I like Matt Holliday (despite the fact he isn’t doing well this series.) and I would be making a joke about it like #GiveMeAHolliday. But I have stuck with it, and I still hope they win, even if I’m so heavily outnumbered by fans. But if you want to be fairweather (or bandwagon) with a team, grow some balls and be strong in your effort.

The World Series Chase

Who ever said the World Series was ever boring? This one is certainly not, and last night’s game 6 should have been a game 7. Indeed, it would have been if game 6 was not rained out on Wednesday night. Holliday sucked, and left early due to injury. But it looked like the Rangers were going to win the game and championship until the bottom of the 9th. The 2 run jack helped push the game to extras, and the Rangers returned the favor. But it was the Cardinals with the walk off in the 11th by David Freese that pushed a game 7.

Now this comes back to show that this World Series is an exciting game. Game 7 is tonight, and I’m going to go to a pub before the game tonight. I wouldn’t miss it for the world!

American League, Baseball, National League, Rockies St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, world series

Wrapping up baseball

Posted on 2011-09-29 by Frank da Druid | Permalink 0

Well, the last day of regular season baseball has concluded. For some people, it was one of the best points of the season. Others could say it’s the sigh of relief, ready to rest, and start over next year.

If you’re a Rockies fan (like I am), you are arguing over the latter. It has been a disappointing year to say the least. My memories of this year, while I missed some games in the middle, I will remember the expectation that we could make it. And it looked like it was possible… for April, at least. Then the train wreck of May came around, and the team never recovered. Even fan appreciation week was dismal in that the team didn’t even want to care about the score—at least that’s how I felt. I lost interest in scoring 2 of the final 4 games I went to, because it was ridiculous. And when we start letting opponents use us as batting practice, that’s really sad. But the key thing I’ll remember is listening to KOA in May, when we were struggling, and hearing Dave Krieger and Dave Logan discussing how to fix the team. “If I had an answer to it, I’d tell you now. That is the $64,000 question.” I sure hope they can fix it in the offseason. Sure, there were injuries that no one can control. But despite this, I believe the fault is the entire team was not on the same page. This goes from Ian Stewart to Troy Tulowitzki, to Jim Tracy, his coaches, and even Dan O’Dowd. If we fail next year, we are in serious trouble.

More action packed than a stack of Marvel Comics

On September 28, we had an event that can almost never be duplicated in any other sports teams. It was like wrapping up games 162 and 163 all in one day, or it felt like it. There were 4 different games that had so much meaning as to who makes it to postseason play for the wild card. Having only one wild card makes races so intense, in that if there is a tie for the wildcard, there would be a one game playoff (game 163). And it could have happened in both leagues if both teams won or lost. That is, if Boston and Tampa Bay both won or lost their games, and the same for St. Louis and Atlanta. With that said, it never happened, as both the Rays and the Cardinals clenched. But the matter of how this was done was what makes this really magical. I didn’t hear any of the games, though I remember talking on twitter to friends. And it looked originally that it would be the Yankees beating the Rays and Boston would beat the Orioles. In the National League, St. Louis was dominating the Astros and the Braves were putting up a fight. St. Louis wound up winning 8-0, so that game was quickly no contest. But the other games either were delayed due to rain, or went into extra innings, and were decided within minutes of each game ending. The Red Sox crumbled late and lost to the Orioles 4-3, with the O’s celebrating as if they won the World Series. The Rays had the walk-off 12th inning homer. And the Braves tumbled and lost to the Phillies at home in 13 innings. Sadly, there would be no need for a one-game playoff, but with all the extra innings, this felt as if it was game 163. This is the magic of baseball. Let’s hope the postseason proves to be just as fun.

Don’t add injury to insult

I listened into Tuesday’s Rockies game at San Francisco, and heard something that I felt was disturbing. At AT&T park, some idiot brought in a laser pointer, sat behind the 1st base dugout, and pointed it at not one, but two Rockies players at bat. I’m sorry, but this is not only stupid and disrespectful, but can cause serious injury. You wouldn’t like it if someone shined the laser in your eyes, right? With exception of a few Giants fans, this incident only makes my perspective of SF fans even worse. If this keeps up, you can expect MLB to follow the same path both the NFL and TSA have implemented as far as pat downs. (The NFL got ridiculous because some one brought a stun gun to a game, and now went through such draconian incidents.) Root for your team, but do keep it clean.

