by Larry Patrick
DENVER — It’s been a long, dry winter in southern Colorado and eastern New Mexico, but baseball fans in our area can delight to the opening of the baseball season tonight.
The Colorado Rockies begin the season with seven games on the road starting with the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix. It’s the same venue that ended the Rockies one-game playoff season last year.
The Rockies spent a lot of money during the off-season, acquiring help for their bullpen. They signed Bryan Shaw and closer, Wade Davis, to big dollars along with re-signing reliever, Jake McGee. The three are expected to help the Rockies maintain leads in the late innings of a game.
Coming back to the Rockies are former catcher, Chris Ianetta and longtime Rockie, Carlos Gonzales, who was a free agent but drew little interest from other teams because of his poor season last year.
The Rockies think “Cargo” will bounce back after a torrid September last season. Ianetta brings more power to the catching position and played several seasons for the Rockies prior to being traded a few years back.
The Dodgers are still the team to beat in the National League West Division, but the Rockies held their own against L.A. last season and are expected to be better this year with more experience from their young starting staff and backup players.
The opening game at Coors Field will be Friday, April 6th against the Atlanta Braves. The Rockies believe they have what it takes to make a run at the playoffs and possible World Series appearance, which they haven’t done since 2007.
