| Colorado Rockies | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 2020 Colorado Rockies season | |||||
| Established in 1993 | |||||
| |||||
| Major league affiliations | |||||
| |||||
| Current uniform | |||||
 | |||||
| Retired numbers | |||||
| Colors | |||||
| Name | |||||
| |||||
| Other nicknames | |||||
| |||||
| Ballpark | |||||
| |||||
| Major league titles | |||||
| None | |||||
| NL Pennants (1) | 2007 | ||||
| West Division titles (0) | None | ||||
| Wild card berths (5) | |||||
| Front office | |||||
| Principal owner(s) | The Monfort brothers | ||||
| Manager | Bud Black | ||||
| General Manager | Jeff Bridich | ||||
| President of Baseball Operations | Jeff Bridich | ||||
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Field, which is located in the Lower Downtown area of Denver. It is owned by the Monfort brothers and managed by Bud Black.
The Rockies began play as an expansion team for the 1993 season, and played their home games for their first two seasons at Mile High Stadium. Since 1995, they have played at Coors Field, which has earned a reputation as a hitter's park. The Rockies have qualified for the postseason five times, each time as a Wild Card winner. In 2007, the team earned its first (and only) NL pennant after winning 14 of their final 15 games in the regular season to secure a Wild Card position, capping the streak off with a 13 inning 9-8 victory against the San Diego Padres in the tiebreaker game affectionately known as "Game 163" by Rockies fans. The Rockies then proceeded to sweep the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS and NLCS respectively and entered the 2007 World Series as winners of 21 of their last 22 games. However, they were swept by the American League (AL) champions Boston Red Sox in four games.
From 1993 to 2019, the Rockies have an overall record of 2,033-2,280 (a .471 winning percentage).[4]
History
 | This section does not cite any sources. (June 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
Denver had long been a hotbed of Denver Bears/Zephyrs minor league baseball and residents and businesses in the area desired a Major League team.[5][6] Denver's Mile High Stadium was built originally as Denver Bears Stadium,[7] a minor league baseball stadium that could be upgraded to major league standards.[6] Following the Pittsburgh drug trials in 1985, an unsuccessful attempt was made to purchase the Pittsburgh Pirates and relocate them. However, in January 1990, Colorado's chances for a new team improved significantly when Coors Brewing Company became a limited partner with the AAA Denver Zephyrs.[8]
In 1991, as part of Major League Baseball's two-team expansion (along with the Florida (now Miami) Marlins), an ownership group representing Denver led by John Antonucci and Michael I. Monus was granted a franchise.[9] They took the name "Rockies" due to Denver's proximity to the Rocky Mountains, which is reflected in their logo; the name was previously used by the city's first NHL team (who are now the New Jersey Devils). Monus and Antonucci were forced to drop out in 1992 after Monus' reputation was ruined by an accounting scandal.[] Trucking magnate Jerry McMorris stepped in at the 11th hour to save the franchise, allowing the team to begin play in 1993. The Rockies shared Mile High Stadium with the National Football League (NFL)'s Denver Broncos for their first two seasons while Coors Field was constructed. It was completed for the 1995 Major League Baseball season.
In 1993, they started play in the West division of the National League. The Rockies were MLB's first team based in the Mountain Time Zone. They have reached the Major League Baseball postseason five times, each time as the National League wild card team. Twice (1995 and 2009) they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. In 2007, the Rockies advanced to the World Series, only to be swept by the Boston Red Sox. Like their expansion brethren, the Miami Marlins, they have never won a division title since their establishment; they are also one of two current MLB teams that have never won their division.
