07-13-07
At the very least, the Rockies have given us all something to talk about this summer. Like most everyone in this market, Mile High Sports has been guilty of slamming the Rox, but hopefully we’ve also been fair. The truth is that we’d be nothing short of thrilled to see the Rockies succeed. They don’t need to win the World Series; they don’t need to win the NL West; they just need to be positively interesting.
Don’t you find it odd that the Rockies swept two of the most-talented teams in all of baseball, but could only muster a 1-9 record in between? Don’t you scratch your head when you hear words like “expectations” and “accountability” followed by the phrase “two-year contract extension” on Opening Day?
The Rockies, to say the least, have been interesting.
And to be fair, they’ve done some exceptional things this season. The Jason Jennings trade, which was heavily criticized, has actually turned out fairly well for the Rox. Willy Taveras and Jason Hirsh have been adequate if not better than Jennings. “Gen R,” which was previously labeled as nothing more than a marketing slogan at best, has actually materialized. Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins, Brad Hawpe, Jeff Francis and especially Troy Tulowitzki have been phenomenal. But more importantly, they’ve become an “identity” – something the franchise has lacked since the Blake Street Bombers.
But the “here” – the “now” – is when the team can truly define what it really is and whether it’s worth our emotional commitment. Although they’re only 5.5 games out of first place in the NL West, the Rox are in fourth place. It’s not insurmountable and definitely worth keeping an eye on. Hey, it’s only July 13.
Starting tonight, when the Rockies take on the Milwaukee Brewers, it’s fair to examine them critically. While many factors are important with regards to their future outlook, I view these three items as “telltale.”
1. Win or lose, what will happen to Todd Helton? Look, I love Helton as a ballplayer, but he doesn’t hit for power and his best years are behind him. And, oh, there’s that little elephant in the room – his salary. What the Rockies do with Helton will tell us a lot about how serious this ownership group is about building a winning franchise.
