Then he looked at his family. At his dad. At Todd Helton. At Fergie Jenkins. At Bob Gebhard. At hundreds of strangers surrounding his black lectern, packed into a tiny purple street corner on a blessed Sunday summer morning, smiling back like old friends. And he lost it.

“I’m way too humble of a person to really just think, ‘Yeah, I deserve that (honor),’ ” Walker, the Rockies icon and National Baseball Hall-of-Famer, said of his statue unveiling at Coors Field Sunday, the preamble to a 7-2 Colorado defeat at the hands of Cleveland.

“I’m more comfortable saying, ‘I don’t deserve that. I don’t deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.’ It’s just easier for me to do all that stuff. But I’m fortunate and grateful that people think that I deserve it, and they put (that statue) up there for me.”

So he wept. A hockey goalie, the toughest son of a gun to ever patrol right field at 20th & Blake, was both a 15-foot bronze statue with a bat pointed at the heavens, and a blubbering mess.

You won’t remember any of this, Griffin. But you were there, kid. Your father drove you down from Fort Collins to make darn sure of it.

“Our plan on being here was so that we could tell him he was here when he’s an adult,” Garrett Reese, your dad, told me as cannons shot purple and white confetti into an azure sky. “(So) he could see the statue, and could tell him that he was here that day.”

Sure was. Sixty yards or so from legend, resting on your mom Lauren’s “33” Walker home replica jersey.

Sometimes, history rhymes. Your grandma took your dad to the first Rockies Opening Day when he was a baby. He doesn’t really remember it, either, yet they’ve got the goods.

“It’s one of those situations,” Garrett explained, “where we just want to continue that in the family.”

Your family’s had season tickets since Coors opened in 1995. Your first game was spring training a few months ago.

“This place is my favorite place on the planet,” Garrett said.

You’ll get that a lot, Griffin. Even though the Rox celebrated Larry Walker Day by getting swept for the third straight series at home, even though they fell to 30 games under .500 (50-80). Even though this is one of those lost seasons where every homestand for owner Dick Monfort has to feel like calling people to help him move into a new apartment. The Rockies are finding out who their real friends are.

“There was always a spot in right field where the grass wasn’t growing quite as much (at Coors) because of where Larry always stood,” Garrett Reese recalled of happier days. “I don’t know why that wouldn’t be the case with other right fielders. But I remember that with Larry specifically.”

It’s weird what sticks with you, Griffin. Dad harkened back to the ovation Walker got in June 2005, less than a year after No. 33 was traded to St. Louis.

And that arm, kid. That. Arm. As the Rockies would remind us again Sunday, if you take a lousy angle chasing a ball in the Coors outfield, it can roll for what feels like forever and stick to the warning track the way gum sticks to the bottom of your shoe.

For nearly a decade, from 1995-2004, Walker’s legs shortened Major League Baseball’s most charitable gaps. Larry’s right shoulder was a cannon that shrunk the distance from the lush green to the infield dirt.

“I remember just epic defense in right field,” Garrett gushed.

“And his song,” Lauren said.

“Yeah, his song.” Dad added. “Every time that song plays, I think of Larry Walker.”

Look that one up when you get older. It’s a banger.

“I got a little teary listening to his speech when he did, too,” Lauren noted. “It’s just a really special thing. And we love him here in Colorado.”

No kidding. They came in waves to Gate D Sunday, where the joys of the past have become gilded by the pain of the present. The purple tarp fought hard before finally giving way to the giant bronze man with the bat, a walk-off Walker home run that now stands for eternity through wind, rain, sleet and snow. And in May, Coors will see all four over a given hour.

“I typically never showed up a pitcher,” Walker reflected later. “I wouldn’t pimp any of my home runs — today, it’s a little different. They do the ‘Macarena’ going around (the bases). So things have changed a little bit so …

“But John Rocker, he can get under your skin. And he’s nasty, too. Just to get a hit off him, you’re happy from the left side. So to hit one out, to win the game, I guess I felt that a little bit. So it caused a little pose for a second.”

See that swing, Griffin? The statue’s follow-through? Aug. 18, 1999. Uncle Larry blasted one off Rocker, a nasty lefty on several fronts. Look him up, dude.

Actually, don’t. Never mind.

“I feel like (Walker) was probably one of the best 5-tool players around that time when he played,” a graying Danny Neagle, one of several former and current Rockies on hand to celebrate the statue, told me. “Because he ran like a gazelle.

“The way he ran, it just didn’t look like he was moving — I mean, he would hit triples like they were nothing in this park. So it was just so fun to watch him, to be a teammate with him.”

The statue came south from Loveland, where it was lovingly crafted . It made its final journey down I-25 while laid on its side and strapped to a trailer, as unassuming as the man it celebrates.

Now it’s a landmark. A history lesson. A talking point. I asked Walker what he’d like fathers to tell their sons about him, long after all of us have gone.

“I must have done something right,” Walker said, “for a father to bring his children and have my jersey on and everything.”

You won’t remember Sunday’s score, Griffin. Just as well. But like bronze, fathers and sons at Coors are forever.

“You brought a tear to my eye, brother,” Neagle told Walker later.

But that’s how it goes.

After getting swept by the Dodgers earlier this week, the Guardians polished off a three-game sweep of the Rockies on Sunday. Going back to the end of the last homestand when Tampa Bay swept Colorado, that’s nine straight losses in LoDo, the franchise’s longest home losing streak in Coors Field history.

