My friend Mark (in the photograph on the left) and I went to the final Colorado Rockies home game of the season yesterday afternoon at Coors Field. The weather was perfect, and there was a good crowd (over 40,000) on hand, but the Rockies did not rise to the occasion, and lost the game to the San Diego Padres 13-6. Kyle Freeland gave up seven runs and nine hits in 2 2/3 innings, and the 7 relievers who followed did not look so hot, either.
The game last 3 hours and 43 minutes, and many of the fans left before the end, skipping the ceremonial walk around the field after the game by the players to thank the fans for their support. In years past, they would throw hats, tee-shirts, and other freebies to the crowd, and also greet fans and exchange pleasantries. This year there was none of that. I don't know if this was because of the new protective netting that now separates the fans from the players, or if the team just wasn't into it this year, since it is currently 41 games out of first place. And I have to say that they circled the stadium pretty damned quickly yesterday.
I looked hard for Charlie Blackmon, who has been one of the Rockies best players for many years, and has always been especially friendly to the fans during this ceremonial walk in years past. I finally spotted him as he passed by, and took the photograph on the left, with Charlie in the center. He was not as outgoing as usual, which might have been due to an injury he sustained in the 8th inning, causing a discernible limp, or might be because he was frustrated at the team's poor showing. After Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story left the team in hopes of playing for a playoff contender, Blackmon is, in my opinion, the sole remaining star on the roster. And I am sure he very much wants to play for a winner, too.
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