DENVER — Sure the Rockies stunk it up in two road cities to start the season.
But today is Colorado’s Opening Day. The Rockies' forgiving fanbase packed every seat at Coors Field on this spectacular, sunny, 75-degree, early-April Friday afternoon to shower grace upon the Rockies for this one day. Rockies fans can put up with just about anything so long as the home team beats the Tampa Bay Rays in the home opener.
“We plan on winning today,’’ said Rockies manager Buddy Black. “We’re going to get ready to win. And we want to win tomorrow. But we’re going to do everything we can today to win.
“But it’s a good point. It’s going to be a sold out crowd with a lot of energy. They want to see good things. So let’s give it to them.”
The Rockies brought a most unfortunate 1-6 record into their first game before their own fans Friday. After suffering their first-ever 100-loss season last year (103), the last thing they needed was falling behind 16-1 in the third inning of their Opening Day at Arizona last week. How embarrassing.
The Rockies also lost 5-0 with the wind gusting straight in at Wrigley Field, and 12-2 the next day against the Cubs with the wind blowing a gale straight out. The Rockies, it seems, are capable of losing any game, whatever the conditions, they play this year.
Just so long as they win on Colorado’s Opening Day.
“This is a cool event,’’ Charlie Blackmon, the Rockies’ longest tenured player, said at his locker before the home opener. “It seems like everybody in town is in this little area at the game, watching the game, involved in the game, here for the festivities. It’s a really good day for the city of Denver.’’
Blackmon is about the only Rockies player who is off to a good start. He batted .417 on the season-opening road trip.
“I’m usually pretty terrible the first few weeks at least,’’ Blackmon said. “So it’s nice to be a little better this year.”
As usual, Coors Field was the prettiest place on earth for Colorado’s Opening Day. Beauty, though, is to be seen, not felt. The Rockies playing well, and winning, will make the sell out home crowd feel good about its team. The fans packed the place to see it, and feel it.
“Even coming in as a visiting player a couple different times, a visiting coach, manager coming in here, you can feel the difference with opening day in Denver, as opposed to other places,’’ Black said.
Play Ball!
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