That skid is tied with the 1993 Rockies, who played at Mile High Stadium, for the longest home losing streak in club history. It’s also the first time in club history that the Rockies have been swept in three consecutive home series.

On a day where Colorado unveiled Larry Walker’s statue in front of the stadium to honor the Hall of Fame outfielder, the Guardians put up five runs in the first two innings against right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano and didn’t look back in a 7-2 victory.

That followed a 9-1 trouncing in Game 1 on Friday, when Cleveland scored 8 unanswered runs after the Rockies took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, and then the Guardians edged the Rockies 4-3 in Game 2 on Saturday.

In addition to setting a franchise record, the Rockies’ nine consecutive losses at Coors Field is the longest home losing streak in the majors this season, worse than eight-game home skids by the Athletics (July 29-Aug. 12) and the Cubs (May 18-June 3). Along the way, the Rockies gave up a homer in 17 straight games overall, a franchise-worst streak that was snapped on Sunday when the Guardians didn’t go yard.

Amid this home losing streak, the Rockies were outscored 70-37 and the pitching staff posted a 6.96 ERA, including a 10.04 ERA by the starters. The poor pitching opened the door for Colorado to break the previous home loss streak record of eight, which has occurred four times in franchise history, most recently May 30-June 18, 2018.

Colorado now heads on a seven-game road trip to Washington and Atlanta, before returning to Coors Field on Aug. 31 against Baltimore. The Rockies need to go 13-20 in the remaining 33 games to avoid becoming the fifth franchise to lose 100-plus games four seasons in a row.

was a senior at Valencia High School in southern California and was pitching in practice against a college player. At that point, Bernardino had only recently rejoined Valencia’s program — which he had previously quit twice — after getting into trouble that led to him being kicked off the school’s basketball team.

But when Bernardino threw that heater up-and-in, causing a late swing and a shattered bat, the sawed-off moment was an omen.

“When that bat broke, I looked at my coach next to me and went, ‘Wow,'” recalled , Bernardino’s high school coach. “That is a very rare occurrence for a high school pitcher to do that against a college hitter. But that showed us: Brennan could locate any pitch. He didn’t miss middle. He did not try to throw the ball by you. He pitched. He was a thinker. He understood how to go east and west, north and south.

“That moment also changed his confidence coming back from quitting, because I think he then realized, ‘Damn, I’m pretty good.’ Just that one moment erased the doubts and gave him the confidence to pursue his baseball dream. That one pitch changed a lot of things for him.”

This season, the southpaw has been the Rockies’ best reliever after Colorado acquired him via an offseason trade with Boston for outfield prospect Braiden Ward. In a career year, the 34-year-old journeyman has a 2.82 ERA and 1.5 bWAR in 59 games entering the weekend.

The winding road to a dominant season in the Rockies’ bullpen probably wouldn’t have been paved without Snyder changing his mind when Bernardino walked into the coach’s office and asked to rejoin the team 16 years ago.

Snyder granted Bernardino’s request, but with an array of stipulations.

He had to keep his grades up. He couldn’t get into trouble outside of school anymore, and he had to stay away from the peers he hung out with, which ultimately led to his being dismissed from the basketball team. He had to do field work to prove he really wanted to be back on the baseball team. And he was going to have to earn his spot in the rotation during the season, even though Snyder knew Bernardino was his clear No. 1 starter.

“He got kicked off the basketball team for some knucklehead stuff, because every kid makes mistakes,” Snyder said. “But I also remember that when he got kicked off that team, I hoped he’d come back to our program. I do believe kids deserve second chances and especially second chances when you know what the potential is of that kid and what he could possibly do at the next level.

“That moment was a fork in the road for a kid like Brennan. You either go left or you go right. Right takes you down the wrong path, with the wrong crowd. Maybe that left turn takes you down to where you can get your life in order. I felt baseball was the path that could get his life in order. I hoped it would be, and obviously it did.”

Significant velocity jump

Bernardino says he looks back on that time in his life and “wouldn’t change a thing.”

“There’s some lessons I needed to learn,” Bernardino said. “God has a different journey for everybody, and that was mine.”

Little did he know at the time that journey would take him to multiple junior colleges, Division II, , independent league ball, and all across the globe to prove himself on the mound before he finally made his big-league debut in 2022.

Bernardino wasn’t recruited out of high school, so he went to College of the Canyons, a few minutes down the road from his high school. He made the team as a walk-on, but coaches wanted him to redshirt, and Bernardino wanted to play right away. His next stop was Los Angeles Mission College, where he again walked on.

He gained traction in two seasons there, while also adding significant velocity that took him from the low-80s to 90 mph in a single day after working with

“I flew him out to Arizona to work with Dick Mills in Scottsdale,” Bernardino’s dad, Danny Bernardino, said. “At the time, I was reading all of his articles and analysis on pitching. And I really liked what I was reading. But he was like something like $1,400 for one lesson, for three hours. It was the best money I’ve ever spent my life. Brennan came back (to California) and he had picked up about 6 or 7 miles per hour.”

Bernardino was an all-league selection in his second season at Los Angeles Mission College, but he was pitching hurt. He transferred to Division II , and platelet-rich plasma injections in his ailing shoulder weren’t helping. He continued to pitch in the fall of 2012 at Dominguez Hills, before Toros head coach Murphy Su’a finally ordered the pitcher to get imaging of his left shoulder.

