MEDIA CLIPS – June 15, 2018

Story breaks up no-hitter, but Rox fall to Phils continues to heat up; leads NL SS in HRs, RBIs By Thomas Harding MLB.com @harding_at_mlb Jun. 14th, 2018

PHILADELPHIA -- saved the Rockies from the ignominy of a no-hitter, but as has been the case recently, he couldn't prevent another loss.

Story's RBI double with two outs in the seventh ended Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez's no-hit bid, and the Rockies fell, 9-3, on Thursday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Colorado has lost 10 of its past 13 games.

Story's double was part of a two-run rally to cut the deficit to 3-2, but the Phillies scored four runs in the bottom of the inning to ensure taking two of three in the series. Rookie Ryan McMahon, who struggled early but has been solid since his return from Triple-A Albuquerque, was another bright spot. McMahon launched his first Major League homerto straightaway center in the eighth off Hector Neris.. 14th, 2018

But the Rockies couldn't solve Velasquez.

"[Velazquez] was tough. He was throwing his fastball up in the zone, and he's got some life on it, and that makes it tough to square it up," Story said. "His breaking stuff was really good today. It was just a tough day for us."

"More than anything, the fastball had some life to it, and we chased at the top of the zone probably a little bit too much."

Rockies said.

Story's eighth-inning single ended a perfect-game bid from the Padres' Jordan Lyles on May 15. This time, Velasquez (5-

7) faced the minimum until walking Carlos Gonzalez in the seventh while trying to protect a 3-0 lead.

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It set up the sizzling Story, who has hit .330 (35-of-106) since he broke up Lyles' perfect-game bid. Story entered the game tied for the lead in RBIs. He lined a 2-2 pitch into the left-field corner to deliver his 50th RBI, as he builds a case for All-Star Game votes, and prompted Velasquez's exit at 105 pitches.

"I was just getting ready for the fastball," Story said. "It's a good fastball, but it was a breaking ball, a little up, where I could handle it."

Gerardo Parra, hitting .317 on the road, singled off reliever Tommy Hunter to drive in Story and cut the Phillies' lead to one run.But Rockies starter German Marquez (4-7), who gave up solo homers to Rhys Hoskinsand Nick Williams early on, allowed singles to Andrew Knapp and Scott Kingery, then walked J.P. Crawford to load the bases in the seventh.

All inherited runners would score after Black went to the bullpen, closing Marquez's line with six runs in six-plus innings pitched.

"[Marquez] pitched much better than the line indicated," Black said. "A couple of mistakes to Hoskins on the first-pitch fastball -- looked to be down the middle -- and then the breaking ball to Williams didn't quite get where it needed to.

"It's a shame that Marquez got tagged with as many runs that he did. He threw the ball pretty well.". 14th, 2018

MOMENT THAT MATTERED

Black was forced into tough decisions in the seventh that didn't go the Rockies' way. When Marquez walked Crawford on four pitches to run his pitch count to 112 and load the bases, Black replaced his starter with Jake Mcgee. The lefty reliever coaxed a fly ball from Hernandez, and after a passed ball allowed Knapp to score, McGee allowed a double to

Hoskins, who entered with a .277 average and a .426 slugging percentage against lefties.14th, 2018

"This kid, Hoskins, the first time we've seen him live. He wants the ball out away from him so he can get his arms out there and pull the ball," Black said. "Jake missed his spot. The ball was out over the plate."

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS

The seventh-inning rally was cut short after Hunter struck out with a man at first base.The Rockies didn't feel that should have been a , and television replays seemed to back that assertion. The pitch that struck out

Desmond appeared to skim off his bat, but home-plate umpire Quinn Walcott ruled it a strike, and no one else on the crew

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saw the deflection. Desmond protested and Black came from the dugout to offer his testimony, but the umpires never gathered. The play is not reviewable by replay., 2018

"When we got [Velasquez] out of the game, we had a little bit of a rough call on the Desmond foul tip. The catcher missed the ball because of the foul tip that wasn't called," Black said.

UP NEXT

Rockies righty Chad Bettis (4-1, 4.40 ERA) starts Friday's game, returning to his home state to face the Rangers with his parents in attendance. Lefty Yohander Mendez will be making his second appearance for Texas, with first pitch set for

6:05 p.m MT. Story, from nearby Irving, Texas, will have a large group of supporters in the stands.

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McMahon's game plan pays off with 1st homer By Thomas Harding MLB.com @harding_at_mlb Jun. 14th, 2018

PHILADELPHIA -- Rockies rookie Ryan McMahon took an early-season demotion to Triple-A Albuquerque as a reminder to stick to a plan -- one that came to fruition with his first Major League homer in the eighth inning of Thursday's 9-3 loss to the Phillies.

McMahon, 23, entered the year the club's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and made the team in amid much fanfare. He launched a Hector Neris 85.6 mph sinker a Statcast-estimated 410 feet with a 106 mph exit velocity over the center-field wall. McMahon didn't think it would go that far at first.

"I rounded first pretty hard, but it felt pretty good to see it go over the wall," said McMahon, who started at third base as manager Bud Black gave All-Star the day off. A 2013 second-round pick out of Mater Dei High School in

Santa Ana, Calif., McMahon blossomed last year by hitting .355 with 20 home runs and a .986 OPS combined at Double-

A Hartford and Albuquerque, before going 3-for-19 in brief Major League action. After making the Major League roster this year, McMahon went 9-for-50 before being sent back to Triple-A.

Throughout his career, even as an amateur, McMahon has always concentrated on driving balls in the air the opposite way when struggling -- all with the trust that his natural ability would produce straightaway and pull shots. McMahon felt he needed a coherent plan, as he is playing part-time with Ian Desmond making most of the starts at first base.

Since his return, McMahon has hit .231 with a triple, three doubles and a homer, and the plan is working. According to Statcast™, from May 26-30, four of his six hits went the opposite way, as did eight of his 14 batted balls. The other batted balls either barely reached the outfield or stayed in the infield. McMahon has a single and a triple to the pull side and Thursday's homer to center, plus nine of his 13 batted balls have been to center or the pull side, with a couple of deep outs to the pull side.

