"Rockies are going to go to the World Series"

What a statement to start a blog off with.
Would you believe me if I told you that I spoke those exact words to my would-be wife almost exactly 7 months ago after watching the Rockies' offense pummel the San Francisco Giants and then the Texas Rangers in Spring-training ball? It must have been pretty evident too since the would-be wife agreed with me. And actually I think most fans at Hi Corbett in Tucson and the next day at Surprise Stadium (Rangers) in Surprise would have agreed.
There was something different about the Rockies this year right from the start. They finally played like they wanted to be there, like they deserved to be there and like there were 30 other players below each of them who would instantly love to out-do them to make it to The Show.

Helton gained a menacing Ruthian physique and had a goatee to boot; Holliday suddenly looked like Clark Kent and hit like the superhero he concealed; Atkins and Hawpe appeared to be the Dynamic Hit-making Duo which pitchers seemed to dread. But it didn't stop there! There was the new Jeter-esque shortstop named Tulowitzki as well as the Bizarro-Ichiro second baseman in Matsui. They also had the 'speed guy' in Taveras as well as the guy who melded it all together in Torrealba. Not to mention the pitching which finally arrived for the Rockies in Cook, Hirsh and Fogg. Hurdle was practically handed the World Series on a silver platter with this baseball version of Super Friends.
So are any of us hardcore Rockies fans, who made the roadtrip down to Arizona, surprised now that the Rockies are 4 games away from making it to the World Series? Hell no. And in fact many of you should be biting your tongues now for snickering and laughing and saying 'ya right' after the few of us told you upon arriving back in Denver that "The Rockies are really really good this year".

Here's my history with Rockies baseball: since their inaugural season in '93 (when I was 10) I was a huge fan. My brother and I were among the first in the 'Rockies Rookies Fan Club' (look it up) and our dad had shared season tickets during the first couple years at the old Mile High. But even before the Rockies we were big fans of the Denver Zephyrs (look it up) and occasionally went to their games.
From '93 until the start of the Hampton/Neagle period (late 2000'ish) the Rockies had that 'young team' desire to win but only average skill. But when Hampton/Neagle came, the Rockies' attitude suddenly turned into greedy laziness which spread quickly. A perfect example was in Larry Walker's sudden absolute refusal to hustle to first or for a hanging flyball (hence his nickname among us: 'FatAss').
My brother and I and friends still went to games but refused to pay full price. Instead we'd buy $4 rock pile tickets and then sneak past ushers into the 100-level sections and incessantly boo Walker.
The favorite player among my friends and I was Juan Pierre, mainly because he looked like he was high with his hat on crooked in his picture on the big board. My brother and his friends even named their house cat Juan Pierre due mainly to that picture.

Anyhow I digress.

The wife, my little brother and I went to last Saturday's game and saw the Rox sweep the Phonies (I would pay anything to see Ryan Howard cry to another ump again) and now we are looking to go to at least game 4 against the D-Bags where we will be taunting Byrnes to get a haircut and stop killing fans with his bat.

I have a lot to blog about so hopefully you visit often.

Mendoza's 5280