That revealed tears in his shoulder, where the labrum had detached from the bone.

“That’s how badly he wanted (this MLB dream),” Danny Bernardino said. “And that goes to show why he never gave up afterwards, too.”

After redshirting in 2013, Bernardino emerged as CSU Dominguez Hills’ ace in ’14. But Su’a was careful in building him back up on the mound, and Bernardino was usually on a pitch count. One game late in the season against another prominent Division II program, Su’a pulled Bernardino in the seventh inning, even though the score was close and he was pitching well.

Bernardino reacted by slamming his glove in the dugout.

“I shared with him my thoughts, not so kindly, on why I made the decision to pull him,” Su’a recalled with a laugh. “And I mentioned to him, in front of the whole dugout, ‘You’re the only guy in this dugout right here that has a potential pro career. We can either relieve you right now, or I can send you out there and you can finish the entire game because we’re not coming after you.’

“That’s the kind of competitor that he is. He apologized to me. He’s a humble guy, but boy, you put him on the field, it’s like, just watch out and get out of his way.”

Bluffing way back into pro ball

That fire would come in handy in the years that followed, when Bernardino faced many moments where quitting the game would’ve been the much easier and more realistic option over continuing to pursue his MLB dream.

The left-hander was drafted at No. 785 overall by the Reds in 2014 and spent five years in the Cincinnati organization, reaching as high as Double-A. When the Reds released him in 2018, Bernardino refused to give up.

He spent the rest of that season with the Winnipeg Goldeneyes in the , and then pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League. When 2019 spring training rolled around, he was living in Arizona, and without a job.

So Bernardino took matters into his own hands. He went to various spring training complexes around the Phoenix area and tried to bluff his way in the door to get in front of a decision-maker, telling people at each complex that he was a player in that organization.

The ruse finally worked at Cleveland’s Goodyear facility, where an unsuspecting receptionist led him to the Guardians’ farm director, James Harris. Once in Harris’ office, Bernardino set his white lie straight.

The pitcher told Harris, “I am a player, just not for you guys yet,” and Harris replied that he would do some research and might call him later that night.

The next day, Bernardino threw a bullpen session at the facility and the Guardians signed him to a minor-league contract. But he only pitched in five games for the organization in ’19 before Cleveland shipped him to Toros de Tijuana in the Mexican League.

Bernardino then spent the next three years grinding to get another chance at affiliated baseball. Along the way, he developed a sidearm delivery. His break came in 2022, when an agent saw him pitching in the Caribbean Series. He pitched in the Mexican League All-Star Game on June 18 of that season, and eight days later, the Mariners signed him to a minor-league contract. On July 31, 2022, he made his MLB debut.

Bernardino only appeared in two games for Seattle, which designated him for assignment in April 2023. Boston claimed him off waivers, and he emerged as a key piece of the Red Sox bullpen over the next three seasons, posting a 3.46 ERA with 157 strikeouts in 167 games.

“Last year I was not the main lefty in the (Red Sox) ‘pen,” Bernardino said. “The year before that, for some time I was, and the year before that, for some time I was for most of the season. But I ended up losing that role. So it’s a good feeling to get that role back this year here in Colorado.”

Weak contact at Coors Field

Bernardino’s pitching in Boston led to his “Moneyball” moment when Colorado dealt for him last November, the first trade of Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta’s tenure.

Maybe it didn’t have quite the drama of when Billy Beane (played by Brad Pitt) and Peter Brand (the character based off DePodesta that was played by Jonah Hill) wheeled-and-dealed at the trade deadline to acquire a southpaw reliever in Ricardo Rincón, but the phone call from the real Peter Brand hit home for Bernardino.

For the first time in his career, Bernardino was not just a big-leaguer, but a big-leaguer worth trading for.

“(Paul) called me and just told me, ‘You know, you’re my first move,'” Bernardino said. “And it was a good feeling to be his first move. Of course I’ve seen the movie, but also just knowing the entirety of his career and how he (thinks about the game). …. Hearing that, it was kind of like, ‘OK, wow.’ It made me feel a little bit special.”

Amid his success this season, Bernardino has made up for a lack of heat with his funky arm slot, pitch location, and sequencing. His average fastball velocity is just 90.2 mph, which ranks in the But with a varied pitch mix that pounds the strike zone and mostly features a sinker, curve and cutter, Bernardino has been sensational, especially at Coors Field where he has a 2.22 ERA in 28 games.

Bernardino’s signature has been weak contact. He ranks in the 78th percentile in barrel rate (5.7%), the 85th percentile in average exit velocity (87 mph) and the 89th percentile in hard-hit percentage (32.1%). His curveball has been his most effective pitch, as opponents are batting just .151 against it.

All of which begs the questions: Will Bernardino be part of the next competitive Rockies team? Can he keep pitching well enough in the future to justify the trade of Ward, gives him future big-league potential for Boston?

Bernardino’s performance has been a bargain this year with a $925,000 salary and he is under club control But he’s one of the oldest players on the roster and is the Rockies’ oldest reliever.

Su’a believes Bernardino’s age matters less than the average pitcher, given his limited high school innings as well as the injury that led to his pitch counts in college.