The Rockies envision McMahon being able to pull pitches into the seats, but they are working with him through a steady process.

"I'm still staying in the same way, just feeling my direction better," McMahon said. "You're starting to see more balls go to right field, center field and away when they're supposed to. I like the direction I'm heading."

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Ottavino back, ready to lock down late innings By Thomas Harding MLB.com @harding_at_mlb Jun. 14th, 2018

PHILADELPHIA -- The Rockies activated right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino from the disabled list before Thursday's 9-

3 loss to the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, and manager Bud Black said Ottavino would go right back into his late-game role.

Ottavino had a 0.95 ERA and 45 in 28 1/3 innings before going to the DL with a left oblique injury. His absence weakened the bullpen, and the team went 5-9 without him.

"We talked about that, and 'Otto' feels -- where he is physically and mentally -- that he wants to jump right back into the mix of pitching deep in the game," Black said. "He's ready for that. He doesn't necessarily want to ease back in."

This year represents a turnaround from 2017, when Ottavino -- previously one of the most effective late-game relievers -- went 2-3 with a 5.06 ERA and saw a disturbing rise in walks (39 in 53 1/3 innings). Black lauded Ottavino for his detailed offseason work.

"Physically, [Ottavino] made it a point of emphasis to get his body in the best shape possible," Black said. "The year before, it wasn't the case. It wasn't that he slacked, but this year he was adamant about being in the best physical shape.

"On the mechanics side, [Ottavino] went up to Driveline [performance facility] up in Seattle. He bought his own cameras.

He was really studious with what the Driveline people did and what he did on his own -- release point, spin rate, finger pressure. All these things that he wanted to identify to build his own personal library of information. When he started to get ready for Spring Training, he put these into motion."

The Rockies optioned lefty reliever Jerry Vasto, who appeared in one game and gave up three runs in 2/3 of an inning, to

Triple-A Albuquerque to clear a roster spot for Ottavino.

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Phillies dominate Rockies as Colorado’s bats are flat, pitching’s an issue once again German Marquez was outshined by a wide margin by Phillies starter Vince Velasquez, who carried a no-hitter into the seventh By KYLE NEWMAN | [email protected] | The Denver Post PUBLISHED: June 14, 2018 at 2:39 pm | UPDATED: June 14, 2018 at 4:15 pm

PHILADELPHIA — Searching for the series victory in Thursday’s matinee against the Phillies, Colorado came out vacuous, with the offense getting no-hit into the seventh and pitching an issue again in a 9-3 loss.

Rockies starter German Marquez was outshined by Phillies starter Vince Velasquez. But despite a few mistakes, Marquez kept the Rockies within striking distance.

Rhys Hoskins gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead with a to left in the first, and then fellow Nick Williams smoked a line-drive dinger to right in the second, making it 2-0.

It’s the latest issue with the long ball for Marquez, who has surrendered at least one home run in six of his last seven starts, including seven in his past three outings.

“We have to continue to stress with German that every pitch is important, whether it’s pitch one or pitch 110,” manager

Bud Black said. “Anybody’s capable of hitting a homer if the ball is elevated. It comes back to the mastery of keeping the ball down.”

Beyond the big swings, Marquez settled in through the third, fourth and fifth, allowing just one baserunner in that span.

The Phillies then tagged him for another run via a Williams RBI double in the sixth, making it 3-0.

“(Velasquez)’s fastball at the top of the zone gave us some trouble, and he mixed in a couple breaking balls, and as the game went on that seemed to get a little sharper,” Black said. “More than anything, the fastball had some life to it, and we chased at the top of the zone probably a little bit too much.”

The Rockies finally broke up the no-hitter, and chased Velasquez from the game in the seventh. First, Carlos Gonzalez drew a walk with one out, and then Trevor Story’s double brought him around. Gerardo Parra then singled off Phillies reliever Tommy Hunter to score Story, making it 3-2.

“We fought back — the kid had a no-hitter and then we broke through, so the game was right there in the balance,” Black said.

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But Marquez immediately found trouble upon retaking the mound. Catcher Andrew Knapp led off with an infield single, and then a single and a walk loaded the bases with no outs for Philadelphia, ending the right-hander’s day.

“That (walk) really hurt — I tried to give the team a chance to come back with us down one, and my goal was to have a shutdown inning,” Marquez said. “But I was unable to do it.”

And once the bullpen took over, Colorado unraveled. Again.

Jake McGee got an out but let all three of his inherited runs score before being spelled by Jeff Hoffman, against whom the

Phillies plated another run to extend their lead to 7-2.

Ryan McMahon, playing third base during Nolan Arenado’s day off, responded in the eighth with his first major-league homer, 410 feet to center, to cut the deficit to 7-3. But the Phillies feasted on Brooks Pounders in the bottom of the frame, adding two more runs.

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Journal: Gerardo Parra’s energy helps Rockies keep things in perspective amid recent swoon. His production hasn’t hurt either. Beyond his clubhouse influence, the 31-year-old outfielder has a .291 average, 21 RBIs and a .332 on-base percentage By KYLE NEWMAN | [email protected] | The Denver Post June 14, 2018 at 1:28 pm

PHILADELPHIA – Over the course of a grinding season — and through losing streaks, critical headlines and self-doubt which can often creep out of nowhere — every major league clubhouse needs a guy who shifts the collective mindset.

Who reminds everyone else of the joy rooted in the intensely difficult game that is their job.

Gerardo Parra, with his high-wattage smile, persistent hustle and a love for which he wears on his sleeve, does just that for the Rockies. And the veteran outfielder’s energy has become even more imperative amid Colorado’s slide from first to third in the .

“When things are tough, those are the guys who really help,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “They have everything in perspective — they provide that levity, keep it loose yet still stay focused and know what this is all about.”

