Colorado Rockies

28th Season First Game Played April 5, 1993
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1991: On June 10th Fay Vincent announces Denver and South Florida are the National League Expansion Committee’s selections for 1993. Four weeks later, Major League owners unanimously approve the two new teams, and the Rockies are born.

1992: On November 17th, the Rockies select David Nied from the Atlanta Braves to open the MLB Expansion Draft in New York City. At the same time, more than 20,000 fans fill Denver’s Currigan Hall to watch the historic event. After the draft, Colorado trades Kevin Reimer and Jody Reed for Dante Bichette and Rudy Seanez, respectively.

1993: On April 5th, the Rockies play their first regular-season game against the Mets at New York’s Shea Stadium. Dwight Gooden tosses a three-hit shutout as the Rockies fall 3-0. Four days later, the Rocky Mountain Region welcomes big-league baseball, as the Rockies host the Montreal Expos at Mile High Stadium. Eric Young homers to lead off the bottom of the first, bringing the record-setting crowd of 80,227 to its feet. Colorado earns their first win 11-4, behind 37-year-old Bryn Smith, who blanks the Expos over seven innings. The Rockies would go on to conclude their inaugural season with the 65 wins, the most by a National League expansion club. First baseman Andres Galarraga wins the batting title, the first won by a player on an expansion team. The Rockies also smash the baseball attendance record as 4,483,350 fans come through the turnstiles and watch the Rockies in their first year at Mile High Stadium.

1994: On August 7th, the Rockies eclipse one of their attendance marks, opening turnstiles for their three millionth fan in just the 52nd home date; the Rockies cracked three million in 53 dates in their record-breaking inaugural year. Attendance won’t go up any further as five days later; the season would prematurely end thanks to a player’s strike; as the Rockies sat just six and a half games out of first place with a 53-64 record.

1995: Just a week after the strike ends on April 1st, the Rockies sign prized free-agent Larry Walker to a multi-year deal. On a frigid April 26th evening, Dante Bichette christened the Rockies’ new park with a dramatic three-run home run to beat the New York Mets in the bottom of the 14th. Colorado lost the lead twice in extra frames, including the final inning, before Bichette’s homer catapulted them to victory. The Mets Rico Brogna hit the first homer in the park’s history, and Mets catcher Todd Hundley followed with the first Coors Field grand slam. With two out in the ninth and the Rockies down 7-6, new acquisition Larry Walker delivered an RBI double to send the game into the 10th. The two teams combined for 32 hits off 14 total pitchers, giving the baseball world a glimpse into the future of the majors’ most exciting ballpark. The Rockies would go on to finish with a 77-67 record good enough to win the National League’s first Wild Card berth. The Rockies would go on to face the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. After losing the first two games at Coors Field, the Rockies prove to be pesky out to the eventual World Champions. The resilient Rockies would win Game 3 in Atlanta in extra Innings thanks to Vinny Castilla’s Home Run. However, the Rockies would fall the next day, ending their magical season. At the end of the season, Manager Don Baylor is named NL Manager of the Year, and OF Dante Bichette finishes second in MVP voting.

1996: Ellis Burks and Dante Bichette both achieve 30 home run and 30 stolen base seasons becoming only the second pair of teammates to pull off that feat in the same season. The Rockies also become the first team to post 200 home runs and 200 stolen bases en-route setting a modern Major League 658 runs at home. However, the Rockies would only manage a third Place 83-79 season finishing seven games out of the Wild Card Spot.

1997: Larry Walker bats .366 while driving in 130 runs and smashing 49 homers en-route to being named National League MVP. He becomes the first Canadian born player ever to win the award. However, with the Rockies pitchers still struggling, the team can only manage another third-place 83-79 season. The team was dealt a further blow on September 24th as top Minor League pitcher Doug Million passes away after a severe asthma attack in Mesa, Arizona, where he was taking part in Instructional League.

1998: Coors Field hosts the 69th annual Major League All-Star festivities, beginning with All-Star Workout Day. Ken Griffey Jr. beats out Jim Thome to win the long-awaited home run derby. During the contest’s first round, Mark McGwire launches a ball 510 feet off a billboard in center field. The game itself is the highest-scoring All-Star Game in history; the Americans beat the Nationals, 13-8. Roberto Alomar of the Baltimore Orioles earns the MVP award. As for the season itself, the Rockies would struggle to finish in fourth place with a 77-85 record. Following the season manager, Don Baylor is fired and replaced with Jim Leyland.

1999: On April 4th, the Rockies mark their seventh Opening Day with a historic game. The Rockies and San Diego Padres become the first teams ever to open a Major League schedule outside of the U.S. or Canada, playing in Monterrey, Mexico. The Rockies would go on to win 8-2, while Mexico’s native son Vinny Castilla led the charge going 4 for 5 with a home run. One month later, the high-powered Rockies become only the third team in the 20th century to score in every inning of a nine-inning game, in a 13-6 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. However, the Rockies would struggle again with poor pitching finishing in last place with a 70-92 record. Following the season manager, Jim Leyland would retire sighting burnout.