“I think he’s got a 26- to 28-year-old arm right now, because his arm is more healthy because he doesn’t have the volume and the wear-and-tear that other pitchers have had,” Su’a said. “And plus, he’s not throwing triple-digits, right? So there’s less (strain) there, even when he’s throwing his maximum.

“All that leads me to believe he’s still got a lot in the tank and a bunch of really good seasons still ahead of him.”

He is the most talented player I have ever covered. He threw with the velocity and accuracy of a pitcher from right field. He motored around the bases like a sports car, knowing exactly what gear to shift into two steps out of the batter’s box.

And man could he hit.

A statue honoring his greatness will be unveiled Sunday morning in front of Coors Field. Appropriately, it features him finishing his swing.

It was, and now will forever be,  a work of art. In this case, 21 feet from the base to the end of his bat.

“That’s kinda large,” quipped Walker on Friday.

About that bat.

It produced my favorite Walker memory.

Years ago, the Rockies were playing the New York Mets at Shea Stadium. For Colorado, East Coast road trips were measured by stats, not wins. Too often, Walker and Todd Helton were thin purple pinstripes standing between the Rockies and suffering the indignity of a no-hitter.

It was against this backdrop that Walker stepped to the plate. He recognized a fastball and uncoiled, producing the kind of loud contact that separates Hall of Famers from big leaguers.

It dropped jaws. Well, not all of them. The PA announcer forgot to turn off his mic.

“Holy (bleep)!” he screeched as the ball raced through the sky and shattered a light on the scoreboard.

Walker became Roy Hobbs. With his 34.5-inch, 32.5-ounce bat, he brought fiction to life, making everything seem possible.

Several years later, Walker found himself working out with Ryan Spilborghs in the 2003 offseason at Coors Field. Spilly was a Class-A outfielder finishing up his college degree at CU Boulder while working double shifts at the Village Tavern at The Flatirons Mall.

He was a terrible waiter. But a hard worker. After enduring constant ribbing for three months at the gym, Spilborghs was rewarded. Walker gifted him two bats, jewels of maple.

Spilborghs gained enough strength to consider using the bat in 2005. At the urging of teammate Sean Barker, he broke it out in a game. Using the LW33, Spilborghs went on a tear, batting .340 over stops in Double-A and Triple-A with “more than 100 hits from that bat.”

He made his big league debut in July, breaking the lumber against Reds left-hander Eric Milton.

“It is a family heirloom now in our house. The color is gone, but it makes it look like an antique,” Spilborghs said. “The time I spent working out with Larry was one of the highlights of my life. And every time I see him, I let him know I owe him a debt of gratitude because it was his bat that got me to the big leagues.”

No Joke: The worst part of the Nuggets trading Peyton Watson is that it sends the message that they are taking Nikola Jokic for granted. He remains in his championship window, and the Nuggets are no longer a title contender. If Jokic finishes with one ring, he will not rank among the top 10 players of all time.

NFL Europe: The NFL’s popularity remains immune to COVID, concussions, and controversies. But the greed reached a bridge too far when commissioner Roger Goodell said there is “no doubt” that the NFL will base teams in Europe. Are they going to add expansion teams and have a European division? Otherwise, the competitive disadvantage would be striking. And good luck getting free agents to play overseas so their income gets taxed twice.

College buzzkill: The opening of the college football season brings joy and unbridled optimism. Except along the Front Range. Where have you gone Bill McCartney and Sonny Lubick? Let’s be honest. If given $100 would you bet that CU, CSU or Air Force will deliver a winning record? I would not.

The Dodgers superstar put on another show-stopping performance against Colorado in Monday’s series opener at Coors Field, going 4-for-5 with two homers in Los Angeles’ 11-5 blowout win. It was the latest evidence that the Japanese sensation has been a Rockies killer throughout his nine-year big-league career, and especially in LoDo since he joined the Dodgers in 2024.

Amid Colorado’s freefall to becoming baseball’s worst team over the past four seasons, the Dodgers have gone scorched earth on the Rockies. In the 50 games since the start of the 2023 season, which began the Rockies’ streak of 100-loss seasons, Los Angeles is 39-11 against the Rockies, including 18-8 at Coors Field.

Ohtani’s bat has been central in that dominance. As Dodgers broadcaster Eric Karros ahead of Monday’s game, “Whenever (Ohtani) sees that Rockies uniform, he gets turned on.”

Consider the following eye-popping statistics:

• Ohtani has a 21-game hit streak at Coors Field, batting .413 (38-for-92) with nine homers and 24 RBIs during the stretch.

• In 25 career games at Coors Field, Ohtani is slashing .398/.459/.786 with a 1.244 OPS, nine homers, 28 runs scored and five steals (no caught stealing). That slash line is Ohtani’s best output in any MLB ballpark that he’s played at least 15 games in, and it’s the highest OPS by an opposing hitter at Coors Field among players with at least 100 plate appearances. Comparing against a larger sample size, for players with at least 200 plate appearances at the stadium, for an opposing hitter are the Cubs’ Sammy Sosa (1.183), Adrian Beltre (1.170 with multiple teams) and the Giants’ Barry Bonds (1.162), while Hall of Famer Larry Walker holds the Rockies’ record at 1.172.

