Two Rockies teams make Sam Adams' list of top 10 Colorado sports teams, a list that actually goes to 11 since he lumped the 1997 and 1998 Broncos together at the top. If the Rockies were to actually go on and win a World Series, I doubt they'd be able to knock off the Broncs, but given the team's perfect score in making the list just for playoff appearances, I'd figure the 2000-2001 Avs better watch their back in the two slot.
There's much to dissect in this Greeley Tribune discussion with Dick and Charlie Monfort. Let's start with the Holliday trade:
"But that deal really wasn’t about the money. We did save quite a bit of money. But we picked up a reliever we think can help us, and we picked up a starter who potentially could help us. And after next year, we weren’t going to get anything for Matt. We talked with him about contracts in the past, and he wants to try free agency. That doesn’t mean we can’t sign him in free agency, but he wants to try it. So money was a piece of the puzzle, but not a major piece."
I imagine different Rockies fans will clue in on different parts of this quote. The Monfort's-must-go crowd will focus on the admission of them saving "quite a bit of money." Some blind optimists may look at the section about possibly re-signing Matt in free agency and get their hopes up. I don't know if I see much here other than that the whole thing was a decision based on the increasing risk that "after next year, we weren't going to get anything for Matt." In other words, it was a conservative move to balance the team's talent portfolio and to shift the risk load away from one individual player.
In other Monfort news, the pair announced that they plan on expanding the Rockies discount ticket packages across Colorado's Front Range along with Nebraska and Wyoming.
Staten Islander Jason Marquis talked with his local newspaper about a fresh start in Colorado. One of the quotes that impresses me most is when he's talking about his success at Coors Field and against the NL West:
"It's a small sample size, but it's a start," said Marquis. "It's really a matter of focus and bearing down and working the lower part of the strike zone. I have to get the sinker working down to be successful."
Small sample size? That's refreshing to hear a baseball player acknowledge, and it seems Marquis has a solid understanding of the game as well as his athleticism.