Parra can be found during homestands zooming around the clubhouse on his electric scooter, blaring Latin music, slapping hands with teammates and coaches as he passes. And when there’s no scooter on the road, it’s the same energetic Parra, with the top of his black hair bleached blonde, a 31-year-old who is quick to get a game of cards going in the clubhouse and dole out celebratory shouts following victories.

“A lot of the guys in here are leaders, but they’re more on the quiet side because it’s just their personality,” rookie outfielder Noel Cuevas said. “Parra’s personality is more vocal, and we need that.”

Of course, as Black noted, the “double-blessing” for Colorado is that Parra isn’t merely a clubhouse leader. He’s producing on the field, too, to the tune of a .291 average, 21 RBIs, a .332 on-base percentage and a few timely home runs. The two-time Gold Glove winner also has five outfield assists, tied for third in the National League.

“I’m seeing the ball good at the plate, and the important thing is I’m just putting the ball in play and I’m not trying too much,” Parra said. “My goal is to make every at-bat a good at-bat, and then do everything I can in the field to help us win.”

And there’s no sign the journeyman, who has also played for the Diamondbacks (2009-14), Brewers (2014-15) and

Orioles (2015), will run out of energy — or laughs — anytime soon.

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“If I lose that, I wouldn’t want to play anymore,” Parra said. “Every day, I try to find the happiness in the game — I play hard and I play every inning of every game like it’s my first day in the big leagues.”

Footnote. As Trevor Story continued his offensive tear Wednesday night with a 3-for-5 showing to continue a torrid June in which he’s hitting .400 (18-for-45) with three homers and 10 RBIs, Black noted the shortstop’s work with Colorado hitting coaches Duane Espy and is paying dividends. “His swing can get a little big, a little hard and a little long at times,” Black said. “But he and (the hitting coaches) talked about controlling the effort of his swing — not over- swinging, not the big swing. ‘Controlling the effort’ has sort of been a catch phrase for those guys, and I think it really comes into play with two strikes.”

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For Rockies broadcaster Taylor McGregor, her late father figures into all aspects of her life Sunday marks the ninth Father’s Day that Taylor will be without her beloved dad By PATRICK SAUNDERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post June 15, 2018 at 6:00 am

Taylor McGregor sat down for brunch on the patio of a downtown Golden restaurant and began talking about her late father. Some of her memories were wistful, and in those moments, a hint of sadness crept into her voice.

But mostly, she reveled in the memories, and laughed her father’s laugh.

“Dad’s was really obnoxious and that’s something he gave to me,” she said. “You know, my dad was a big man — 6-8,

250 pounds. So when he started to laugh, everyone would stare. So, thanks a lot, Dad, I have that now, too.”

Taylor is in her first season as the Rockies’ sideline reporter for AT&T SportsNet. She’s returned home to Colorado to cover the team she loved as a kid; the team her dad helped build into National League champions in 2007.

Keli McGregor, president of the Rockies, died April 20, 2010 in his Salt Lake City hotel room. His death was attributed to a rare virus that infected his heart muscle. He was only 48, and the news shook the organization to its core.

“If you went around and asked anybody in this organization what kind of man you’d want to grow up to be, 99 percent would have said him,” Rockies icon Todd Helton said at the time. “He’s the type of guy we all strive to be.”

Sunday marks the ninth Father’s Day that Taylor will be without her beloved dad. She has no special plans, other than to take a sip from her Starbucks coffee and look up to the sky.

“Dad loved Starbucks, probably way too much,” Taylor said. “Everybody knows that my dad was a fitness nut, so if there was anything in his diet that wasn’t good for him, it was probably Starbucks. But no matter where my family is — and it seems like we are spread all over the place — somebody will snap a pic and send it along. ‘Hey, I had a Starbucks for dad today.’ ”

Taylor was a 17-year-old junior at Golden High School when her father died. The day after his death, she played in her team’s soccer game. Normally Taylor wore No. 8, but on that day, she taped an extra 8 to her jersey in honor of her father, who wore 88 when he was a two-time all-American football player at Colorado State. She and her teammates wore

Rockies purple ribbons in their hair and purple tape on their socks. Taylor scored the game’s first goal, and the moment the ball entered the net, she raised her hands to the sky and said, “That was for you, Dad.” 10

Lori McGregor, 55, was married to Keli for nearly 25 years. They were high school sweethearts at Lakewood High and best friends for life. While Taylor revels in looking at photos of her father, those same photos tend to make Lori sad. But she has four children who remind her of the life she built with her husband: Jordan (28), Taylor (25), Landri (22) and

Logan (20).

Lori, naturally, sees something of Keli in all of her kids. In Taylor?

“Her passion to give back,” Lori said without hesitation. “Everywhere she’s gone, she’s given her time to others. Keli and I always used to tell all of our kids, ‘To whom much is given, much is expected.’ ”

Learning the rules

The other golden rule in the McGregor household was to treat everyone with respect.

“My dad was a man who lived his life with integrity and loved all people,” Taylor said. “He was, absolutely, the person I knew, the person you knew, the person everybody down at knew. He tried to live that 100 percent of the time.

He treated everybody the same, it didn’t matter who you were.”

But Keli could also be a tough guy. When Taylor was in eighth grade, she broke a family rule during a sleepover with friends. She won’t say exactly what the incident was, but it was serious enough to invoke her dad’s wrath.

“He said, ‘You will never have a sleepover again.’ And I never did, expect for soccer tournaments,” Taylor said. “If my dad made a rule and you broke it, you had to deal with the consequence and you learned your lesson.”

Taylor isn’t quite sure what her dad would think of her being part of the media, but she knows he’d be proud that she’s pursuing her career with passion.

After graduating from the University of Arkansas, where her father was an associate athletic director for four years, Taylor packed her bags and her degree in broadcast journalism for Casper, where she accepted her first professional job as a sports reporter and weekend anchor at KCWY News13.

The life lessons she learned from her parents stuck with Taylor as she began her post-college life.