• In 48 total games against the Rockies, Ohtani is slashing .378/.459/.767 with a 1.226 OPS, 19 homers, 48 RBIs, 11 doubles, 54 runs scored and 13 steals (one caught stealing). That’s the highest average, on-base percentage, and OPS versus any opponent, and the second-highest slugging behind the .786 mark that Ohtani posted against the White Sox.

• Of note from Monday, Ohtani’s first homer came against fellow Japanese baseball star Tomoyuki Sugano, who has been far and away the Rockies’ top starter this season. But Ohtani has dominated his countryman in the majors, going 7-for-11 with four homers against the right-hander. After taking Sugano deep 428 feet to left-center in the fifth inning, the slugger launched a 452-foot shot to center off Juan Mejia in the sixth that With that, he now has 26 career homers of 450 feet or more (including the postseason) since the 2021 season, seven more such bombs than anyone else in the majors.

The silver lining in Ohtani’s offensive dominance against the Rockies is that, in a very small sample size, he hasn’t yet conquered them with his arm. Ohtani — who is currently not pitching for Los Angeles as he continues — has only made three starts against Colorado, going 2-1 with a 3.71 ERA and 15 strikeouts across those outings.

But he was blown up in his one career game pitching at Coors Field, on Aug. 20 of last year. In the 8-3 Rockies win, Ohtani took the loss after Colorado blasted him for five runs on nine hits in four innings.

It is time for the Rockies to go all in on Condon.

Charlie Condon, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, is ready for his big league call-up in September. And if they want to do it sooner — like next Monday against the world champion Dodgers — even better.

This sounds like malpractice to those who understand the value of 40-man roster spots and know the ramifications of the looming lockout. We can dive into the fine print on that in a moment.

The present cannot be ignored.

After breaking his wrist in his first pro game, after struggling to find his footing last season, Condon has established himself as an elite slugger and solid hitter in Triple-A.

There is nothing left for him to prove with the Albuquerque Isotopes. Heading to The Show makes the most sense for this development.

“We want Charlie to be dangerous, a power threat and a run producer. He has had a really good year, and gotten back to his calling card in the batter’s box,” general manager Josh Byrnes told The Denver Post. “He doesn’t chase. He has demonstrated the ability to map out different plans for the pitchers he has faced, and shown he can play outfield and first base.”

So, what is the problem? Timing.

The Rockies are weighing the side effects of a work stoppage against the value of exposing Condon to big league pitching as the franchise focuses on building up its core moving forward.

Condon, by any measure, will be part of that group. He is ready.

“That’s the goal. And not just to get to the big leagues and chill there, but to eventually become a middle-of-the-order bat. Deep down inside, even through the struggles I have had in my minor league career, I have always believed that is what I was working for. I know who I am as a player and what the game calls for me to do,” Condon told The Post after batting practice in Oklahoma City on Wednesday. “It would be exciting to get the call. But I can’t lose sleep over something out of my control.”

In baseball, if you want income you can’t focus on outcome.

Condon has embraced the process to achieve success. In the season’s first two months, spanning 48 games, he clubbed 21 extra-base hits, including eight home runs, while hitting .262 with a .391 on-base percentage and .861 OPS.

Over the last 50 games, he boasts 26 extra-base hits with 14 home runs, batting .294 with a .399 OBP and 1.002 OPS.

As for his swing decisions, they are good ones. His strikeout rate is 25.1%, while he is walking at a 13% clip.

“In this game you don’t get paid to work hard. You get paid to work hard and produce. But you can’t force it,” Condon said. “My plan for this year was to be consistent and ready to play every day. It is the mindset I have to have and I got fully behind it.”

It has left him on the doorstep.

It took an injury for Zac Veen to get promoted before September because the Rockies’ two best hitting outfielders are left-handed. There is an obvious spot for Condon to get at-bats as the starting right fielder.

And if he needs a breather, rest him against tough righties.

The runway is clear after this weekend. There will be fewer than 45 days remaining in the season. So, as long as he does not exceed 130 at-bats, Condon will retain his rookie status in 2027.

Big deal? Yeah, it is.

Per the 2022 collective bargaining agreement, if a player wins Rookie of the Year — and Condon will have more than a puncher’s chance if he plays everyday and half his games at Coors Field — his team receives a sandwich draft pick after the first round.

That is a remarkable incentive, if not catnip, to send Condon to the bigs. Let him wade into the deep end. Let him sink. Let him swim.

Getting at-bats will create a roadmap for his offseason, a way to accelerate his progress based on real-life experience.

Believing Condon can win Rookie of the Year is presumptuous, but he has the talent to pull it off.

Have you seen him? He is 6-foot-5, 216 pounds with room to add weight. He has levers longer than a slot machine. There are 30 home run seasons in his future.

If the Rockies bring up Condon, it will be applauded.

But not in all circles.

There is risk involved because of the anticipated lockout when the CBA expires on Dec. 1. Across baseball, front offices will face the uncomfortable question of whether to place top prospects on the 40-man roster or slow play promotions to protect their long-term development.

Condon does not have to be added this offseason. It means the Rockies could keep him in the minors and use his 40-man spot for another prospect who must be protected, a reasonable conversation for an organization in the throes of a rebuild.

Of course, that will be about as popular with fans as eating left-out Rocky Mountain oysters. But the argument has merit.