2000: In an August 22nd extra-inning game with the Atlanta Braves, the Rockies ran out of pitchers in the 12th and were forced to use catcher Brent Mayne on the mound. Mayne ended up not allowing a run in one inning of work, and after the Rockies scored in the bottom of the 12th, Mayne became the first position player to be a winning pitcher since 1968. The new-look Rockies, who dealt away fan favorites Dante Bichette, and Vinny Castilla, are picked by most to finish in last place in the NL West by most experts. However, the Rockies surprise those experts and their fans by finishing the season with an 82-80 record. Larry Walker’s two-year reign as batting champion comes to an end as Todd Helton claims the title with a .372 average earning him the Hank Aaron Award.

2001: To bolster their pitching staff, the Rockies signed high priced Free Agents Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle. Hampton would have a terrific first half earning a spot on the All-Star team. However, he would struggle mightily in the second half finishing the season with a 14-13 record, while posting a disappointing 5.14 ERA. Neagle would not fare any better posting a9-8 record, with an ERA of 5.38. The Rockies would never be in the race and would go through a transition dealing away top-notch players for young prospects. The Rockies would go on to finish in last place with a 73-89, as Larry Walker was healthy again, and recaptured the batting crown with a .350 average.

2002: The Rockies got off to a terrible 6-16 start as Manager Buddy Bell is fired and replaced by Clint Hurdle. Under Hurdle, the Rockies would show improvement thanks from stellar pitching from Rockies Jason Jennings, who would be named Rookie of the Year and Denny Stark. The continued disappointment of high priced free-agent pitchers, Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle, kept the Rockies down as the team finished in fourth place with a record of 73-89. Following the season, the Rockies would cut bait and trade away Hampton, who was just the latest big-name pitcher to fail in the Mile High Air of Colorado.

2003: With the acquisition of Preston Wilson, the Rockies continued to have a power-packed offense that took advantage of the Mile High Air. In his first year with the Rockies, Wilson would have a breakout year leading the league with 141 RBI. However, the Rockies pitching continued to struggle finishing with a National League worst 5.20 team ERA, as 2002 Rookie of the Year Jason Jennings was bitten by the sophomore jinx with a disappointing 12-13 record and an ERA of 5.11. Meanwhile, injuries would limit Denny Neagle and Denny Stark to a combined 24 starts. Despite the struggles, the Rockies would hover around .500 most of the season within reach of the Wild Card. As the season wore on, the Rockies would fade winning just 14 games after August 8th, finishing in fourth place with a 74-88 record.

2004: Vinny Castilla, a hero from the Rockies’ early days, returned to Denver and played like he never left smashing 35 home runs while driving in a league-high 131 RBI. Also powering the Rockies was newcomer Jeromy Burnitz who hit 37 homers, and Todd Helton, who smacked 32 while hitting .347. However, just as great as the Rockies hitters were the Rockies pitching was terrible as only Shawn Estes managed 15 wins, as the Rockies posted a putrid team ERA of 5.54. The Rockies pitching would take them out of many games early and would take them out of the playoff picture as they finished in fourth place with a terrible 68-94 record. As the season wore on, the Rockies decided to go for a youth movement and traded away Larry Walker to the St. Louis Cardinals at the deadline. When the season was over, the changes continued as Castilla’s return to Colorado would last just one year as he and Burnitz both were left unsigned, as was Shawn Estes, their leading pitcher. The Rockies would also let go, Denny Neagle, whose contract was terminated, and Charles Johnson, leaving behind a roster of unproven players.

2005: The Rockies going with a youth movement started the season with a roster full of unknown players. They had a memorable opening day as Clint Barmes hit a dramatic two-run home run off Trevor Hoffman of the San Diego Padres from a 12-10 win. However, it would be the only moment of joy in an otherwise bleak April as the Rockies rookies were taking their lumps early and often as they lost 21 of their first 27 games. Clint Barmes was one of the only bright spots early in the season as he posted a .410 average in April and appeared to be putting numbers for a run at the Rookie of the Year as he was hitting .329 on June 5th when he was lost to a freak shoulder injury suffered while carrying up packages of frozen deer meat up to his apartment. Barmes would miss nearly three months and would struggle when he returned. The Rockies would find themselves in last place all season as they had a 31-56 record at the All-Star Break. However, in the second half, there would be signs of improvement as the Rockies were the best team in the National League West in the second half, as the entire division was below .500, at times. Despite the more competitive baseball brand, the Rockies would never escape the cellar, as they finished with a 67-95 record-equaling the worst mark in franchise history.