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“Taylor started reaching out to the community right away, volunteering at the local hospital,” Lori recalled. “That was something she did naturally, but it would have made her dad proud.”

Taylor began at the Wyoming Medical Center as something of a gofer, but her speaking skills, passion and poise landed her positions on several boards and she began making speaking appearances around Casper. After a 20-month stint in

Wyoming, Taylor returned to Arkansas and became a sports anchor at TVH-11 in Little Rock. But Colorado, and the memories of her family’s time with the Rockies, kept calling her home.

“I was 14 when Rocktober happened, and I think everybody who lived through that 2007 playoff run remembers it as some of the happiest times of their lives,” Taylor said. “I think what made it so special was that my dad and (owners) Dick and Charlie (Monfort) made sure everyone joined in the celebration.

“When the Rockies won the pennant, everyone was in the clubhouse — I mean everyone. All the front-office people, all the kids. I was like, ‘Am I even allowed in here?’ But there I was.”

Keeping the faith

In the lean years leading up to the Rocktober miracle, Keli McGregor never lost faith. He had champagne bottles placed on everyone’s desk, anticipating the day they would be uncorked in celebration.

“That was my dad, the dreamer,” Taylor said. “I think I’m like that, too. I hope so. He would have a dream and a vision for something and be able to figure how it was all going to come together. He was never too scared to dream big. I know that sounds like a cliché, but it’s so true.”

Her father’s brick-and-mortar legacy is Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the Rockies’ 85,000-square-foot facility in

Scottsdale, Ariz. Keli was instrumental in conceiving the complex and getting it off the drawing board, but he died before

Salt River opened for spring training 2011. Today, players work out in the Keli S. McGregor Fitness Center.

“That was his baby,” Taylor recalled. “I remember driving up from Tucson to Scottsdale when they were just starting to move dirt. My dad was saying, ‘This is where this is going to be, this is where that is going to be.’ He was so happy.

“The Sunday before he passed away, we were driving to Hobby Lobby because he was helping me with a high school science project. That was one of the last conversations I remember having with him. It was about the new spring training 12

facility and he was so excited about it; about how great it was going to be for the young players. He said it was going to be the nicest complex in baseball. He was right.”

But as much as Taylor loves her father, there is downside to his legacy.

“My mom says I am never going to get married because my standards are just too high, because of my dad,” she said, her laugh beginning to bubble over. “Listen, I’m 5-foot-10 — 6-foot-1 in heels. I love being tall, but it’s tough, because I don’t want want to date someone who is shorter than me. I’m sorry, but it’s true. So that eliminates a lot of guys!

“I have this ideal man. He should be 6-foot-8, have high Christian values and live them every day like my dad did.

Sometimes, I think that man is non-existent. So basically, I’m going to be single forever!”

With that, Taylor laughed her dad’s laugh, several restaurant patrons stared, and somewhere up above, her dad was smiling.

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Velasquez takes no-hitter into 7th, Phils beat Rockies 9-3 Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA -- When Vince Velasquez is calm and composed, he's tough to beat.

Velasquez took a no-hitter two outs into the seventh inning, Rhys Hoskins and Nick Williams hit solo homers, and the beat the 9-3 Thursday.

Trevor Story lined Velasquez's 105th pitch -- a curve -- to left for an RBI double, ending Velasquez's bid for the fourth no- hitter in the majors this season.

"That was as confident as I've ever seen him," manager said. "His demeanor was calm and relaxed."

Velasquez (5-7) got a standing ovation as he walked off the mound after the hit. The hard-throwing righty looked nothing like the who allowed 10 runs against the Brewers last Friday. He dominated the Rockies, giving up one hit and two runs with six strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

"I was comfortable all the way through," he said. "I just wanted to have a solid bounce-back."

Velasquez retired 20 of the first 21 batters. He walked Gerardo Parra in the second and picked him off. Velasquez walked Carlos Gonzalezbefore Story's double. Tommy Hunter entered and allowed an RBI single to Parra to cut

Philadelphia's lead to one run before getting the final out of the inning.

"That can be him every time out. He has that stuff," Hoskins said of Velasquez.

The Phillies won a series for the first time since taking two of three from Atlanta on May 21-23. They're 7-12 since.

Colorado has lost 10 of 13.

Rockies starter German Marquez (4-7) gave up six runs and seven hits in six-plus innings. Rockies manager Bud Black finally pulled Marquez with the bases loaded after 112 pitches.

"It's a shame that Marquez got tagged with as many runs that he did," Black said. "He threw the ball pretty well."

Hoskins drove a first-pitch fastball into the left-field seats to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the first. It was his eighth homer and second since returning last Saturday from a fractured jaw.

Williams lined his eighth homer out to right in the second for a 2-0 lead. He hit an opposite-field RBI double to left on an 0-

2 pitch in the sixth to make it 3-0. 14

After the Rockies cut it to 3-2, the Phillies broke open the game with four runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Hoskins had an RBI double and Odubel Herrera and Carlos Santanafollowed with run-scoring singles. Hoskins added an

RBI single in the eighth, finishing a triple shy of the cycle.

ROOKIE GOES DEEP

Colorado's Ryan McMahon hit his first major league home run in the eighth off reliever Hector Neris.

STORY'S STREAKING

Story drove in his 50th run in his 68th game. He leads the NL in RBI. Since June 1, Story is batting .388 (19-49) with seven doubles, three homers and 11 RBI.

HONORING THOME

Jim Thome, who will enter the Hall of Fame in July, was honored before the game on the 14th anniversary of hitting his

400th homer in the first season of Citizens Bank Park.

OWNING THE SERIES

The Phillies are 44-25 against the Rockies since 2008.

HIT PARADE

The Phillies had 13 hits, most since 13 on April 13 at Tampa Bay. Five players had multi-hit games.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rockies: Reliever Adam Ottavino (oblique) was activated from the 10-day disabled list. Lefty Jerry Vasto was optioned to

Triple-A Albuquerque.

