This Week in Purple: Angels in the Outfield

The weekend is a great time to kick back and reflect. This Week in Purple is the place to catch up on the news from our team at Purple Row. You’ll find links to Rockpiles and other content below as well as a platform for community discussion in the comments.

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After a nasty 2-8 road trip that saw the Rockies win the first two games against the Boston Red Sox and then lose seven-straight games, including back-to-back sweeps against the Atlanta Braves (four games) and Cincinnati Reds (three games), they return home to face Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels.

Ryan McMahon continues to surge. In his last 26 games, McMahon has slashed .366/.453/.713 with seven doubles, two triples, eight homers and 22 RBI. Over that span, he ranks among National League leaders in total bases (72, 1st), OPS (1.166, 1st), hits (2nd), batting average (2nd), OBP (2nd), home runs (T-2nd), extra-base hits (T-2nd), and RBI (3rd). Send him to Seattle, folks!

Rookie Nolan Jones is also having a heck of a stretch. It was determined that he would retain his rookie status for 2023 after it was discovered that he did not exceed 45 days on the Cleveland Guardians active roster in the 2022 season. But with the Rockies, he has been fire. Jones has a career-high 15-game on-base streak, which is also tied for the second-longest active streak in the majors. Dating back to May 26, Jones has reached safely in 23 of this 24 starts (25 games overall) and is slashing .349/.429/.616 with eight doubles, five home runs and 14 RBI. He also fell a triple shy of the cycle on Tuesday. Dark horse Rookie of the Year candidate?

Speaking of Rookie of the Year Candidates, Ezequiel Tovar and his wife welcomed their first child on Father’s Day (June 18). Congrats to the Tovars!

To Read

• Have you noticed how much the Rockies lineup changes from game to game? Kenneth Weber sure did! For his Monday Rockpile, Kenneth looked at the Rockies’ unique roster construction compared to other teams and asked if the shuffling was an indicator of success (or lack of).

Spoiler alert: it’s not.

• Renee Dechert noticed how much time outfielders spend by themselves compared to their infield counterparts. So, for her Tuesday Rockpile, she asked the clubhouse: how do you pass the time in the outfield? The answers may (or may not) surprise you!

• On Monday, it was announced that former Rockies color analyst George Frazier passed away. He was a mainstay on the broadcasts from 1998-2015. For his Wednesday Rockpile, Skyler Timmins paid tribute to Frazier and what he meant to a generation of Rockies fans.

• For his Thursday Rockpile, Evan Lang took a dive into the minor leagues again, this time highlighting outfield prospect Yanquiel Fernandez (No. 12 PuRP). Fernandez is currently with the Hartford Yard Goats, where he is slashing .250/.231/.500 in three games so far (12 at-bats). Before his promotion, he hit .231/.375/.308 in three games in Fresno and .319/.354/.605 in 58 games in Spokane. Oh, and he’s only 20-years-old. He’ll be one to keep an eye on!

• Finally, for her Friday Rockpile, Joelle Milholm revisited the idea of the Rockies needing a home run celebration. This is especially true since the season is all but lost, so why not have a little fun doing it to boost morale? She even came up with some suggestions such as a “Blake Street Bomber” jacket, a (foam/plastic/inflatable) pickaxe, an oversized cowboy hat, an inflatable guitar, and a tribute to Blue Moon beer. Which one is your favorite?

To Listen

• Affected by Altitude: Nice. — On the 69th episode of Affected by Altitude, Evan and the Brothers Timmins discuss roster shuffle, the success of the kids getting regular playing time, and your World Champion Denver Nuggets.

• Every Rockie Ever Podcast: Justin Morneau — This week, Dustin and Skyler talk about a certain Rockie that hails from Canada, was a left-handed bat with power, and happened to wear #33. That’s right, it’s former Twins legend Justin Morneau! In the wake of Todd Helton’s retirement, the Rockies needed a first baseman, and they brought in Morneau who found a brief revival in Colorado during his short time in purple.

Other Goings On

• On Thursday, it was announced that top prospect Zac Veen (No. 2 PuRP) had season-ending surgery on his left hand/wrist. It had been bothering him since last summer, but he tried to play through the pain in order to make it to the majors. This could explain why he has struggled so far in Double-A, but it’s hard to say exactly what effects it had on him. Hopefully this only delays his projected debut date to 2024, but either way, we at Purple Row wish Zac a speedy and safe recovery!

• Looking to add to your Denver sports merch? Have no fear! BreakingT has you covered for both World Champion Denver Nuggets merchandise and Rockies merchandise! This week, we unveiled a new Justin Lawrence “Caution: Watch for Sweepers” t-shirt, which is arguably pretty cool. Get your merch today!

Weekend Discussion Topic

What is your favorite George Frazier memory? Share them in the comments below.

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