Thanks for the Memories Brad

that gave the Rockies a 2-1 win in the middle of that late season miracle run in 2007.

When we think about that magical Rocktober run, we always think about game 163, the play at the plate, Helton’s walk off home run against Saito, and that wild final weekend of the season against Arizona, but Hawpe’s heroics in San Diego remain the forgotten gem in that run.

Bottom line; game 163 against San Diego never happens if it wasn’t for Hawpe’s performance in this game against San Diego.

Thanks Brad, we couldn’t have done it without you.

I remember that Homer off of Thatcher, I remember that go-ahead double in game 162, I remember him making the all star team and almost giving the NL the go-ahead homer, I remember some amazing throws from the outfield, I remember a classy guy and a darn good baseball player.

You’ll be missed Brad—here’s to success wherever you go next!

Hawpe deserves it.

One of my favorite Brad Hawpe memories…
I know there are a lot of different moments I could put here, from the magic of 07 and all the playoff games, but here’s mine:

It was June 7, 2008. I really don’t know how or why I remember the exact date, but anyways….I remeber I wanted to go to the game because it was Tulo bobblehead day, but ended up not. I stayed home and listened to the game on the radio.

So the bases were loaded. Brad Hawpe hit a high fly to left. I held my breath. I can still remember the call: "going, going, GRAND SLAM!". I was a young Rockies fan, both in experience, and in age. I had never heard a grand slam called before, I had only read and heard of them. It was the first grand slam I heard on the radio, and I was so excited. Wow! A grand slam! That’s pretty special, I thought. I guess it was the last grand slam he’d ever hit in a Rockies uniform, and that’s sad.

Taking Joe Thatcher deep.

Or how’s about this: the fact that he DIDN’T bat after Holliday in game 163? He was Mr. 2-out RBI in 2007, so even if Holliday was called out, Hawper would have driven in Helton from 2B.

Happy trails, friend.

Hawpe and Josh Fogg were together in the dugout. I remember the image of the two of them standing next to one another with just expressions of disbelief on their faces. Hawpe broke into a grin and smacked Fogg as the ball went over the fence. Fogg goes “it went out?” and Hawpe is giving him a hard time. Great moment of enthusiasm from #11.

The almost-home run in last years all star game was pretty damn awesome, since it was the first time in years that even for a split second I thought “OH GOD THE NL MIGHT WIN THIS THING”

Had to go off mobile to rec this one : )

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/COL/COL200707060.shtml

The Rockies were down five runs early, but scored two in the sixth and then started chipping away at the Phillies bullpen.

Anyway, Charlie Manuel brings in Antonio Alfonseca to protect a one-run lead in the ninth, and the Rox have Helton, Atkins, and Hawpe coming up, so I’m feeling pretty good. But Helton grounds out and Atkins flies out, and Hawpe gets down 1-2, and suddenly the Rockies are down to their last strike and I’m getting ready to go home disappointed…

And Hawpe absolutely MURDERIZES a ball to the fountains in straightaway center field. I’m screaming my head off, along with most of the (disappointingly sparse) crowd—although the Phillies fans sitting two rows in front of me had some choice words for Alfonseca. But the thing about it was that you could tell how pumped Hawpe was as he went around the bases. I’d never seen him show that much enthusiasm, even on TV. He got back to the dugout and was practically tearing guys’ arms off with the force of his high-fives.

Hawpe ended up going 4-for-6 (he got a single in the eleventh that pushed Atkins into scoring position and Atkins ended up scoring the winning run), and made a few tough catches. It wasn’t the sort of game where a guy just goes bonkers and wins a game virtually on his own (a la CarGo’s walkoff cycle game), but it was a great game from a guy who had more than a few of them. He was just a big contributor in the win—which was the story for lots of games that year.

Bye, Brad. I’ll miss you.

As silly as that sounds.

and I will miss when he comes to bat, no matter what aweful song he had (even that aweful barfing song this year)

Rightfielder….NUMber ELEVEN Brad HAWPE!

So I was at Coors Field on May 1, 2004, day/night doubleheader. It’s the seventh inning of the first game, this guy comes in to pinch hit. This was before I seriously followed the minor leagues (really, followed them at all.) I look at the scoreboard, this guy’s got 0 AB. I’ve never heard of this guy before. Yep, this is his big league debut.

Brad Hawpe.

Hawpe gets a base hit. Yep. He’s batting 1.000 for his career now. So, of course, these being the 2004 Rockies, Hawpe gets the start in RF in the nightcap (because, you know, the Rockies had been playing Kit Pellow out there to that point.) Bottom of the sixth, the new guy’s at the plate with a runner on. Hits a shot down the left field line… I’m sitting a few rows back in left field, I don’t think it’s quite got enough… but yeah, it’s just over the left field fence.

And I thought… I’m gonna like this guy.