Phillies: Reliever Pat Neshek (shoulder, forearm) and righty (numbness in fingers) were scheduled to throw bullpen sessions.

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UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP Chad Bettis (4-1, 4.40 ERA) takes the mound in the opener of a three-game interleague series at Texas.

LHP Yohander Mendez starts for the Rangers.

Phillies: RHP Jake Arrieta (5-4, 2.97 ERA) makes his second start against the Brewers in six days. Arrieta allowed five runs -- four earned -- in 5 1/3 innings in a 12-3 loss last Saturday.

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MLB dads Jeff Trout, Mike Bryant, Manny Upton and more on when they knew their sons would be stars Robert Sanchez and Anna Katherine Clemmons

Fathers of five MLB All-Stars -- Mike Trout, Kris Bryant, Max Scherzer, Nolan Arenado and -- reveal the moments they realized their sons had what it takes to make it as pro ballplayers.

Jeff Trout, father of Mike: When Mike was 7 years old, he was playing tee ball. The kids all run toward the ball at that age. It's a mess. Mike was playing shortstop, and a big kid came to the plate. The kid hit a sharp line drive like you'd see hit off of a tee, and Mike moved two or three steps to his left and dove for it. He was actually parallel to the ground as he caught the ball. It was the kind of play that Andrelton Simmons, the shortstop for the Angels, would make now. I looked at my wife, and she said, "Did anyone get that on video?" Nobody did, but after the game, I just told Mike, "Hey, nice catch, pal." It was incredible, but I didn't make a big deal out of it.

I'd been around enough players and kids and sports in my day to know that even at that age, Mike was a cut above his peers athletically. He was a little faster, a little more agile, had better hand-eye coordination and great instincts. But I also knew that there's already so much built-in pressure to the game itself. You don't need parents basing their day on how well their kid played in Little League.

Mike was dunking a basketball when he was 5-foot-9 in ninth grade. At such an early age, he was doing things athletically that kind of made me think, "He may be a special kind of kid."

Even though Mike was talented, he was exposed to all types of things and never pigeon-holed growing up, and I think it has made him a better person and a better player. He's the youngest of our three kids. My daughter is a Realtor. My other son is an attorney and owns his own consulting business. Mike is the baby. Three successful kids in their own right.

I was not one of these parents who said, "Hey, keep working on going to the big leagues." It was always about college and education -- that was our focus. I think that took a lot of pressure off of Mike. My wife and I just wanted him to play and enjoy the game. And then we thought that maybe one day, it will help pay for a college education. We're both teachers, so we focused on that.

Our mentality was, let's go fishing or go get an ice cream after the game. People are so astonished by that because you see how talented and refined Mike is as an athlete, and you'd think he spent 90 percent of his days playing baseball. But not even close. He played all sports, he did art classes, he golfed, he hunted. Too many parents these days push, push, push their kids into sports.

We gave him the opportunities and tools to be the best that he could as an athlete, as a player. Any time he wanted to hit or play catch, I did it. But I didn't go to him. I didn't wake him up to go hit. And if he wanted to go fishing that day instead, we went fishing. -- As told to Anna Katherine Clemmons

Mike Bryant, father of third baseman Kris: When Kris was 5 years old, he wanted to hit after one of my older boy's practices. We were playing -pitch. So I took all the younger siblings onto the field so I could throw some pitches to them. 17

Everybody is doing their thing -- not squaring up, hitting weak ground balls. Then Kris comes up. He's like 45 pounds. He's got this huge, 31-ounce bat in his hands. The first pitch I throw to him, boom! He launches it 140 feet into the outfield. He just drops the bat head behind him and, instead of chopping down, he elevates it. I look back to see where the ball landed and think: Holy Christ, my kid can hit.

Then he rips a half-dozen more high fly balls into the outfield. They look like major league popups. By the time he's 7, he's launching balls into the outfield during games. By 8, he's knocking them over the fence.

At 12, he hit 23 home runs in 67 at-bats. He had 20 walks. At this point, I could tell he was pretty good. I told him, "Don't tell anybody. I won't either. Just keep doing this." So then Kris started dreaming about what could happen. My son became good enough to dream. -- As told to Robert Sanchez

Brad Scherzer, father of pitcher Max: When he was little, Max said, "I want to be a player." But at one point he also wanted to be a firefighter or a police officer. In high school, he never was about being a pro ballplayer. There was never that one instant when I knew this would work out for him. Baseball is full of potholes. Some bad things can happen. I always preached to him about taking things one step at a time.

Sure, I saw something in Max's eyes -- his enthusiasm for sports, especially baseball. When he was 2, I'd come home from work and find him already downstairs in the basement, waiting for me so we could play.

Max was the cliché. From an early age, he was coachable. He was curious. He liked to learn. You could offer a suggestion, and you could see him thinking, 'Gee whiz, that's a good formula.' Back in the Little League days, you'd see those parents who were overinflated with their kids' accomplishments. They had short-term goals. I'd point that out to Max. I'd say, "These parents are so worried about how their kid is going to do in sixth grade and how they're going to fit in high school." Max saw it too. They had the wrong priorities.

Succeeding at this sport is so much about the right spot and the right training, and Max understood that. You have to say, "What are the steps I need to follow? What kind of training? What do I need to learn?" Max never worried about an entire season. He was concerned with the game right in front of him.

Even when he'd have success, I never got ahead of myself. Neither did Max. He was always looking at the next step. I'm sure there eventually was a realistic goal about becoming a major league baseball player, but that was never a discussion we had back then. He knew getting there meant going through innumerable steps first. Have lofty goals but be realistic about the steps it will take to achieve them. You don't go from sixth-grade star directly to the majors.

Max had a sore shoulder at one point during his junior year of high school. I was never worried because he had a strong academic background too. When he was growing up, we told him that school helps sports and sports helps school. Even after the St. Louis Cardinals drafted him out of high school, Max was set on going to college. He needed an education first. Even back then, he was creating a life

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where baseball would be one of his alternatives, not his only alternative. That took a lot of pressure off of him. -- Sanchez

Fernando Arenado, father of Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan: I knew Nolan had it his junior year of high school. His team won a [state] championship. His travel team was playing all over California. He got to go to the Area Code Games. He got to go to Georgia and to , and his team won a big wood-bat tournament. You could see everything coming together.

People thought he was chubby back then, so he wanted show he was prepared to play at a high level. He showed he could compete every day. He could hit and throw, but it was his hitting that got attention. He was finally getting noticed. Good things were happening. His mom and I started hearing rumors that Nolan could get drafted. It was humbling and exciting, but Nolan realized he couldn't get ahead of himself. He never did.

That whole year, he kept showing up and proving he could play against anyone. He was never overwhelmed. The added pressure of having people watching him was no problem. I knew he had certain skills that other kids didn't have, even if they might have been getting more attention. He didn't brag about it. But I knew in my heart that Nolan had something special. -- Sanchez

Manny Upton, father of Angels Justin:

I saw it in Justin when he was 14. He had just finished his freshman year in high school. We were heading out to Long Beach, California, for the Area Code Games with Justin's brother, B.J., who had been drafted [No. 2 overall by the ]. I was scouting with the , so I asked the White Sox guys if they could let Justin play for their team, maybe give him a little time. [Teams are named for major league franchises, with each representing an area of the country.] Traditionally, the players in the Area Code Games are the ones who will get drafted the following year. But the White Sox team put Justin at shortstop. He was 14, playing short with that kind of talent around him.

Justin wasn't intimidated at all. He was holding his own. He would take whatever opportunity he was given; he just loved to play. You have to remember that he'd already been working out with his brother and David Wright for several years. He tagged along with them back home in Virginia. Ever since Justin was in the seventh grade, he'd been hitting with them every morning before school. He'd seen those guys come through -- along with Mike Cuddyer -- so Justin had maturity most kids his age didn't have. He wasn't overwhelmed when he got to the Area Codes because he was already practicing at a high level.

He ended up playing with two teams. The Area Code team from Virginia hadn't invited Justin to its tryout earlier because he was just 14. The Red Sox were running that team, and I guess the guy saw Justin and said he should be playing for them. To keep everyone happy, Justin played on both teams. He was playing two games a day. By the end of the week, he was worn out.

I never wanted to put pressure on either of my boys to play pro ball. I didn't put my scouting hat on with them. I had my dad hat on. So when we were in California, I told Justin, "Just go out and play and have fun." 19

I know quite a few guys who were either scouting directors or assistant directors. Duane Shaffer was the scouting director for the White Sox, and Danny Montgomery of the Colorado Rockies was also there. I knew both of them well, so I told them they needed to be honest with me: Did they see something with Justin? I'll never forget their responses. They both said that Justin had a legitimate chance at making it. They said he was one of the best players there, and I was like, "OK. Here I am, and my scouting buddies are saying Justin could get drafted."

I was just as excited with Justin as I was when I heard that about B.J. [who now goes by his given name, Melvin]. I can tell you, it doesn't get old. Very few kids get drafted, and here I had the No. 2 pick in 2002 and then the No. 1 in 2005 [when Justin was drafted by the ]. That's a blessing. How can you not get excited about that? -- Sanchez

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Rockies Unarmed (of late) But Dangerous TRACY RINGOLSBY - JUNE 14, 2018 | InsideTheSeams.com

The Rockies went into Thursday's series finale at Philadelphia having won only three of 12 games in the last two weeks. They have fallen from first to third in the NL West standings. And in the midst of the 12-game slide they have lost seven in a row at Coors Field.

Hidden among the disappointments, however, is a promising sign.

An offense that was doormant for two months is alive and well, waiting for the pitching staff that was a key to the

Rockies decent beginning to the season to regroup. In the last two weeks, the Rockies lead the NL with a .284 batting average, rank third in runs scored, and fourth in both on-base and slugging percentages.

LIFE WITH THE LUMBER

Team G R RBI BB AVG OBP SLG

Colorado Rockies 12 68 66 31 0.284 0.338 0.438

Cincinnati Reds 12 63 60 54 0.28 0.364 0.425

Los Angeles Dodgers 13 96 88 55 0.278 0.354 0.566

Arizona Diamondbacks 13 90 82 53 0.278 0.359 0.509

San Francisco Giants 13 62 58 36 0.273 0.336 0.44

San Diego Padres 14 60 58 45 0.254 0.321 0.4

St. Louis Cardinals 14 56 54 32 0.253 0.305 0.394

Milwaukee Brewers 12 49 48 35 0.249 0.316 0.412

Atlanta Braves 13 55 54 28 0.243 0.295 0.419

Chicago Cubs 14 47 46 51 0.242 0.314 0.329

Pittsburgh Pirates 14 60 59 47 0.24 0.32 0.38

Miami Marlins 14 52 47 46 0.235 0.308 0.371

Washington Nationals 12 43 40 30 0.207 0.27 0.315

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Team G R RBI BB AVG OBP SLG

Philadelphia Phillies 13 37 37 41 0.191 0.269 0.297

New York Mets 12 19 19 40 0.148 0.235 0.252

As a team, the Rockies have increased their offensive effort across the board in the last two weeks, averaging more than an extra run per game, hitting 46 points higher and with a slugging percentage that is up 36 points.

OFFENSIVE BREAKDOWN

Team G R RBI BB AVG OBP SLG

Since May 30 12 68 66 31 0.284 0.338 0.438

Before May 30 55 231 221 185 0.238 0.311 0.402

Season 67 299 287 216 0.247 0.316 0.409

And it has been a team effort to recharge the offense. Ian Desmond, who went into Thursday's game tied with

Nolan Arenado for third on the team in home runs, has shown strides along with most of the other Rockies hitters. In fact, other than Nolan Aenado, every Rockies regular has improved his average since May 30.

