BOSTON — While saying that federal authorities are investigating Monday’s alleged cyber-attack, Rockies owner Dick Monfort remained confident that Coors Field won’t be flooded with Boston Red Sox fans for Saturday’s Game 3 of the World Series.
“I believe that the vast majority of the people there will be Colorado Rockies fans,” Monfort said Thursday while watching batting practice from the visitors dugout. “We will improve on the method, and hopefully we will have to deal with it next season because we are in the same place.”
Based on the explanation he was given, Monfort believes that Paciolan, the ticket vendor used by the Rockies, was the victim of a hacking incident Monday. He said strong leads have developed on who might responsible. The Rockies received 8 1/2 million hits in the first 90 minutes when tickets went on sale Monday, causing a systemwide outage that forced the team to postpone Internet sales.
That number dropped by millions Tuesday, according to Monfort, reinforcing the idea that the initial day was subject to a cyber-attack.
He said the club was prepared to use an emergency lottery if Tuesday’s effort had failed.
“We are more than confident that we did the right thing. Everyone asks, why didn’t you do it like Boston did it (with a lottery)?” Monfort said. “They have so many season-ticket holders, and if we would have allowed our season-ticket holders to buy more than four, we could have gotten rid of ours just as quickly, too.”
Season-ticket holders, including those who recently signed up for the 2008 season, were allowed to purchase up to four playoff tickets in advance. The Cleveland Indians picked up 5,200 new customers by promising them a similar opportunity.
“We didn’t get 5,200, but it’s a good number,” Monfort said.
Changes mulled. Manager Clint Hurdle hinted Thursday that he could make a change at the top of the order if Willy Taveras doesn’t get back on track. Taveras was hitting .136 in five playoff games. Before Taveras returned in the National League Championship Series, Kazuo Matsui hit leadoff, with shortstop Troy Tulowitzki second. Cory Sullivan is a possible replacement for Taveras in center field.
“We need more offensively,” Hurdle said. “I will run Willy out there for his four at-bats and see where that takes us. If we had won last night we wouldn’t be getting these questions.”
Byrnes not on trip. Eric Byrnes, the most loudly booed player at Coors Field this season not named Barry Bonds, will not be making the trip to Denver as part of the Fox broadcast team. He’s actually disappointed to be replaced for the NLCS leg by Joe Girardi.
“I wanted to go there. Tell all of them ‘Hi,”‘ said Byrnes, who exchanged greetings with manager Clint Hurdle before the game. “By them getting all over me, it showed that they are a real baseball town.”
Footnotes. Monfort is looking forward to returning to National League rules at Coors Field, pointing to Kevin Youkilis’ likely absence from Boston’s lineup. “How can you take him out, the way he’s hit? I guess you can use him as a bench player. I am glad that we are playing by NL rules.”… The Rockies switched to their purple pinstripes for Thursday’s game. They had won nine straight in their black tops before Wednesday. The Rockies won Game 2 of the NLCS in their pinstripes. …Outfielder Brad Hawpe erased Wednesday’s ugly memory of a four-strikeout performance by singling in his first at-bat off Curt Schilling…. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki couldn’t take consolation from his 2-for-3 performance in Game 1. “It doesn’t matter, we lost,” he said. … Rockies pitcher Jason Hirsh was given the key to the Green Monster door – it was labeled GM-1 – to go out and sign his name inside the wall. “I didn’t have the chance when we were here in June,” Hirsh said. … Game 3 of the World Series could be the most watched ever in Japan, with Kazuo Matsui facing former Seibu Lions teammate Daisuke Matsuzaka.
