The Rockies owe us. Big time.
We’ve been patient for more than 13 years, purchased more than 40 million tickets, sweated through our shirts on 95-degree afternoons, spent enough money on beer to buy a brewery, endured 1,148 losses by the franchise and 1,149 excuses for lousy baseball.
The Rockies owe us a division championship.
Not in 2008. Now. This year.
“I think it’s going to be a race,” Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said Sunday. “Pitching is going to be the major portion of it. Whoever pitches best is going to win it.”
Are we asking too much for Colorado to win the National League West? Not if you believe the Rockies.
“Nobody wants to run away with it. That’s obvious. If we can just keep ourselves in it, we’ve been saying it all year: ‘We’re bound to get hot sometime,”‘ said pitcher Jason Jennings, whose never-say-quit grit paid off, as he worked seven strong innings and the Rockies scratched out enough hits to beat division-leading San Diego, 3-1.
The NL West is where mediocrity goes to be a contender. The Padres won the division in 2005 by winning two more games than they lost. This season, win 85 times and you’ll earn a nifty championship decal to paste on your outfield wall – and a free trip to the playoffs.
The ownership of the Rockies is rich in emotional IOUs. Charlie and Dick Monfort have pocketed too much of our cash and given little back except empty promises.
Don’t tell us how many prospects are ripping it up down on the farm for the Rockies. Stuff a sanitary sock in that stale noise. If we wanted to live in Tulsa or Asheville, we would not have to fight rush-hour traffic to attend tonight’s game at Coors Field.
The Rockies are 4 1/2 games out of first place. Time to make a move.
The trade deadline is today. And what is Colorado planning to do?
Nothing. Or, if you want to quibble, the Rockies will settle for doing barely enough to show they care.
The New York Yankees go out and acquire a bat by making a deal for Bobby Abreu.
The Rockies, who pack less punch than the boxing career of Tonya Harding, are rumored to be working a trade for a relief pitcher from Pittsburgh.
Big deal.
“It’s not like we’ve just turned a deaf ear on it, and are just ready to stand pat,” said Hurdle, who’s scribbling as fast as he can on the lineup card, yet cannot find a way to light up the scoreboard.
“If this is what we have, this is what we have. And we’re not going to be embarrassed to go forward with it.”
These Rockies do have legitimate reasons for hope. I have tried to cajole fans to give Jamey Carroll and Matt Holliday a chance. And my e-mail inbox fills with understandable anger from fans who swear they won’t get fooled again by franchise ownership.
Although 25,790 folks sweltered with the Rockies in the city’s largest dry sauna on a stifling afternoon, I’m convinced the only people who really, truly believe in this team are all named Pollyanna.
Denver has better things to do than listen to apologists rationalize how dominant the Rockies will be as soon as 21-year-old prospect Troy Tulowitzki grows up.
Different lips. Same excuses. Unless you’re one gullible cowboy, you have stopped drinking the weak stuff Colorado has been pouring.
The Rockies owe us the excitement of a September when every pitch spins toward home plate with a delicious mixture of anxiety and anticipation.
Slugger Todd Helton is too old and life is too short to invest any serious emotion in baseball until the Rockies prove they are serious.
Maybe that’s why nine television cameras focused on coach Mike Shanahan when Broncos training camp opened last week, and there was one lone TV feed of Hurdle taking pride in how his club took three of four games from San Diego.
“It’s way too early to look at the scoreboard,” Padres manager Bruce Bochy told reporters during this weekend series. “This division is going to be tight, I think, for the rest of the season.”
The NL West is begging for somebody to take it.
The Rockies need to do it. Not in 2008. Win it now.
If not now, when?
Staff writer Mark Kiszla can be reached at 303-820-5438 or mkiszla@denverpost.com.
