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2020 is almost here, and so is baseball.

Colorado Rockies news and links for Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Looking ahead to the Rockies’ 2020 calendar | Rockies.com

On February 22, 2020, we’ll start the full Cactus League slate: Diamondbacks at Rockies.

On March 26th, 2020, we’ll start the real thing: Rockies at Padres.

On April 3, 2020, we’ll get things rolling at home: Padres at Rockies.

On October 20, 2020, we’ll see if the beloved Rockies, at 80-to-1 championship odds, can shock the world and take the field in the World Series.

16 of the Rockies’ first 18 games will come against divisional opponents, suggesting a rather immediate separation in divisional standings should Colorado start off really hot or really cold. 11 of the final 14 regular season games also come within the division, so we’re looking at potential shakeups in standings if the division stays tight through September.

The Dodgers also won the division by 21 games in 2019, and their World Series odds for 2020 have continued to reign supreme over many others, especially within the NL West. All 14 of the Dodger’s final regular season games will be played within the division, which could make for either an enticing race if 2018 resemblance is to ensue, or an otherwise anticlimactic race to the finish like 2019.

No matter the optimism or what dismal odds may project, a new year sees an impending season beginning to break the horizon, with the outright optimism of spring not far behind. Cactus League tickets for Rockies games at Salt River Fields go on sale January 11, as the venue anticipates its’ 10th season of Spring Training. Regular season tickets become available to the public on February 13th.

The Rockies website also offers ticket availability for high-interest games through the ‘2020 Ticket Opportunity,’ where just a name, address and email can enter you into a drawing to get a head start on the public for Opening Day and 4th of July tickets, among others.

Predicting the Next 10 World Series Winners | Sports Illustrated

A prediction one month ahead in baseball can be senseless and borderline barbaric on some occasions, much less predicting 120 months ahead as this article does; it reasons as an interesting dive into the upcoming decade, at the very least. Some interesting insights can be reasoned through even an outlandish long-term prediction.

The 2020 champion according to this Sports Illustrated article: the Los Angeles Dodgers. “After eight consecutive titles in the NL West—and eight consecutive early exits in October—the Dodgers are in a strong position to go all the way on No. 9.”

It isn’t to say these predictions deserve any more weight than just a curious read, but some impending thoughts are sure to come out of such proactive thinking. It remains interesting to consider where Colorado may be placed in such a prediction if this article were written a year ago—a glaring example of what a dismal 2019 can suggest for the future. The biggest threat to the Dodgers divisional streak was the 2018 Rockies, finishing just one game back; it’s not to say that 2018 campaign alone would reason Colorado as a predicted champion in the next five years, but such optimism quickly goes by the wayside when it’s followed up by a year 20 games below .500 the very next season.

In the spirit of New Year’s, and in the spirit of a perfect summer evening at Coors Field, there remains plenty to be optimistic about. A new year invokes the rebirth of baseball not far behind it, looming on the horizon with optimism, even if it just be the optimism of the game’s presence alone. Regardless of the 2020 predictions, Hall of Fame ballot results, Arenado trade rumors, or any other repeatable headline the Rockies have continuously had this offseason, a rebirth of optimism is coming.

An actual pitch on February 22 will kick things off in Scottsdale, Arizona, and less than eight weeks into the new year, baseball will be back—with the earliest ever date for Opening Day not far behind. We’re almost there.

Here’s to 2020. And here’s to Colorado Rockies baseball.