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Though they may not yet be enshrined in Cooperstown, the Colorado Rockies will now have a presence at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Beginning today, a new Legends of Rock exhibit honoring Guns N' Roses will be on display at the music shrine on Lake Erie, and it's hosting some Rockies-related memorabilia.
As we reported two weeks ago, Guns N' Roses keyboardist Dizzy Reed—who spent most of his childhood in Colorado—was sending over a Rockies jersey to be part of the display. (The display also includes a pinball machine from Slash, some of his clothing as well as that of Axl Rose, and a 1986 Les Paul Prototype Slash guitar.)
Carl Harp from the Rock Hall reached out to me by email earlier this week to share some pictures of Reed's jersey, a black customized Rockies top that's been modified a bit for a rock star's life:
Image supplied by Carl Harp / Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Most noteworthy perhaps is the "C" in the Rockies' typical "CR" logo having morphed into more of a "G" (you know, for Guns N' Roses). I can't make out what the patch on the right arm says; Carl sent me a few other pics of the jersey, too, but no dice on the patch. Guess you'll have to make a trip to Cleveland to see it!
Unfortunately, as of press time, Reed wasn't available for comment on why he decided to send a Rockies jersey to the Rock Hall. As we mentioned earlier, he had moved to Los Angeles and linked up with Guns N' Roses several years before the Rockies' 1993 inaugural season, though perhaps he's just a loyal long-distance fan.
That Reed would choose number 22 for his jersey is interesting; perhaps it's the keyboardist's lucky number, because hasn't necessarily been that for the ball club. In the history of the Colorado Rockies, twelve men have worn the number 22 on the field, according to Baseball Reference—including the team's current manager, Walt Weiss. The most recent player to wear the number was Jordan Pacheco, in 2012.
Beyond Pacheco, and Weiss—who also wore it as a player—it's a mishmash of mediocrity: Hector Gomez, Jose Lopez, Scott Podsednik, Dustan Mohr, Terry Shumpert (OK, he was far better than mediocre as a bench option), Pat Watkins, Nelson Liriano, Mark Strittmatter, and Eric Wedge all the way back in '93. In fact, he's just how mediocre (or less than mediocre) the historical 22s really are:
Player | Years as #22 | WAR as #22 |
Jordan Pacheco | 2012 | -2.9 |
Hector Gomez | 2011 | 0.0 |
Jose Lopez | 2011 | -0.3 |
Scott Podsednik | 2008 | 0.0 |
Dustan Mohr | 2005 | 0.0 |
Terry Shumpert | 1999-2002 | 2.1 |
Pat Watkins | 1999 | -0.5 |
Nelson Liriano** | 1998 | -0.6 |
Mark Strittmatter | 1998 | -0.1 |
Walt Weiss | 1994-1997 | 3.8 |
Eric Wedge | 1993 | 0.0 |
**Liriano wore #22 in '98. In his other COL stint, '93-'94, he wore #4. Only his WAR as #22 is here. | Total | 1.5 |
Welp!
Dizzy, with a jersey enshrined in the Hall of Fame, is now arguably the greatest number 22 in the history of the Rockies. But can he pitch?!
Here's more on the exhibit, which opens today.