God speed, Bradley. You will be missed.

Woke up on the morning of my 21st birthday and frantically checked my phone for the score of the game I’d fallen asleep trying to keep track of in a crappy hotel in the mountains of southern Tennessee. Saw that the Rox had won in 14 on a Brad Hawpe home run. Off a lefty, no less.

Brad Hawpe throwing out David Eckstein at third on May 30, 2005. I will always remember that for some reason.

Had a couple of hits and and RBI and won the MVP of that

My freshest memory is the all star game but he’s come through for the team a ton over the years. I hope he finds a good new home soon.

They have 2 outfielders (Cameron & Ellsbury) on the DL for the rest of the season, with an injury-prone LH hitter (Drew) still out there. Their main 1B (Youklis) is also gone for the year. Hawpe absolutely makes sense for them.

Though I don’t like the Sawx, that’s not a bad place for Hawpe to wind up: top-flight organization, solid group of teammates, somewhat in playoff contention. He could do much worse.

Although I keep reading Texas. Hope not, for Brad’s sake. After 7 years in Coors, he’ll melt in the heat.

I can’t say that I have many memories since I’ve been a casual fan until recently. I just remember him being a staple in the lineup.

when he struck out to end an inning he always just start taking off his batting stuff off right at home plate very quickly. Also the Braves game right before the ASG last year. I was there it was great.

“I might get this ball.”

One was his first of the year, against the Braves, that he ripped hard above the scoreboard.

The other was against the Cardinals, the 7th of the 7 game win streak that sort of got them going for the year. It was the first time i had gone to a game by myself, and it couldn’t have been a more pleasant night, and he hit a moon shot that i really thought was going to make it to me in the 2nd deck in right field.

Brad hits a pinch hit RBI double, sure we lost that game, but I was there after making my first pilgrimage down from Saskatachewan to Coors Field since 1997, just glad I got to see him play in person. It’s times like this that prove we do more than cheer for laundry, but for the men that put that jersey on and go out and play.

First of all, I work for Easton, and was bummed when Hawpe stopped using our product. Anyway, during the ‘07 playoff push, I was the Packing supervisor and we got an order to ship some of Brad’s batting gloves to him at Coors Field. I enclosed a handwritten note with the order wishing him and the rest of the team luck and letting them know I was confident they’d get to the postseason.

A few weeks later, I received a package to my attention from the home clubhouse manager at Coors. It contained a signed pair of batting gloves from Hawpe.

brought a tear to my eyes….I don’t really have one memory that stands out above the others – Seen him hit homeruns, gun down runners…and just give everything he had to this ballclub for the last seven years.

I will miss hearing your name called at Coors Brad….You deserved one last start at home!

I was stunned/gleeful that he hit it off a left-hander.

Even though I’ve been ripping him the past year or so….

Godspeed, no. 11. Thanks for the memories.

You made SB Nation Denver for this.

is that in early 2009 I don’t remember ever seeing a guy so comfortable at the plate. He would just step up and rake. What happened to that guy?

I haven’t posted my favorite moments because there are just too many. But I think the main thing is that I always felt supremely confident that somehow, someway he would come through with that clutch hit just when we needed it most. And last night, he did the same again.

I don’t have a single, specific, stand-above-all-else favorite Brad Hawpe moment.

For me, it’s been the way he’s carried himself his entire Rockies career. His quiet stoicism, professionalism, demeanor…but wow, when he really got ahold of one, it would look majestic.

I loved those instances when he’d barehand a ball smacked off the out of town scoreboard and nail the runner, who wouldn’t even expect it coming. Even through his struggles, I always thought a home run could be just a Hawpe, skip, and a jump away.

I loved his quiet, unassuming, left hand presence in right, and in the batter’s box.

Brad, I am truly going to miss you on this ballclub.

Talk about a tear jerker

lot of great memories of #11, to me, he was the Larry Walker of Right field with that cannon of an arm just like Tulo. Sad to see him go. =’(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGI8swltOAM

The thing I’ll remember is the walkoff RBI double against the Braves on 7/12/09, right before the all star break. And the way my neighbor stared at me thru my window while I jumped around cheering.

Best of luck to him no matter where he ends up. I have a feeling we’re gonna’ kick ourselves for this one later.

I don’t think I can say just one favorite memory. Much like you all have said, it was a combination of so many things that made me a fan. Not only was he a great athlete, but he truly seemed like a great person, someone that was fun to be around and loved what he was doing. I’m so sad that I can no longer claim him as my favorite Rockie, but I wish him the best. Thanks for turning me back on to the Rockies, #11.

I can’t wait to meet him. I didn’t work tonight but as soon as it became official…my boss (head grounds keeper) and the Trop foreman immediately called me telling me that it was official. I predicted it about a month ago and they already knew I was a Rox fan so they figured that I’d be excited !