Why? If Condon goes onto the 40-man, he becomes part of the lockout. He can no longer use the team’s Salt River Fields facility in the offseason. He would be ineligible to participate in spring training or minor league games if those start while MLB remains on ice.

It is something to consider.

But there are more reasons to be bold, to bring him to Denver. Condon turns 24 in April. He has earned a reputation as coachable, self-motivated, and hardworking. There is no reason to think he could not prepare well by working out at the University of Georgia or a place of that ilk.

Condon has checked the boxes. He deserves big-league at-bats, not to be penalized for getting caught up in the labor vortex of the owners vs. players.

“Oh man, they always talk about never play GM in this game. That means you sure as heck can’t play commissioner. I leave that to those people,” Condon said. “My job is to do my job, then see what happens.”

Talking with Condon, his maturity is obvious. He has the desirable blend of humility and confidence. But it can’t be easy knowing that he and Nationals Triple-A shortstop Seaver King are the only players drafted in the top 10 in 2024 who have not reached the big leagues.

That list includes Kansas City slugger Jac Caglianone, who was mocked to Colorado in some drafts, and has 21 home runs this season.

“Everybody has their own timeline. It is something I have had to preach to myself since high school, when I was under-recruited, waiting for college opportunities, when all my buddies had them. But you don’t want to be sour about it. When people have good things going, you should be happy for them,” Condon said. “Jac is a great buddy of mine. I am actually going to his wedding this offseason.”

If the Rockies are still discussing the Condon decision, this should end the debate. The kid gets it. He can be trusted to continue his development during a lockout, meaning the math works.

The 120 at-bats are worth more than saving a 40-man roster spot.

These are the 2026 Rockies.

They are not good, entering the weekend with a 45-70 record. But they are not awful, showing regular competence and offensive potency.

This team competes. This team cares. And it is why the final 47 games matter.

This collection of Rockies does not deserve to be forever stained by history. Colorado must win 18 times over the next six weeks to avoid becoming the first team to post four consecutive 100-loss seasons since the 1962-65 expansion New York Mets.

The ’65 Mets did not have a single player hit 20 home runs, but featured a pitcher with 24 losses. Even Hall of Famer Warren Spahn wore it, going 4-12 with a 4.36 ERA.

For a Colorado organization emphasizing “The Climb,” the incline is manageable. The Rockies must win at a 39% clip over the remainder of the season, the same pace they have performed for four months.

It is not a big ask.

Nobody on Blake Street will launch confetti canyons over 63 wins. But removing the yoke of a century of losses would lighten the burden moving forward.

“Progress is important — 100 losses is definitely something to avoid,” general manager Josh Byrnes told The Post on Friday. “But, big picture, 90-something losses is still not good enough. We have to keep making progress and build towards winning.”

With squinting, it is easy to see the offensive pieces falling into place. After somehow struggling to score the previous three seasons — imagine not being able to catch fish in a barrel — the Rockies are averaging 4.81 runs, while hitting .255 with 130 home runs.

The year-over-year jump is substantial enough — 3.68 runs, .237 average, 160 homers in 2025 — to create optimism. There are multiple players — Hunter Goodman, T.J. Rumfield, Jake McCarthy, Cole Carrigg, Mickey Moniak and Kyle Karros — who represent potential mainstays. And perhaps Ezequiel Tovar will figure out how to handle the high fastball — if not, Carrigg is a viable option at shortstop — and Charlie Condon will provide a September boost.

The lineup is lengthening, and making better swing decisions.

Pitching remains the problem.

The Rays broomed the Rockies earlier this week at Coors Field, showing the ground Colorado must cover to become a contender. There will be hiccups after trading away Antonio Senzatela and Victor Vodnik. But it is time for the young arms, like Nick Frasso, to prove they belong.

The rotation needs a bump.

The second half is about figuring out if Ryan Feltner is worthy of a spot — his stuff plays, but his inconsistency remains maddening. Is Gabriel Hughes’ cutter a sustainable weapon or a mirage? Will Mason Adams, acquired in the Brenton Doyle deal, make his case with a handful of starters over the next month? And can those three anchor the rotation in 2027 — if there is a season — before Chase Dollander returns around July?

The Rockies can always find a veteran bounce-back candidate for cheap, but there is no escape from the prison of the NL West basement or flirting with 100 losses without a young core of starters.

Colorado is projected to win 20 more games than last season. A 63-99 mark is nothing to boast about, but it represents an important baby step toward relevance.

Radio silence: The Columbus Blue Jackets eliminated their radio team, opting to simulcast their television audio feed. This is a horrible trend, depriving fans of a call that fills in the gap and provides color. If the Jackets are that broke, maybe they should cut a player instead of this corner.

He said what? New Purdue athletic director Tommy McClelland delivered one of the worst one-liners ever at an introductory presser. “We are here to win championships and if you don’t want to win championships, go to Indiana.” McClelland admitted his attempt at humor failed. He went off script, but this leak was so bizarre it raises questions about his judgment. Purdue hasn’t won a national championship since the women’s golf team in 2010.

Tens of thousands of “The Last of the Bugs” are expected at the Colorado stops of the on Saturday and Sunday night, according to the agency.

Coors Field has the capacity to host more than 50,000 people.

RTD plans to add cars to the both nights, officials said in a news release. All RTD services will run on regular schedules.

The A, B, C, E, G, N and W lines all stop at Union Station near the ballpark, which is about a half mile walk. Bus routes 120X, 38, 52, RX and 8 also stop near Coors Field.