2006: After a terrible season, the Rockies continued to bank their fortunes on youth as almost the entire roster was under 30. One of the young stars who had a breakout season was Left Fielder Matt Holliday, who led the team with 34 Home Runs while batting .326 with 119 RBI. Another young breakout star was 3B Garrett Atkins, who hit .329 with 20 homers and a team-high 120 RBI and 117 runs scored. While Holliday and Atkins drove the Rockies to early success in April as they ended the month in first place with a 15-10 record, concerns surrounded Todd Helton as a serious intestinal infection landed him in the hospital. Helton would eventually recover, but the lost strength robbed him of some of his power numbers as he managed just 15 homers with 81 RBI, though still hitting a respectable .302. The Rockies would stay above .500 and near the top of the National League West, much of the first half as the team posted its best ERA in team history at 4.66. As the second half began, the Rockies began to fade as they lost eight straight and 11 of 12 sandwiched around the All-Star Game to fall below .500. The Rockies would never make it back over .500 again as a disastrous six-game round trip in mid-August finished them as they suffered back-to-back sweeps as the hands of the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers. The Rockies would go on to finish the season with a 76-86 record that though tied for the worst record in the National League West, marked a substantial nine-game improvement.

2007: The Rockies hoped to continue to build off their improved record and get into the playoff race as they entered the new season. However, early on, it was more of the same as the Rockies struggled and closed April with a record of 10-16. One early highlight that would hint of the Rockies magical season was when rookie Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki pulled off a rare unassisted triple play on April 29th against the Atlanta Braves. The Rockies would not play much better in May, as they still sat below .500. June would bring flashes of brilliance as the Rockies took two of three against the Boston Red Sox, and swept the New York Yankees, but ended the month on an eight-game losing streak. As the All-Star Game approached, the Rockies started to turn things around, sweeping the New York Mets, who had the best record in the NL at the break, as the Rockies ended the first half at 44-44. As July ended, the Rockies were above .500 and on the fringe of the playoff race, in fourth place within shouting distance of the top, but not taken seriously by the rest of baseball. One player getting notice was OF Matt Holliday. He went from the Rockies’ best-kept secret to certified All-Star as he led the National League in batting average and RBI while getting MVP consideration. Still, it seemed the Rockies were a solid team that was going nowhere as they lost two straight games to the Florida Marlins and sat in fourth place at 77-72 on September 15th. The following day the Rockies avoided an embarrassing home sweep with a 13-0 blow out win as they entered a four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, whom the Rockies would sweep, to climb into third place keeping their faint playoff hopes alive. The Rockies would follow it up with a sweep of the San Diego Padres on the road, and with a seven-game winning streak, somehow were staying alive in the chase for the playoffs. Another sweep of the Dodgers would suddenly catch the attention of baseball as the Rockies were still alive thanks to an 11-game winning streak entering the final weekend of the season. The streak would end on September 28th as the Arizona Diamondbacks looked up a division title with a 4-2 win, as the Rockies found themselves trailing the Padres by two games with two games to go for the Wild Card. The Rockies would do their part hammering the D-Backs 11-1 but watched helplessly as the Padres were one inning away from clinching the Wild Card, with all-time leading save man Trevor Hoffman on the mound. Hoffman would blow the save against the Milwaukee Brewers keeping the Rockies’ hearts beating heading into the final day of the season. The Rockies would win again, closing the regular season with 13 wins in their last 15 games. Meanwhile, the Brewers helped them out again, as they beat the Padres to force a tiebreaker playoff for the Wild Card spot as the Rockies and Padres each posted an 89-73 record. The Rockies streak had caught MLB by surprise as they had won the right to host the game just a week earlier in a last-minute coin flip. The game would be an instant classic as the Rockies jumped out early against National League Cy Young winner Jake Peavy, taking a 3-0 lead. However, the Padres behind Adrian Gonzalez scored five times in the third inning to take the lead. Much like they did at the end of the season, the Rockies battled back, taking a 6-5 lead after six innings. However, the Padres would tie the game, as the one-game tiebreaker needed extra innings to decide who would play in October and who would go home. In the 13th inning, the Padres would strike scoring two runs off an ineffective Jorge Julio, but these Rockies would not give up not after winning 13 of 14 just to force a tiebreaker. With Trevor Hoffman on the mound, the odds were against the Rockies again, but that only seemed to put things in their favor as Kaz Matsui led off with a double, he was followed by Tulowitzki who hit a double of his own, then came Matt Holliday who tied the game again with a triple. With nobody out the winning run was on 3rd, Todd Helton was intentional walked, setting up pinch hitter Jamey Carroll for the dramatic finish, as he flew out to short right field, Holliday decided to chance and slid past the tag of Michael Barrett at home to give the Rockies a dramatic 9-8 victory, keeping with the dramatics Holliday seemed to be hurt on the play as teammates rushed to greet him, but he would get up, and the Rockies were in the playoffs with a 90-73 record.

2007 Postseason: In the NLDS, the Rockies were matched up against the Philadelphia Phillies, who had their own miracle run to reach the postseason. Still buzzing from their winning streak, the Rockies got off to a fast start winning the opener on the road behind Jeff Francis 4-2. In Game 2, it would be Josh Fogg, who overcame early shakiness to settle down, as Kaz Matsui hit a grand slam home run to spark the Rockies offense in a 10-4 win. As the series shifted to Coors Field, the Phillies seemed to be running into a buzz saw, as Colorado officially had baseball fever. With Ubaldo Jimenez allowing just one run on three hits in six and third innings, the Rockies were able to win a pitcher’s duel 2-1, as Pinch Hitter Jeff Baker knocked home Garrett Atkins with the winning run in the eighth inning to complete the three-game sweep and send the Rockies to an NLCS showdown with the Arizona Diamondbacks. In Game 1, it would be Jeff Francis again, who outpitched Brandon Webb to give the Rockies a 5-1 win in Game 1. The next game would go to extra innings, were the Rockies had more late-inning magic, with Willy Taveras taking a bases-loaded run to force home the winning run in the 11th inning. As the series shifted to Colorado, not even the rain could spoil the Rockies run as they took a 3-0 series lead powered by a Yorvit Torrealba g three-run homer in the sixth inning to win 4-1. The Rockies would go on to complete the sweep with a 6-4 win as NLCS MVP Matt Holliday smashed a three-run homer to give the Rockies a commanding 6-1 lead in the fourth inning. With 21 wins in 22 games, the Rockies were the hottest team in baseball as they found themselves in the World Series against the Boston Red Sox. However, sweeping through the NLDS and NLCS had a negative side effect as the Rockies would have a nine-day layoff before starting the Fall Classic in Fenway Park. In Game 1, Jeff Francis took the mound again, but the Rockies magic seemed to be gone as the Red Sox jumped out early and won easily 13-1. In Game 2, the Rockies would score in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead, but would not score again as the Sox took a 2-0 lead to Denver with a 2-1 win. As the series shifted to Coors Field it was clear the Rockies were overmatched as the Red Sox scored six runs in the third inning to take a 6-0 lead, the Rockies would battle back to get within one run, but the Sox offense was too much as they pulled away late for a 10-5 win. The Sox would go on to complete the sweep with a 4-3 win in Game 4.

2008: Coming off their surprise trip to the World Series, expectations were a mile high in Denver for the Rockies. However, after winning on Opening Day, the Rockies lost five straight and found themselves in a hole right from the start as they posted an 11-17 record in April. Things would not get any better in May, as injuries began to take their toll on the Rockies as they found themselves in last place, while key players like Troy Tulowitzki, Clint Barmes, Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, and Garrett Atkins all missed significant time. On the mound, things were not much better as Jeff Francis struggled all season, posting a 4-10 record with a 5.10 ERA while pitching all season with a sore shoulder. After the All-Star Break, the Rockies started to get healthier, but there would be no miracle run, as they never factored in the playoff race and ended the season in fourth place with a disappointing record of 74-88. Following the season in a cost-cutting move, the Rockies would trade Matt Holiday, who was scheduled to be a free agent following the 2009 season to the Oakland Athletics pitchers Huston Street and Greg Smith and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez.[

2009: Already starting life without Matt Holiday, the Rockies were dealt more bad news when Jeff Francis was lost for the season following shoulder surgery. The Rockies would get off to a poor start again, and found themselves floundering in last place with an awful 19-28 record on May 29th, costing Manager Clint Hurdle his job, as he was replaced by bench coach Jim Tracy. Under Tracy, the Rockies would show immediate improvement, winning their first two games against the San Diego Padres. The Rockies would suffer a setback by losing their next four games. However, soon they would become the hottest team in baseball as they reeled off 11 straight wins while winning 17 of 18 games to go from last place and 12 games below .500 to third place and four games over .500. The streak would enable the Rockies to post their best month in franchise history during June at 21-7. The strong June enabled the Rockies to get back in the playoff picture. In July, the Rockies continued to move up the standings grabbing second place in the Western Division while taking a Wild Card lead. On August 24th, facing the San Francisco Giants, in a divisional battle between two teams fighting for the Wild Card, the Rockies found themselves down 4-1 in the 14th inning after the Giants broke open a 1-1 tie with three runs in the top of the 14th inning. However, the Rockies would not go down quietly as Ryan Spilborghs hit a walk-off grand slam to give the Rockies a dramatic 6-4 win. The win gave the Rockies a four-game lead in the Wild Card race, a lead they would not relinquish. The Rockies would end the season continuing their strong play as they posted an 18-9 record in September. Down the stretch, the Rockies even made a run at the Los Angeles Dodgers for the division title before falling just three games short with a 92-70 establishing a new all-time franchise record for wins in a season. The Rockies turnaround would earn Jim Tracy Manager of the Year honors, as the team posted a 73-42 record after he replaced Clint Hurdle. In the NLDS, the Rockies were unable to solve Cliff Lee, as the Philadelphia Phillies took the opener 5-1. However, the Rockies would rebound to even the series with a 5-4 win in Game 2 as Aaron Cook earned the win, with Yorvit Torrealba providing the big blow with a two-run home run in the 4th inning. As the series shifted to Coors Field, the unpredictable October weather created a one-day postponement in Game 3. The series resumed the offenses that controlled the game before the Phillies regained control of the series with a 6-5 win on Ryan Howard’s sac-fly of Huston Street in the ninth inning. Needing a win in Game 4, the Rockies took a 4-2 lead to the 9th Inning as Torrealba doubled home two runs in the 8th inning. However, closer Huston Street was roughed up again, as the Phillies scored three times to win the Game 5-4 and advance to the NLCS.

2010: In the early part of the season, the story of the Rockies was all about pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, who got off to one of the best starts in the history of MLB, winning pitcher of the month in April and May, as he won 11 of his first 12 games while posting an ERA of 0.93. Highlighting the first two months were scoreless inning streaks of 25 1/3 straight scoreless innings and 33 scoreless innings to set a new franchise record. On April 17th in Atlanta, Jimenez made history by becoming the first pitcher in Rockies history to throw a No-Hitter, as the Rockies beat the Braves 4-0. Despite the incredible pitching of Jimenez, the Rockies only managed to post a 26-24. Heading into the July, the Rockies continued to tread water. Still, in the weeks leading up to the All-Star Break, the Rockies showed signs they were ready to make a run, as they rallied to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 12-9 on July 6th, after entering the 9th inning down 9-3, as Chris Iannetta and Seth Smith each hit three-run homers off of closer Ryan Franklin. Heading into the All-Star Game, Ubaldo Jimenez continued to be the talk of the National League, as he started the Mid Summer Classic in Anaheim with a 15-1 record, with an ERA of 2.20, as the Rockies pulled to within two games of first place with a record of 49-39. Out of the break, the Rockies went into a slump, losing 12 of 14 games, as Jimenez was unable to keep up his first-half performance. The second half for Ubaldo Jimenez would be a disappointment for the Rockies, as he won just four games and lost seven. The end of July slump would put the Rockies in a hole, as the San Francisco Giant and San Diego Padres battled for the National League Western Division. Entering September, trailing by seven games in third place, the Rockies would make a run, winning ten straight games to climb within a game and half of the leaders, as the West suddenly became a three-team race. The Rockies dropped two of three at Coors Field to the Padres with a chance to draw closer. Despite losing the series, the Rockies remained in the race, winning the next two games on the road against the Los Angeles Dodgers to climb within a game of first place. However, on September 19th, the Rockies season would begin to unravel as they blew a 6-1 lead against the Dodgers, losing 7-6 in 11 innings. The Rockies would win just one game the remainder of the season, as they lost their final eight games to finish the season in third place with a record of 83-79.

2011: After falling out of the race down the stretch, the Rockies looked to return to the playoffs as they maintained the same roster as the year before while adding some lumber with Ty Wiggington. Opening Day brought some heartache, as the Rockies bullpen suffered a meltdown and lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-6 in 11 innings at Coors Field. However, the loss was just a little bump in the road, as they won 11 of their next 12 games, including a strong eastern road awing that saw them take seven of eight against the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets. The Rockies would end April in first place with a record of 17-8. The Rockies’ early success came without Ubaldo Jimenez winning a game. While their ace struggled, the Rockies got a 4-0 start from Jorge De la Rosa. The Rockies’ strong start would quickly be erased with a nightmarish May, as De la Rosa, who was off to a strong start, suffered a season-ending elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery, while Ubaldo Jimenez remained winless as the Rockies tumbled down the Western Division like an Avalanche as they posted a record of 8-21. Jimenez’s slump would end with a 3-0 shutout win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 1st, as the Rockies recovered from their dreadful May, and posted a winning record. However, they remained under .500 and would go into the All-Star Break with a record of 43-48. After the break, the Rockies decided to trade Ubaldo Jimenez, who was still struggling with high expectations and getting five prospects from the Cleveland Indians in return at the trade deadline. Over the last two months, the Rockies continued to struggle as they finished in fourth place with a disappointing record of 73-89.

2012: After a disappointing season, the Rockies had a busy off-season retooling the team. The Rockies signed Catcher Ramon Hernandez to replace Chris Iannetta, who was traded to the Los Angeles Angels for Reliever Tyler Chatwood. Meanwhile, closer Huston Street was dealt to the San Diego Padres. The Rockies would also add Michael Cuddyer, who was coming off a career season and utilityman Marco Scutaro. The Rockies also made changes to the rotation by acquiring Jeremy Guthrie from the Baltimore Orioles for Jason Hammel and Matt Lindstrom. The Rockies also signed Jamie Moyer, who became the oldest pitcher to win a game at the age of 49 on April 17th as the Rockies beat the Padres 5-3 at Coors Field. Moyer would post a 2-5 record with an ERA of 5.70 before being released on June 1st. After the release of Moyer, the Rockies welcomed back Jeff Francis, who posted a record of 6-8, with an ERA of 5.58. Francis would end up being the Rockies’ most reliable starting pitcher, which illustrated the team’s problems with the highest ERA in all of baseball. Jeremy Guthrie, who earned the Opening Day start posted an awful 3-9 record with a 6.35 ERA before he was sent to the Kansas City Royals on July 20th for Jonathan Sanchez. A week later, the Rockies sent Marco Scutaro to the San Francisco Giants for Charlie Culberson. Scutaro went on to be a key player in the Giants run to a World Championship. Injuries also hurt the Rockies as Troy Tulowitzki played just 47 games before a season-ending groin injury on May 30th. Tulo was hitting .287, with eight home runs and 27 RBI at the time of the injury as the Rockies finished in last place with a record of 64-98 that was their worst season to date.

2013: Coming off the worst season in franchise history, the Rockies had a new manager in Walt Weiss. A key for the Rockies improving would be staying healthy as they were a much better team when Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki were both in the lineup. The Rockies’ two stars were healthy early, and the Rockies got off to a solid start, posting a 13-4 record as they played through some wild weather at Coors Field. It included four series with the New York Mets that was twice postponed by snow and saw the Rockies win a doubleheader in which the wind chill factor was in the single digits. Despite a slump in May, the Rockies went into June above.500. However, in June, the Rockies began to experience familiar problems with injuries as Tulowitzki missed 25 games with a fractured rib. Troy Tulowitzki would return in time for the All-Star Game, where he was joined by Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer in the National League’s Starting Lineup at the All-Star Game. After ending the first half with a record of 45-50, the Rockies would stumble in the second half as injuries, and inconsistent pitching once again contributed to them being a non-factor in the playoff race. The Rockies would finish the season with a record of 74-88. Despite missing 50 games, Car-Go led the Rockies with 26 home runs, as Tulo hit 25. Michael Cuddyer, who had a career-best 27 game hitting streak, would lead the National League in hitting with a .331 average as he hit 20 homers and had a team-best 84 RBI. It would also be an end of an era for the Rockies as Todd Helton in his final season hit .249 with 15 homers and 61 RBI. Helton played his entire 17-year career with the Rockies finished with 2,519 hits, 369 homers, 1,406 RBI, and a solid .316 career batting average.

2014: With the retirement of Todd Helton, who became the first player to have his number retired by the Colorado Rockies, Justin Morneau was signed to play first place. Morneau had a terrific first year in Colorado batting .319 with 17 home runs and 82 RBI. Despite an ugly 10-1 loss to the Miami Marlins to open the season, the Rockies played well early in the season, as Nolan Arenado set a new franchise record with a 28 game hitting streak. The Rockies were even in first place with a record of 22-14 as late as May 7th. However, the Rockies pitching began to struggle as Jorge De La Rosa was the only starting pitcher to win more than ten games, posting a record of 14-11. No pitcher had a more disappointing season than Jhoulys Chacin, who battled shoulder problems and finished the season with an awful record of 1-7 and an ERA 5.40. After finishing May with a record of 28-27, the Rockies suffered through an 8-20 mark in June, which would have been much worse if not for a five-game winning streak highlighted by a sweep of the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. July would bring even more misery to the Rockies, as they went 8-17 and lost Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez to season-ending injuries. Tulo was key to the Rockies’ early-season success as he was named Player of the Month in April batting .364 in April with seven home runs, nine doubles, and 22 RBI. When he suffered a season-ending hip injury on July 20th, Troy Tulowitzki was batting .340 to lead the National League, while hitting 21 homers and 51 RBI. Only Corey Dickerson had better power numbers with 24 homers and 76 RBI. Without two key players and a struggling pitching staff, the Rockies would finish the season in fourth place with a record of 66-96.

2015: After four straight losing seasons, there was not much for the Colorado Rockies to look forward to entering the season. However, they did give fans a glimmer of hope as Kyle Kendrick was impressive on Opening Day as the Rockies slammed the Milwaukee Brewers 13-0 at Miller Park. The Rockies would win seven of their first nine games, including a sweep of the reigning World Champion San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. However, as May began, the Rockies slide started with an 11-game losing streak. The Rockies also dropped 17 of 21 to go from second place one game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers to last place, where they would remain for the duration of the season. Pitching naturally was a significant weakness for the Rockies, as their 5.04 ERA was the worst in the majors. Three of five Rockies starters lost ten or more games, with ERAs over 5.33. Kyle Kendrick, who earned the win in the season opener, had a miserable season after signing in the offseason, posting a record of 7-13 with a Mile High ERA of 6.32. Jorge de la Rosa was the Rockies’ only reliable starter, with a record of 9-7 with an ERA of 4.17. De la Rosa was the only Rockies pitcher to top 100 strikeouts with a 134. During the season, Jorge De la Rosa also set a new franchise record for 73 runs continuing to show the effect the light air has on pitcher’s numbers at Coors Field. The Rockies were ranked at or near the bottom in every pitching stat; their offensive numbers continued to be impressive. Nolan Arenado was the Rockies’ most prolific hitter with a .287 average, with 42 home runs, while leading the National League with 130 RBI and 354 total bases. Carlos Gonzalez also had an excellent season, with 40 homers and 97 RBI, with a .271 average. Troy Tulowitzki was also healthy and having a solid season batting .300 with 12 home runs and 53 RBI before being traded near the trade deadline. The Rockies would ship the All-Star shortstop along with Reliever LaTroy Hawkins to the Toronto Blue Jays, getting back shortstop Jose Reyes along with Miguel Castro, and prospects Jeff Hoffman and Jesus Tinoco. Despite being the top-scoring team in the National League, the Rockies would finish in last place with a record of 68-94.

2016: After a frustrating season, the Colorado Rockies looked to rebound and inch closer to contention. Early on, things looked bleak as Jose Reyes was placed on leave for a domestic violence arrest in the off-season, anticipating a suspension from MLB. To replace Reyes, the Rockies tabbed Trevor Story as their opening day shortstop. Story was all the talk of Colorado as the season began as he became the first rookie to debut on opening day with two home runs as the Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-5. Trevor Story would home in his first three games, becoming the first rookie to hit a home run in his first three games as the Rockies took two of three in Arizona ahead of their home opener. Coming home, Trevor Story continued to become baseball’s new big slugger, homering in his first game at Coors Field. Trevor Story would be named NL Player of the Week as he hit seven home runs in his first six games. Story would also earn Rookie of the Month honors with ten home runs, 19 runs scored, 20 RBI, and three triples. While Trevor Story became a new fan favorite, the Rockies hovered near .500, finishing April with a record of 11-12. Trevor Story pace would slow, but he was in the voting for the final spot in the National League All-Star squad, while Jose Reyes was released once his 51-game suspension ended on May 31st. Unfortunately, Trevor Story would suffer a thumb injury at the end of July and finished the season with a .272 average, 27 home runs, and 72 RBI. The loss of Story would end the Rockies’ hopes of finishing over .500 as they ended the season in third place with a record of 75-87. While Trevor Story got the early attention, the star of the Rockies remained Nolan Arenado, who led the National League with 41 home runs and 133 RBI, as he batted .294 and won his fourth gold glove. Meanwhile, D.J. LeMahieu won the NL batting crown with a .348 average. Among the other Rockies who had strong seasons, included Carlos Gonzalez, who hit .298 with 25 homers and 100 RBI, while Charlie Blackmon hit .324, with 20 homers, 82 RBI and 111 runs scored in the leadoff spot. On the mound, Chad Betts had a solid season, leading the Rockies with 14 wins.

2017: Under new manager Bud Black, the Colorado Rockies got off to a strong start, winning 14 of their first 20 games as they spent most of April on top of the National League West. A key to the Rockies’ strong start was the signing of closer Greg Holland, who, after missing all of 2016 after Tommy John surgery, quickly returned to form, recording a save in his first 20 chances with the Rockies. Holland would lead the National League with 41 saves, as he was named Comeback Player of the Year. Colorado continued to play winning baseball in May, as Charlie Blackmon was named National League Player of the Month as they ended May, a half-game out of first with a record of 33-22. Blackmon was among the big stars in Colorado, posting a team-best .331 average with 37 home runs and 104 RBI. The Rockies continued to battle the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks atop the Western Division in June, as they again spent time in first place. With Nolan Arenado completing the cycle with a Walk-Off home run in a 7-5 win over the San Francisco Giants. However, as June came to an end, the Rockies lost six straight against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks, putting them behind in the three-team battle. While the Rockies slipped to third place, the three teams in the West were also the top three in the National League as the Rockies went into the All-Star Break at 52-39. The Rockies were not able to keep the pace after the break as the threaded water and played .500 baseball the rest of the way. Fortunately, their play early in the season was good enough for them to slip into the postseason with the second Wild Card in the National League at 87-75. Once again, Nolan Arenado was the Rockies MVP, finishing fourth in MVP balloting with a .309 average, 37 homers and 130 RBI, while winning another Gold Glove at third base. On the mound, Jon Gray was Colorado???? top starter with a record of 10-4 and an ERA of 3.67. Chad Bettis was the Rockies’ most inspirational pitcher, as fought testicular cancer and returned with a strong outing in August, posting a record of 2-4 with a 5.05 ERA in nine starts.

2017 Wild Card: Jon Gray got the start for the Colorado Rockies as they faced the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Wild Card Game at Chase Field. Things got off to a rocky start for the Rockies as Paul Goldschmidt gave Arizona a 3-0 lead, three batters into the game. The Diamondbacks would eventually build a 6-0 lead after three innings before the Rockies bats tried to get them back in the game. In the fourth inning, Colorado put up four runs to chase Zack Greinke off the mound. The Rockies got within one run on a Charlie Blackmon squeeze bunt in the seventh. However, Pat Neshek gave up a triple to Diamondbacks reliever Archie Bradley making the deficit 8-5. The Rockies answered with back-to-back home runs from Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story in the eighth, but Greg Holland could not hold the D-Backs, as Arizona again padded with three more runs. Colorado would get an RBI single from Carlos Gonzalez in the ninth, but got no closer and lost the Game 11-8.

2018: After a loss in the Wildcard game to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Colorado Rockies looked to take the next step towards a championship. In the offseason, Colorado bolstered their bullpen with the additions of southpaw Jake McGee and former all-star Wade Davis. The season got off to a subpar start, as the Rockies entered the month of July just 41-42. Despite this, three Rockies were named All-Stars in third basemen Nolan Arenado, shortstop Trevor Story and outfielder Charlie Blackmon. Looking to make a surge towards October, Colorado began to play their best baseball in July as they went 17-6 on the month to move from a game under .500 to ten games over at 58-48. Late in July, the Rockies added another bat to their lineup as they reunited with Matt Holliday nine years after trading him to the Oakland Athletics. Despite a lackluster record of 14-14 in August, the Rockies entered September just a half-game back of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the Western Division. The Rockies did everything in their power to win the division as they rattled off a season-high eight-game winning streak from late in September. They entered Game 162 against the Washington Nationals tied for the NL West lead and were able to come out with a 12-0 victory over the Nationals, as Blackmon hit for a cycle to lead the Rockies. With the win, the Rockies finished the season tied with the Dodgers. They would need a tiebreaker playoff with the winner going to the NLDS and the loser playing for the Wild Card. In Game 163, the Rockies would fall short in Los Angeles as the Dodgers clinched the division with a 5-2 victory sending the Rockies to Chicago for the NL Wild Card Game. The Rockies officially finished the season 91-72, and in second place in the NL West, one win short of a franchise record. Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story both had MVP caliber seasons. Arenado led the Rockies with 38 homers and 110 RBI, while Story had 37 dingers and 108 RBI. On the mound, Kyle Freeland led the way, posting a record of 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA, finishing fourth in the vote for the Cy Young.

Written by Aaron Gershon

2018 Wild Card: In the Wild Card for the second straight season, the Colorado Rockies looked to change their fate at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs. The Rockies were playing in three cities in three time zones in three days. The Rockies an early 1-0 lead as Nolan Arenado hit a sac-fly to score Charlie Blackmon in the first inning. Colorado starter Kyle Freeland kept the Cubs at bay as he pitched six and two thirds scoreless innings. In the bottom of the eighth, the Cubs tied the Game as Javier Baez hit an RBI double off Colorado’s Adam Ottavino. The game would go deep into extra innings. In the 13th inning, the Rockies took a 2-1 lead after Tony Wolters hit an RBI single. Scott Oberg struck out all four batters he faced to earn the win.

Written by Aaron Gershon

2018 NLDS: After their victory over the Cubs, the Colorado Rockies would face the Milwaukee Brewers in the Division Series. In the opener, the Rockies were frustrated by the Brewers bullpen that had four pitchers combine to allow one hit through the first eight innings. Trailing 2-0, the Rockies would rally against Jeremy Jeffress, scoring two runs to tie the game, 2-2. There would be no extra-inning magic as Adam Ottavino falters in the tenth inning, allowing the Brewers to get a 3-2 win in Game 1. In Game 2, the Rockies’ bats were frozen again, as Milwaukee won 4-0. At Coors Field in Game 3, things would not go any better as the Brewers finished off the sweep with a 6-0 win. In the series, Colorado was outscored 13-2 and was shutout in both games two and three.

Written by Aaron Gershon

2019: After back to back postseason appearances, expectations remained high for the Colorado Rockies. The offseason saw them lose both all-star DJ LeMahieu and reliever Adam Ottavino to the New York Yankees. Looking to replace them, the Rockies signed former all-star and 2015 NLCS MVP Daniel Murphy. After a rough March and April, Colorado put together a strong May as they went 16-10 on the month to get back over .500 at 29-27. While they were fading in the division race, trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers by nine games, the Rockies were in the Wild Card race again as they began July holding a record of 44-40. Four Rockies were rewarded for their strong first halves as Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon, Trevor Story, and David Dahl were all named All-Stars. As the weather grew warmer, Colorado’s season began to implode. The Rockies went 6-19 plummeting out of the playoff chase. On August 2nd, the team lost Dahl for the season as he suffered a high ankle sprain. From there, the season spiraled out of control as they went just 9-19 in August and went onto finish the season 71-91. At just 71 wins, the Rockies saw a drastic 20 win drop from their 91-win 2018 season and saw their franchise-best two-season playoff streak snapped. One player who was a massive disappointment for Colorado was Kyle Freeland. After getting Cy Young votes in 2018, Freeland was sent to AAA in 2019 after a 2-6 start with a 7.13 ERA. Kyle Freeland would finish the season with a record of 3-11 with a 6.73 ERA. Nolan Arenado again had a big year with the bat, leading the Rockies with 41 home runs with 118 RBI.

Written by Aaron Gershon

 

 

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Page created on March 22, 2001. Last updated on June 6, 2020, at 2:35 pm ET.