IN THE SWING OF THINGS

Since May 30 Before May 30

Player AVG OBP SLG AVG OBP SLG

Tom Murphy 0.5 0.5 0.625 DNP

Trevor Story 0.396 0.434 0.708 0.24 0.323 0.485

Gerardo Parra 0.341 0.372 0.366 0.278 0.278 0.386

Charlie Blackmon 0.339 0.362 0.5 0.273 0.368 0.51

Carlos Gonzalez 0.308 0.357 0.513 0.256 0.301 0.416

DJ LeMahieu 0.288 0.291 0.404 0.279 0.35 0.457

Chris Iannetta 0.263 0.391 0.526 0.231 0.329 0.388

Nolan Arenado 0.245 0.333 0.388 0.321 0.417 0.571

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Since May 30 Before May 30

Ian Desmond 0.237 0.37 0.474 0.189 0.243 0.384

Noel Cuevas 0.235 0.235 0.294 0.3 0.417 0.383

Ryan McMahon 0.158 0.15 0.316 0.209 0.312 0.254

Tony Wolters 0.158 0.273 0.211 0.162 0.292 0.243

The pitching staff is a different story. The arms may have kept the Rockies afloat early, but not lately. The bullpen, in particular, has been a problem in the last two weeks. With the return of Adam Ottavino to the active roster for Thursday's game in Philadelphia, the Rockies are hoping they bring some stability back to the late innings.

UNARMED AND DANGEROUS

Team W L Saves ERA

Since May 30 3 9 2-6 6.93

Before May 30 30 25 19-28 4.35

Season 33 34 21-34 4.83

Rotation W L Saves ERA

Since May 30 3 3 DNA 6.17

Before May 30 21 18 DNA 4.26

Season 24 21 DNA 4.6

Bullpen W L Saves ERA

Since May 30 0 6 2-6 8.06

Before May 30 9 7 19-28 4.51

Season 9 13 21-34 5.21

The rotation has had its problems, but the real concern is the bullpen that sorely missed Ottavino in the last two weeks. Ottavino's last appearance was May 27, before the fast fade began. And what did he mean to the team?

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Well, he was 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA, and he simply overpowered hitters, giving Ottavino and the Rockies that mental edge in the late innings. Consider that he had 45 strikeouts among the 75 outs that he registerED.

IS THERE RELIEF IN SIGHT?

Since May 30 Before May 30

Player W L IP ERA W L IP ERA

Tyler Anderson 1 0 19 3.79 3 1 55.1 4.72

Jon Gray 1 1 14.1 6.91 5 6 61.2 5.4

Kyle Freeland 1 1 12.2 4.97 5 5 65.2 3.43

German Marquez 0 1 10 8.1 4 5 57.2 4.21

Chad Bettis 0 0 9.2 9.31 4 1 66 3.68

Harrison Musgrave 0 1 9 5 0 0 9 1

Chris Rusin 0 1 7.2 8.22 0 1 21 7.29

Scott Oberg 0 0 6 0 1 0 11.2 6.17

Bryan Shaw 0 2 5.2 12.71 2 3 27.1 5.93

Jake McGee 0 0 5 1.8 1 2 19 5.21

Wade Davis 0 1 3.1 10.8 0 0 23 2.35

Jeff Hoffman 0 0 2.2 3.38 DNA

Brooks Pounders 0 1 2.1 19.29 0 0 10.1 4.35

Mike Dunn 0 0 1.1 40.5 0 0 14.2 6.14

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Rockies rocked in rubber match By Drew Creasman - Posted on June 14, 2018 | BSN Denver

The Colorado Rockies ran into a buzzsaw pitching performance and continued to experience major bullpen issues— despite getting a key piece back—en route to a 9-3 loss in the rubber match against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Rhys Hoskins jumped on a Marquez fastball in the first to get what felt for a while like it would be the only runs the Phillies would need in the contest. Though, they added another early run on a Nick Williams solo home run before Marquez settled in for the next several innings.

The Rockies couldn’t get anything going against Vince Velasquez who had allowed just one walk of Gerardo Parra, faced the minimum and carried a no-hitter into the seventh.

But Carlos Gonzalez drew a two-out walk in the frame and Trevor Story, the Rockies hottest hitter, finally broke through and broke up the no-hitter and the shutout by ripping a double down the left-field line, scoring CarGo all the way from first.

That gave Story his 50th RBI on the season which leads the National League.

Gerardo Parra followed with am RBI single to plate Story, suddenly pulling the game to within a run. With a chance to tie it, the inning ending in controversial fashion as Ian Desmond was called out on strikes. Desmond and manager Bud Black argued vociferously and replay appeared to show that he had indeed tipped the baseball rather than just swung and missed, but the play is not reviewable so Colorado had to settle for two.

The tightness of the game was incredibly short-lived, though. Despite getting Adam Ottavino back before the game, Black was still showing hesitation to go to the bullpen, handing Marquez the ball for the seventh. Even after he gave up a pair of weak singles, Black stuck with him following a mound visit, but once Marquez walked the third batter of the frame to load the bases with nobody out, it was time to go to the bullpen.

Jake McGee got a pop out in his first showdown, meaning he was one ground ball away from working out of the situation with no harm done. But Hoskins (after another strange potentially foul-tipped play) lined a double over the head of Parra in left (who misjudged how hard the ball was hit) to plate another run and spark a rally that would see the

Phillies score four runs in the inning. Odubel Herrera and Carlos Santana contributed with singles before Jeff Hoffman was finally able to put the inning away.

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There was a nice sign late for the Rockies as rookie Ryan McMahon finally hit the first home run of his MLB career in the top of the eighth. It was a towering shot to center against a curveball out away from him.

For someone who has shown prodigious pop at times in the minors, and a tendency to get hot, this could be the start of something big for the young man.

Brooks Pounders was tagged for another pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth to give the Phillies a 9-3 lead and that would be the final.