Concertgoers should plan for large crowds and budget extra travel time. Service alerts and schedules are available through the or .

After losing their previous six series, the Rockies took three from the Royals this weekend to open a six-game homestand at Coors Field. In the process, Colorado surpassed its 43-win total from 2025 while also showcasing several roster pieces whom the Rockies could move ahead of Monday’s 4 p.m. MT deadline.

In Friday’s homestand opener, right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano threw 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball Sugano’s been Colorado’s best starter this year, with a 4.47 ERA and 1.9 bWAR in 19 starts. That includes a 3.78 ERA and 7-2 record within hitter-friendly LoDo. He’s surged as of late, with a 2.95 ERA in three second-half starts.

Sugano’s salary is affordable ($5.1 million this year) and he’ll be a free agent at the end of the season. Among the teams in the hunt for the playoffs, the AL East-leading Rays, NL Central-leading Brewers and wild card contenders in the Cubs, Diamondbacks and Phillies could all use another reliable starter for a postseason push.

Saturday’s blockbuster trade that sent Cy Young southpaw Tarik Skubal from the Tigers to the two-time defending champion Dodgers took the top starting pitcher off the market.

Skubal, who is on an expiring contract, was dealt for three prospects in a deal that lacks a wow factor for Detroit’s return. The Tigers got outfielder Zyhir Hope, MLB Pipeline’s No. 25 prospect, plus right-handers River Ryan (No. 68) and Brady Smith (the Dodgers’ 17th-ranked prospect).

Of course Sugano won’t demand a return like Skubal, who is just the sixth reigning Cy Young winner to be traded in-season. But for a team desperate to shore up the back end of their rotation with someone who can gobble up quality innings, Colorado could get a prospect or two in return for the Japanese veteran.

In Saturday’s 12-6 win, all-star catcher Hunter Goodman continued his torrid season with two homers in his MLB-best sixth multi-homer game of the season. Pitchers are scared to attack Goodman with the fastball but he continues to hammer offspeed pitching, with his 32nd homer coming on a slider and his 33rd coming on a changeup. His 33 homers are tied for second in the majors with the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber, with the Astros’ Yordan Alvarez setting the pace at 35.

Somewhat suspiciously, a day after blasting 808 feet worth of homers amid a 4-for-5, 5-RBI day, Goodman sizzling bat was not in the lineup in Sunday’s 8-1 victory that was highlighted by Kyle Freeland’s first career complete game. It was the Rockies’ first complete game since Chad Kuhl threw one on June 27, 2022, as Freeland allowed just one run on five hits and two walks. The 115-pitch effort came amid 99-degree temps at first pitch, the second-hottest first pitch temperature in Coors Field history behind a 100-degree game in 2012.

Back to Goodman: While there are reservations about Goodman’s defense — his sabermetrics at the position — his overwhelming offense and the fact that there are several teams in the playoff chase in need a power bat at the position could outweigh those concerns.

Whatever the case, the asking price for Goodman remains high.

Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta previously told The Denver Post a couple weeks ago that the return to trade Goodman would need to be substantial, as the front office sees him as a piece of Colorado’s next competitive team. So whatever the Rockies could get in a last-minute deal for the catcher would have to accelerate the club’s hopes of a rebuild faster than keeping Goodman’s power bat in the lineup for the three more years does.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosental reported last week that the Rockies want multi-player packages in return for Goodman. Colorado told Boston and Tampa Bay those packages would need to included each organization’s top prospect (shortstop Franklin Arias of the Red Sox and outfielder Theo Gillen of the Rays). The Yankees, whose catcher Austin Wells is hitting .162 with 7 homers, figure to remain in the mix as well.

Colorado’s other most obvious trade candidates are outfielders Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy, plus reliever Antonio Senzatala. McCarthy is among the best hitters in the National League with a .289 average along with 11 homers, including one Sunday, while Moniak is hitting .273 with 17 homers. Senzatela, who has a $14 million club option for 2027, has a 3.61 ERA in 34 games this season.

Trading Moniak or McCarthy would conceivably be a quick way to clear a roster spot for the debut of Charlie Condon, the first baseman/corner outfielder who is one of Colorado’s top prospects and has been knocking on the door in Triple-A Albuquerque.

Denver was the first city to turn down the Olympics

After being selected to host the 1976 Winter Games, Denver made history when it became the first ever city to reject the Olympics. On May 12, 1970, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose Denver over bids from Sion, Switzerland; Tampere, Finland; and Vancouver, Canada. The Mile High City’s Olympic plans were ambitious: Alpine events were slated for Loveland Basin and Mt. Sniktau, located on Loveland Pass outside of Dillon, while Denver Mountain Parks would host Nordic competitions, bobsled and luge races. Tthe Denver Coliseum was set for figure skating and hockey.

But the Games never made it out of the starting gate in Denver as concerns over funding and costs snowballed, and by late 1972 organizers told the IOC that Denver couldn’t host. The Winter Olympics were reassigned to Innsbruck, Austria, which had already hosted the Games in 1964 and had the infrastructure in place.

Even still, Colorado has strong ties to the Olympics as Colorado Springs is home to the and the .

Colorado lit the way on legal cannabis

California was a pioneer in legalizing medical marijuana back in 1996. Several states, Colorado among them, followed suit. But in 2014, we to legalize recreational marijuana.

