The final week of Major League Baseball’s regular season coincides with the beginning of the NHL’s preseason. Perhaps the powers that be planned it this way.
Locally, we will wave goodbye to the disappointing Rockies — who have been eliminated from playing in October — while wishing good luck to the Avalanche as hockey begins in earnest next month.
The Rockies lost their final home game Sunday and have six games remaining: three at San Francisco and the final three at Arizona. The season ender arrives this Sunday in Phoenix, a couple of hours on Interstate 10 from where Colorado began training camp as defending National League champion.
The Avs, labeled Stanley Cup pretenders by several national publications, play their annual intrasquad Burgundy-White game tonight at the Air Force Academy’s Cadet Ice Arena, then host the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday at the Pepsi Center to begin a six-game preseason stretch.
“The first two days of camp have been successful, and I’m looking forward to seeing tomorrow’s game,” Avs coach Tony Granato said Sunday. “It’s going to be a little more competitive because now it’s more of a formal game even though you’re still playing against each other.”
The Avs open Oct. 9 at The Can against the Boston Bruins.
Back to baseball. Four of the six divisional pennant races are alive. Only the Los Angeles Angels (AL West) and Chicago Cubs (NL Central) have wrapped up crowns. The tightest races left are both in the East, between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets (NL) and the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox (American).
Some fantastic World Series scenarios exist. For starters, imagine the Cubs facing the Chicago White Sox, who are close to winning the AL Central.
Just as good would be the Red Sox facing the Cubs, matching two storied clubs — one that has overcome “The Curse” and the other still fighting one.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
LET’S GO RACIN’
Final night at CNS.
Colorado National Speedway will have its season finale Saturday night with Challenge Cup XXXIV. The headline race will be the 75-lap late models feature, plus final double- point races in pro trucks (40 laps), GA modifieds (30), sportsman (40), super stocks (25), figure-8s (25) and trains (10).
The late-models championship battle is between veterans Bruce Yackey and Roger Avants. Yackey, right, won last week’s 75-lap U.S. Late Models Association feature at CNS and leads by 70 points. Since Saturday’s feature will pay 100 points to the winner, the Greeley native, 42, only needs a modest finish to clinch his fifth division title in 12 years. He won the crowns in 1996, 1997, 2001 and 2005.
Avants, 56, has five division titles, the last coming in 2002.
TV GAME OF THE WEEK
Chargers seek first victory.
One of the NFL’s best teams (with the worst record) hosts one of the most interesting squads tonight in San Diego. The Chargers (0-2), who are probably still upset at last weekend’s controversial 39-38 loss in Broncoland, host Brett Favre and the New York Jets (1-1) for “Monday Night Football.” Catch it on ESPN beginning at 6:30 p.m.
BUFFS AND SEMINOLES
Big game in Jacksonville, Fla.
The University of Colorado (3-0) will further try to prove it belongs in the top 25 on Saturday against Bobby Bowden’s Florida State Seminoles.
The nationally televised nonconference collision should be a dandy. The game can be seen on KMGH-7 beginning at 1:30 p.m.
The Colorado State Rams (2-1) also are on the road this week. They visit California on Saturday (4 p.m., no TV).
Northern Colorado, a hard-luck loser last weekend in its home opener in Greeley, hosts Northern Arizona at Nottingham Field. The Bears (0-2) lost to Texas State (2-1) 38-35 on Saturday after impressive first-year junior quarterback Bryan Waggener fumbled at the 1-foot line in the final minute.
THE CHASE IS ON
Front Range fans to flock to Kansas.
The closest NASCAR Sprint Cup race for Colorado fans takes place this weekend at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan. Once again, there will be a sea of Colorado license plates at the third of 10 playoff races.
GONE FISHING
Learn how to catch on a fly.
Fly-fishing expert Dan Wright will hold a presentation on streamer fishing Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Front Range Fly Fishers Club. Information: 303-503-8169.
At the same time, Barry Reynolds will discuss carp fishing on the South Platte River and the upcoming Pro-Am Carp Slam at the REI Downtown. Information: 303-517-9197.
