My friend Mark and I (I am on the left in the photograph, and Mark is on the right) went to Coors Field yesterday to watch the final regular season game between the Colorado Rockies and the Milwaukee Brewers. The game meant nothing to the Rockies, who were eliminated from the playoffs weeks ago, but for the Brewers, the results of this game and the one between the Chicago Cubs (just recently eliminated from the playoffs) and the St. Louis Cardinals would determine whether the Cardinals or the Brewers would win the division, and which team would wind up in a one game winner-take-all wildcard match-up. The Cardinals beat the Cubs 9 to 0, winning the division, and Mark and I watched as the Rockies beat the Brewers, now facing that one game wildcard contest, in 13 innings (and yes, we definitely got our money's worth yesterday).
After the game, the Rockies players walked around the field to thank the fans for their support and to throw souvenirs (swag, as they call it these days) to them as they walked past the stands. Charlie Blackmon, one the Rockies star players, was front and center in this parade, as seen in the photograph on the right. And as far as I can remember, he has always participated in this traditional ceremony. But I have to say, I did not see some of the other major stars on this team participating. It seems to me that when many baseball players become superstars, they no longer feel the need to actually take part in these ceremonies, not wanting to have to lower themselves to mix with the fans. A very sad thing indeed.
However, I was very glad to see that Kyle Freeland, a Denver native who was a sensation as a rookie pitcher, but has recently struggled, was once again greeting fans, and that rising star Raimel Tapia, seen in the photograph on the left, was also making the rounds, waving to the fans. And so, the regular baseball season ends. The Colorado Rockies finished in 4th place, 20 games under .500 (.500 is considered average in baseball), and were 5 and 5 the last 10 games of the season, a major disappointment after making the playoffs the past two years. The Chicago Cubs (Chicago's north side team), expected to make the playoffs once again this season, finished in 3rd place, 6 games over .500, but were 2 and 8 the last 10 games of the season, and yesterday fired manager Joe Maddon, a very talented baseball guy who wound up being the scapegoat for their disappointing season. And my south side Chicago heros, the Chicago White Sox, also finished in 3rd place. Although they were 17 games under .500, they lost only 89 games this season, as opposed to 100 last year, and were 7 and 3 their final 10 games. All signs seem to imply that next season the Sox will be back in the thick of things. And yes - I am talking the World Series in 2020. Be there or be square.
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