At the University of Colorado, the Business Research Division at Leeds School of Business maintains a for Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division that tracks a number of metrics, including sales. In 2021, marijuana sales topped $2.2 billion, but it looks like the green rush has slowed some in recent years with sales registering at $1.3 billion in 2025.

Our mountain communities are also high (in elevation)

stakes its claim as the highest incorporated town in North America, perched at 10,578 feet. Meanwhile, is the highest incorporated city in North America, soaring at 10,430 feet. Curious how Leadville got its name? The city’s founding fathers were looking for an alternative because there were too many places with “silver” in the name at the time.

Colorado’s Sand Dunes reach surprising heights

Colorado may be known for its mountains, but our state’s Sand Dunes are pretty impressive, too. , located in southern Colorado near Alamosa in the San Luis Valley, is home to the tallest dunes in North America, according to the National Park Service. Star Dune soars 750 feet from its base to its crest. The park’s High Dune rises 699 feet, but because it starts on higher ground it actually rises higher above sea level than Star.

Dinger’s story has a prehistoric backstory

Ever wonder why the Rockies mascot is a purple triceratops? When construction crews were excavating Coors Field, they unearthed a dinosaur fossil near home plate. When Dinger was introduced to fans, he hatched out of a giant dino egg on April 16, 1994.

Pikes Peak inspired ‘America the Beautiful’

The summit of Pikes Peak inspired Katharine Lee Bates to write “America the Beautiful.” Locals and visitors can take to the summit of the peak for those same awe-inspiring views.

You may do better at a Colorado driving range than one out of state

Home turf advantage? Golf balls fly on average in Colorado than they do in other states. Chalk it up to the altitude. If you’re playing at a mountain course, you may notice your ball goes even farther when you tee off, thanks to the higher altitudes.

150 things that make Colorado quintessentially cool

Burlington’s antique carousel is a rare piece of Americana

Originally built in 1905 for Denver’s Elitch Gardens, a hand-carved wooden carousel migrated to its new home in Burlington in 1928, when the amusement park upgraded to a newer model with "jumping" animals that moved up and down. Kit Carson County snapped up the classic for $1,200, preserving a rare piece of Americana. It����ap the only antique carousel in America still having original paint on both the scenery panels and on the animals. The is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Boulder came close to becoming a prison town

Boulder is known today as an idyllic college town, with the University of Colorado deeply woven into the city’s identity. But the city could have taken a very different path.

In the late 1870s, Boulder leaders lobbied state lawmakers to make the city home to a university, competing with Cañon City for Colorado’s flagship school. There was a twist: The losing city would receive a consolation prize: a new state prison.

Visitors can explore this alternate-history scenario at the , where an interactive exhibit imagines how the city might look if history had unfolded differently. Onscreen, CU’s familiar red-tile roofs and campus buildings are replaced with barbed-wire fences and stark concrete structures spread across the foothills.

Today, Cañon City is home to the Colorado State Penitentiary and several other correctional facilities, along with the Museum of Colorado Prisons.

Colorado’s first skiers were mail carriers, not powder chasers

Long before Colorado became a ski destination, skiing here was all about getting the mail delivered. In the late 1800s, more than 50 mail carriers traversed snowy mountain terrain on homemade wooden skis secured with simple toe straps. These rugged couriers battled whiteout conditions, avalanches and brutal winter weather to reach remote communities. Today, visitors can learn about these early ski pioneers at the in Vail.

The state capitol has a mile-high marker

Want proof you're exactly a mile above sea level? Head to the west steps of the Colorado State Capitol. A marker on the 15th step designates the famed 5,280-foot elevation. You can also find a row of purple seats at Coors Field that denote exactly 5,280 feet, and The Mile High Loop at City Park follows a 5k route along the city’s mile-high contour line.

The cheeseburger has a meaty history in Denver

From Jolly Ranchers and cheeseburgers to teddy bears and tampons, these inventions were created in Colorado

Colorado has superior hot springs

Glenwood Springs is home to the world’s largest natural hot springs pool, where more than one million gallons of mineral-rich water fill the , which stretches more than two blocks long. Meanwhile, claims another geothermal distinction: the Guinness World Records-certified deepest geothermal hot spring aquifer in the world. The town’s Mother Spring extends more than 1,002 feet underground.

Aspen miners once unearthed a record-breaking treasure

Colorado’s mining history is filled with big discoveries, but Aspen delivered one that was especially massive. In 1894, miners pulled the world’s largest silver nugget from Aspen’s Smuggler Mine. The colossal chunk weighed in at a staggering 2,350 pounds, according to the .

Fort Collins helped inspire Disneyland’s Main Street

Take a stroll through Old Town Fort Collins and you may experience a little déjà vu, especially if you’re a Disney fan. Disneyland’s iconic Main Street U.S.A. was inspired by Fort Collins’ . Before Disneyland was built, Walt Disney enlisted Hollywood art director Harper Goff to help design the park. Goff grew up in Fort Collins, and when he sketched concepts for Main Street, he drew from childhood memories of familiar local buildings, including the city hall, the Old Linden Hotel, Old Firehouse Books and other local storefronts.

Colorado’s Capitol is home to a one-of-a-kind stone

Brittany Anas is a Denver-based freelance writer.