The Rockies have played their home games at Coors Field since 1995. Their newest spring training home, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona, opened in March 2011 and is shared with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Season record
Uniform
At the start of the 2012 season, the Rockies introduced "Purple Mondays" in which the team wears its purple uniform every Monday game day.[10][11]
Baseball Hall of Famers
In 2020, Larry Walker was the first Colorado Rockies player to be inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame.[12]
Colorado Sports Hall of Fame
| Colorado Rockies in the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame | ||||
| No. | Name | Position(s) | Seasons | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -- | Jerry McMorris | Owner | 1992-2005 | |
| KSM | Keli McGregor | President | 2001-2010 | Attended Colorado State University |
| 9, 14 | Vinny Castilla | 3B | 1993-1999 2004, 2006 |
|
| 10 | Dante Bichette | OF | 1993-1999 | |
| 14 | Andrés Galarraga | 1B | 1993-1997 | |
| 17 | Todd Helton | 1B | 1997-2013 | |
| 25 | Don Baylor | Manager | 1993-1998 | |
| 33 | Larry Walker | RF | 1995-2004 | |
Individual awards
NL MVP
- 1997 - Larry Walker
NLCS MVP
- 2007 - Matt Holliday
NL Rookie of the Year
- 2002 - Jason Jennings
Silver Slugger Award
- Dante Bichette (1995)
- Vinny Castilla (1995, 1997-1998)
- Andrés Galarraga (1996)
- Eric Young (1996)
- Ellis Burks (1996)
- Larry Walker (1997, 1999)
- Mike Hampton (2001-2002)
- Todd Helton (2000-2003)
- Matt Holliday (2006-2008)
- Carlos González (2010, 2015)
- Troy Tulowitzki (2010-2011)
- Michael Cuddyer (2013)
- Nolan Arenado (2015-2018)
- Charlie Blackmon (2016-2017)
- Trevor Story (2018-2019)
- Germán Márquez (2018)
Hank Aaron Award
- 2000 - Todd Helton
Gold Glove Award
- Larry Walker (1997-1999, 2001-2002)
- Neifi Pérez (2000)
- Todd Helton (2001-2002, 2004)
- Carlos González (2010, 2012-2013)
- Troy Tulowitzki (2010-2011)
- Nolan Arenado (2013-2019)
- DJ LeMahieu (2014, 2017-2018)
Manager of the Year Award
- 1995 - Don Baylor
- 2009 - Jim Tracy
NL Batting Champion [13]
- Andrés Galarraga (1993)
- Larry Walker (1998, 1999, 2001)
- Todd Helton (2000)
- Matt Holliday (2007)
- Carlos González (2010)
- Michael Cuddyer (2013)
- Justin Morneau (2014)
- DJ LeMahieu (2016)
- Charlie Blackmon (2017)
DHL Hometown Heroes (2006)
- Larry Walker - voted by MLB fans as the most outstanding player in the history of the franchise, based on on-field performance, leadership quality and character value
Team award
- 2007 - Warren Giles Trophy (National League champion)
- 2007 - Baseball America Organization of the Year
Team records (single-game, single-season, career)
Championships
| National League Champions | ||
| Preceded by: St. Louis Cardinals |
2007 | Succeeded by: Philadelphia Phillies |
| National League Wild Card Winners | ||
| Preceded by: None (First) |
1995 | Succeeded by: Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Preceded by: Los Angeles Dodgers |
2007 | Succeeded by: Milwaukee Brewers |
| Preceded by: Milwaukee Brewers |
2009 | Succeeded by: Atlanta Braves |
| Preceded by: Arizona Diamondbacks |
2018 | Succeeded by: Washington Nationals |
| National League Wild Card Runner-Up | ||
| 2017 | ||
Retired numbers
Todd Helton is the first Colorado player to have his number (17) retired, which was done on Sunday, August 17, 2014.[14]
Newly-elected Hall of Fame member, Larry Walker, will have his number (33) retired on April 19, 2020 at Coors Field.[15]
Jackie Robinson's number, 42, was retired throughout all of baseball in 1997.
Keli McGregor had worked with the Rockies since their inception in 1993, rising from senior director of operations to team president in 2002, until his death on April 20, 2010. He is honored at Coors Field alongside Helton and Robinson with his initials.[16]
|
Roster
Minor league affiliations
The Colorado Rockies farm system consists of eight minor league affiliates.[17]
Radio and television
As of 2010, Rockies' flagship radio station is KOA 850AM, with some late-season games broadcast on KHOW 630 AM due to conflicts with Denver Broncos games. The Rockies Radio Network is composed of 38 affiliate stations in eight states.
As of 2019, Jack Corrigifan is the radio announcer, serving as a backup TV announcer whenever Drew Goodman is not available.
In January 2020, long-time KOA radio announcer Jerry Schemmel was let go from his role for budgetary reasons from KOA's parent company.
As of 2013, Spanish language radio broadcasts of the Rockies are heard on KNRV 1150 AM.
As of 2013, all games are produced and televised by AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain. All 150 games produced by AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain are broadcast in HD. Jeff Huson and Drew Goodman are the usual the TV broadcast team, with Ryan Spilborghs and Taylor McGregor handling on-field coverage and clubhouse interviews. Jenny Cavnar, Jason Hirsh, and Cory Sullivan handle the pre-game and post-game shows. Schemmel, Corrigan, Spilborghs, Cavnar, and Sullivan also fill in as play-by-play or color commentator during absences of Huson or Goodman.