Final words

Yeah, my @druidlove twitter account has gone into hibernation for the season, though you can expect both my twitter timeline and this blog to keep up with my other favorite sport: hockey. And since the NBA is locked out, there is less competition.

American League, Baseball, National League, Rockies postseason, Rockies

Point of Coors Field today

Posted on 2011-09-18 by Frank da Druid | Permalink 0

I have to admit, I know that each game at Coors Field does not have a lot of meaning from here until the end of the season. I’ve been to 3 of the 4 games along this series vs. the San Francisco Giants. And admittedly so, it’s been quite dismal. In fact, it just seemed like it was the Giants vs. our Sky Sox. Seriously, there was only one Rox regular playing all 3 days, and that was Kevin Kouzmanoff. I’m not counting players like Eric Young, because he’s been bounced up and down to the Sky Sox this year. And the usuals were not playing. That means no Tulo (though I think he should be riding more pine and not for an ‘injury’), CarGo or Helton. In some ways, this could be seen as an audition for next year. If that’s the case, many of these players will find themselves on the unemployment line. Okay, I wasn’t expecting a win from the team lately, though I was hoping for some better performance. It was bad enough that I lost interest in scoring starting from the top of the 8th on Friday and Sunday. Me, lose interest? That is ironic, since I have never lost interest (apart from rain) until this year. And that’s happened 3 times. Yeah, there is no point in us playing except to spoil the Giants’ chances of playoffs. But there is another reason or two.

One of my reasons I’ve lost the incentive had nothing to do with the game, but it happens to be that I’m meeting more people from Twitter at the games. This is especially true on Friday, where I was seated in 302 right around Purple Row, with a party that occupied 2 rows. Not all of it was twitter friends, though there was quite a few of us, enough for me to consider it a tweetup. It was more for a couple birthdays that day. Now, it’s a decent view of the park, though it’s hard to see action in right field (especially if it was a question of home run distance). So, by the 8th, I said, it was enough. We were losing 9-1 anyways. (which was the final score.) Fireworks followed the game anyways, and then we were going to meet at a pub afterwards. Now, on Sunday, I met up with a couple people, and despite it being a day game, it was hard to hold a conversation with one person, and try to watch the game from under the RF stands. Again, we were down 12-5, but I said it was enough. I’d rather be polite to people. I had enough. But Saturday, we were actually close (even if the 8th inning was a killer). We were 1 strike away from tying or winning, and much as the story of the Rox this year, a K killed the game. It was a shame.

The other reason, and perhaps the main reason, why I couldn’t finish scoring the game is that it is like a rerun of the whole season. Alex White, the starter on Friday, wasn’t spectacular. Some may give him a pass since his finger was injured. I guess I’m in the “I don’t care anymore” mood, since the season was just a big disappointment. A lot of the problem was pitchers like Aaron Cook, or Esmil Rogers (Sunday) who just ignite gasoline to the fire. And that’s what happened today. Esmil Rogers was doing decently through 3 innings (apart from a 2 run HR in the 1st). He even had his pitch count lower than Matt Cain–and Cain is usually a thorn in the Rox side. But the 4th inning comes out, and it’s like watching batting practice. 3 home runs, and he gave up 7 runs altogether in that inning. So, I was very discouraged. It is puzzling that I was watching a game that was so poorly played. Sure, we did come back and get some runs. The hope came up in the 5th inning. But then we went silent again. I wish I could blame it on Joe West, or anyone else. But I couldn’t. It was completely our fault.

Now, I have one more game to attend: the final home game on Wednesday. If you can meet up with me, please leave a reply here, or mention/DM me on Twitter @druidlove. I look forward to the final home game of the season.

Footnotes: With the 4th inning, the Giants sent 12 men to the plate, and whipped out an 8 spot in the game. Pomeranz pitched rather well in Saturday’s game, but was probably on a pitch count due to his appendectomy recently. 85p in fact. But he was not in line for a win, as the game was tied. Belisle almost had his 11th win, except that Huston Street got credited with a loss.

Sideline: I will be blogging in my personal blog later tonight or tomorrow about the friends aspect.

Baseball, National League, Rockies Aaron Cook, Alex White, Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies, Coors Field, Drew Pomeranz, Esmil Rogers, Huston Street, Matt Belisle, Rockies, San Francisco Giants, Sky Sox, Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitzki