Colorado Rockies news: An Opening Day fail for the ages

The Rockies are 17-15 on Opening Day, however that 15^th loss will go down in infamy.

It’s not each Opening Day {that a} workforce will get destroyed 16-1. In any case, there have been two different Opening Days within the final 134 years the place groups have accomplished worse.

At first, it wasn’t so dangerous. The Rockies went into the third inning down 2-1. Then got here the soul-crushing, endless third inning the place Colorado gave up essentially the most runs (14) and hits (13) in a single inning in franchise historical past. Additionally they set a franchise file by dealing with 18 batters in a single body — that’s not simply hitting round. It’s hitting round twice.

This received’t simply be a blemish within the Rockies file ebook, however in Main League Baseball’s too. The 14 runs scored in a single Opening Day inning have been essentially the most within the Fashionable Period (since 1900) and tied for the fourth most in an inning within the Fashionable Period.

The Rockies ought to provide refunds to anybody who paid for a 12 months’s subscription to Rockies.TV, or a minimum of give a $16 refund for the primary month.

Contemplating it was 16-1 with two outs within the third, I suppose it may have been worse. In the long run, the Rockies at the moment are tied for third place for the most important loss on Opening Day. That’s behind the Cleveland Infants, who obtained rocked by the Buffalo Bisons 23-2 in 1890 within the Gamers League, and the Washington Senators, who have been stomped by the Yankees 19-1 in 1955.

Positive, it wasn’t as dangerous as when the Rockies misplaced to the Angels 25-1 on June 24 final season. Even in that recreation, the worst inning noticed solely 13 runs scored. Whereas that recreation was a joke and signaled the Rockies have been properly on their solution to a 100-loss season, Thursday’s snakebite was worse. Posting a historic blowout on essentially the most optimistic day of the 12 months is a lot worse.

I attempted to really feel excited all day on Thursday. It was Opening Day in spite of everything. Baseball is again. I wore a purple Rockies polo to work. Regardless that I didn’t have the inner spark I normally have on Opening Day, I nonetheless half-heartedly put up my Rockies flag.

When the sport lastly began, the nostalgic pleasure began to creep in. When Kyle Freeland gave up a lead-off single, it began to decrease. When Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered within the first, it deflated. Because of back-to-back doubles from Brendan Rodgers and Ryan McMahon, the Rockies obtained a run again within the first. Possibly it could be okay.

Or not.

Freeland, who had a bought Spring Coaching with extra velocity, appeared like he was simply tossing BP. He surrendered two doubles, 5 singles and a stroll for eight runs earlier than being pulled after recording just one out. His 18 four-seam fastballs averaged 92.3 mph, up 3.5 mph from the identical pitch final season. His 14 sinkers averaged 92.1 mph, up 3.4 mph from 2023. The rate was there. The situation and variation weren’t.

In his third Opening Day begin, Freeland left too many pitches proper over the plate. Of his 49 pitches, 36.7% have been four-seam fastballs and 28.6% have been sinkers. He leaned an excessive amount of into the warmth and never sufficient on his slider (16.3%), knuckle curve (14.3%) and changeup (4.1%). In 2 1/3 innings, he gave up 10 runs on 10 hits with one stroll and two strikeouts for a 38.57 ERA. Not a superb begin in a season the place the Rockies want Freeland to be the ace.

When Freeland was pulled, Anthony Molina got here in to make his MLB debut and the Diamondbacks simply stored the hit parade going. Molina, the 22-year-old RHP who the Rockies grabbed within the Rule 5 Draft from Tampa Bay in December, gave up a single, single, stroll, single, single, double, sac fly, and one other single. By the point he left the mound, it was 16-1. Molina was charged with six runs on six hits with one stroll and recorded one out. After his first look, he has a 162.00 ERA. That’s not a typo. It’s 162.00.

The offense wasn’t a lot better. The Rockies posted 4 hits complete. They walked thrice and struck out six. They hit into one double play, left six males on base and went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring place.

The lone vivid aspect got here from the post-Molina bullpen. In his Rockies debut, Jalen Beeks was the hero who ended the third inning. He threw two extra scoreless, hitless innings and recorded two strikeouts. Victor Vodnik added two extra scoreless innings and labored out of getting runners on first and second with just one out within the sixth inning. Hitting over 97 mph along with his fastball and pairing it properly along with his stable curveball, Nick Mears struck out the aspect within the eighth. The trio’s work helped convey down the Rockies preliminary bullpen ERA of 162.00 to 10.70 by the top of the sport.

If Opening Day is any indicator, it could possibly be a tough 12 months. Or, as Rockies play-by-play broadcaster Drew Goodman mentioned when the sport lastly ended, “the excellent news is that it’s just one recreation.” The dangerous information is that there’s at all times tomorrow.

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The very best defensive participant most MLB followers don’t know, Logan Gilbert’s standout ability and extra ‘Sliders’ | The Athletic ($)

A minimum of one story has one thing good concerning the Rockies. It’s cool to see famed baseball author Tyler Kepner giving Brendon Doyle some love on a nationwide stage. Kepner compares the Colorado second-year heart fielder, who earned a Gold Glove in his rookie season, to an “indie band with a cult following” who might be performing all throughout the nation this summer time.

Renck: Rockies proprietor Dick Monfort is aware of solely solution to quiet critics is “win on a regular basis and that’s what we have to do” | Denver Submit ($)

Earlier than the 2023 season, Dick Monfort mentioned the Rockies could possibly be .500. They went on to put up the worst file in 31 years as a company. This column has the identical form of head-scratching, evidence-lacking vibe since Monfort shares quite a few ideas on how a lot he desires to win.

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