Home attendance
The Rockies led MLB attendance records for the first seven years of their existence. The inaugural season is currently the MLB all-time record for home attendance.
| Home Attendance at Mile High Stadium | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total Attendance | Game Average | League Rank | |
| 1993 | 4,483,350 | 55,350 | 1st | |
| 1994 | 3,281,511 | 57,570+ | 1st | |
| Home Attendance at Coors Field | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total Attendance | Game Average | League Rank | |
| 1995 | 3,390,037 | 47,084++ | 1st | |
| 1996 | 3,891,014 | 48,037 | 1st | |
| 1997 | 3,888,453 | 48,006 | 1st | |
| 1998 | 3,792,683 | 46,823 | 1st | |
| 1999 | 3,481,065 | 42,976 | 1st | |
| 2000 | 3,295,129 | 40,681 | 3rd | |
| 2001 | 3,166,821 | 39,097 | 2nd | |
| 2002 | 2,737,838 | 33,800 | 6th | |
| 2003 | 2,334,085 | 28,816 | 9th | |
| 2004 | 2,338,069 | 28,865 | 9th | |
| 2005 | 1,914,389 | 23,634 | 14th | |
| 2006 | 2,104,362 | 28,979 | 11th | |
| 2007 | 2,650,218 | 32,719 | 9th | |
| 2008 | 2,665,080 | 32,902 | 8th | |
| 2009 | 2,875,245 | 35,497 | 6th | |
| 2010 | 2,909,777 | 35,923 | 7th | |
| 2011 | 2,630,458 | 32,475 | 7th | |
| 2012 | 2,793,828 | 34,492 | 5th | |
| 2013 | 2,680,329 | 33,090 | 5th | |
| 2014 | 2,506,789 | 30,948 | 8th | |
| 2015 | 2,602,524 | 32,130 | 6th | |
| 2016 | 2,953,650 | 36,465 | 5th | |
| 2017 | 2,048,138 | 25,286 | 11th | |
| 2018 | 3,015,880 | 37,233 | 5th | |
| 2019 | 2,993,244 | 36,954 | 4th | |
+ = 57 home games in strike shortened season. ++ = 72 home games in strike shortened season. [18][19]
References
- ^ Harding, Thomas (January 30, 2017). "Rockies outfitted with one shade of purple". Rockies.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved 2017.
- ^ "General Club Information" (PDF). 2012 Colorado Rockies Information Guide. MLB Advanced Media. February 24, 2012. Retrieved 2019.
- ^ Castrovince, Anthony (May 17, 2019). "Players poll: Who has MLB's best uniforms?". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved 2019.
- ^ "Colorado Rockies Team History & Encyclopedia". Baseball Reference. Retrieved 2020.
- ^ Routon, Ralph (January 25, 1978). "Op-Ed: Major League Baseball in Denver a Nice Thought". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. p. 21. Retrieved 2020.
- ^ a b "Pittsburgh Pirates could move to Denver if ..." The Daily Sentinel. November 10, 1981. p. 15. Retrieved 2020.
- ^ "Denver Always Rebuilding, Can't Seem to Finish Job 1960-1970 history". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. January 4, 1970. p. 41.
- ^ "Colorado must be ready when major leagues beckon". The Daily Sentinel. January 7, 1990. p. 29.
Denver received a big boost this past week when Coors Brewing Co. signed a letter of agreement to become a limited partner in the Denver Zephyrs, a Class AAA franchise playing in the American Association. ... "The addition of Coors is a tremendous boost to our efforts, said Suplizio. Multiple ownership is a requirement by Major League Baseball and no one else has the muscle that we've been able to muster in the Rocky Mountain region.
- ^ "It's official: Colorado Rockies in". The Daily Sentinel. July 5, 1991. p. 10.
- ^ "Rockies Introduce Purple Mondays Campaign During 'Year of the Fan'". Rockies.com (Press release). MLB Advanced Media. April 6, 2012. Retrieved 2016.
- ^ "Rockies introduce 'Purple Monday' campaign". KKTV. April 6, 2012. Retrieved 2016.
- ^ Harding, Thomas (January 22, 2020). "Final time's the charm: Walker elected to HOF". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved 2020.
- ^ "Batting Average Year-by-Year Leaders / Batting Champions on Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved 2017.
- ^ Harding, Thomas (March 11, 2019). "Todd man out: Helton's retired number stands alone". Rockies.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved 2019.
- ^ Randhawa, Manny (January 21, 2020). "Rox to retire No. 33; 'Both thrilled and honored'". Rockies.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved 2020.
- ^ Harding, Thomas (September 28, 2010). "Rox unveil McGregor memorial at Coors Field". Rockies.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved 2016.
- ^ "Colorado Rockies Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved 2020.
- ^ [1] Attendance Report
- ^ [2] Attendance Report
External links
This article uses material from the Wikipedia page available here. It is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
Video feed developed with YouTube API