WHAT’S NEXT:

The Rockies head down to Texas, where everything is bigger, to face the Rangers for a three-game set. The first game features Chad Bettis vs. Yohander Mendez. First pitch at 6:05 Mountain Time.

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Colorado Rockies: Finding the one positive out of all of the negatives by Aaron Hurt1 day ago | RoxPile

Leave it up to the guy who has been frustrated with the play and pointing out the negatives since spring training to find a positive about the Colorado Rockies‘ recent slump.

For the first two and half months of the season, I have written numerous articles pointing out the little things that have driven me crazy and have held back this baseball team from taking control of the NL West. Now that they are playing horrid baseball and slowly slipping out of contention, the cynic in me would love to pile on and continue to bash this team into submission.

The problem is I’m still a fan and it is much more enjoyable for me to be negative when things are going well than kicking them while they are down. So I guess, for the sake of my sanity, I have to flip-flop and find a positive in this rough patch.

So without further ado, here is the one positive to take away after the Rockies have lost five of six and 14 of the last 22 games: The 2017 Colorado Rockies went through almost the exact same bad stretch, yet somehow, still found a way to make the playoffs. A little less than a year ago today, from June 21 to June 28, the Rockies lost eight straight games to begin what would be a 5-15 stretch. Much like this year, that team also couldn’t click on all cylinders on any given day.

When they were hitting, they couldn’t pitch and vice versa. Sound familiar?

Before that losing streak, the Rockies were a half game behind the Dodgers for the division lead. Once they finally snapped out of their skid, they were looking up in third place and 9.5 games back in the West but still holding a Wild Card spot. Before this downfall, the Rockies were leading the West but now are in the middle of a tight pack four games out.

The 2017 Rockies did have two key advantages that this year’s team didn’t: They were 21 games over .500 and the Wild

Card was still in their control before their tailspin.

This year, the Rockies have a different advantage … the West is still wide open. Much like the Rockies, the other three teams fighting for the title all have serious flaws. It will be the team that is able to address those flaws that will come out on top.

Enough is enough. It is time for the Rockies to break out of this nasty slump so I can return to my comfort zone of negativity. Being the voice of optimism is not a good look for me and Wednesday’s 7-2 victory was a start in the right direction. 27

Rockies can’t hit, pitching falls apart in 9-3 loss to Phillies By Rich Kurtzman - June 14, 2018 | Mile High Sports

One of the best road teams in the MLB, the Rockies, just lost a series to the Philadelphia Phillies, who hadn’t won a series since May 23.

In Thursday’s day game, Phillies’ pitcher Vince Velasquez no-hit the Rockies through 6.2 innings, being pulled with the home team ahead 3-0, and despite Colorado’s late scores, Philadelphia put six on the board themselves, late, to win 9-3.

Rockies’ starting pitcher German Marquez pitched well himself, although he gave up a solo home run to Rhys Hoskins on the first pitch of the game, and then a second solo homer in the second inning to Nick Williams to trail 2-0 early. Marquez was solid until the seventh inning, loading the bases and being pulled.

That seventh was simultaneously disastrous for Colorado and massive for the Phillies; after the Rockies scored two in the top of the inning to make the game 3-2 Philadelphia, the home team scored four runs the bottom of that inning to give themselves a comfortable cushion.

Colorado scored one in the eighth, but Philly put two more on the board in the bottom of that frame, simply dominating the

Rockies late.

For Marquez — who went 6.0 IP, giving up 7 hits, six earned runs, with eight strikeouts — his home run issues continue.

He’s now given up seven bombs in his last three starts.

The Rockies offense plummeted back to anemic levels Wednesday, earning a mere three hits on the day. Nolan Arenado was clearly missed at the plate as the rest of the team couldn’t pull it together or string hits together to manufacture runs.

Colorado has now fallen to 33-35, 4.5 games back of the Diamondbacks of Arizona in the NL West. The Rockies continue this road trip on Friday against the AL West basement-dwelling , with that game’s first pitch coming at 6:05 p.m. MT.

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Frei: Hey, baseball snobs. There’s nothing wrong with making Coors Field an amusement park By Terry Frei - June 14, 2018 | Mile High Sports

The Rockies’ home attendance of 1,061,340 ranked ninth in Major League Baseball going into Wednesday night’s games.

Their average of 35,378 was seventh, behind only the Dodgers, Cardinals, Yankees, Angels, Cubs and Giants.

Those are pretty impressive numbers.

Any way you slice, dice and analyze them.

This is not creating a false straw-man argument, then knocking it down.

This truly involves a popular narrative.

I don’t get those who want to belittle the significance of the Lodo box-office traffic because, presumably, many of those fans came to Coors Field to … get this … imagine the temerity … HAVE FUN!

Can you believe it? They want to turn a night at the ballpark into an enjoyable outing.

They aren’t real baseball fans.

Of course, this happens nowhere else. (Sarcasm alert.)

Want to buy into that narrative?

OK, then say that in every other major league park, in those ahead of and behind the Rockies in attendance, most of the fans:

— Are anchored to their seats, riveted. If they go to the restroom, it’s a sprint up the aisle after the third out of a half-inning and a return before the catcher makes the throw down to second.

— Are keeping score in a treasured and well-worn Scoremaster because those sparse grid pages in the middle of the program don’t cut it.

— Can spit out the next hitter’s batting average, home runs and RBIs before the scoreboard flashes them. And that’s the visiting left-fielder. 29

— At least once an inning, holler, “Little bingle.”

— Belittle the modern players’ tendency to wear their pants like slacks.

— Announce that every base hit results from a pitch “up in the zone” … even if it bounced six inches in front of the plate.

— Wouldn’t dream of leaving a game before the final pitch, which means three hours, 48 minutes and 27 seconds … at the minimum.

— Allow themselves one beer, at the most, and none of that microbrew crap.

— Not only immerse themselves in WAR, RISP, OPS and WHIP, they spend time at work trying to come up with another new stat.

And …

Of course, that’s ridiculous.

Although the purists, in many cases those who over-intellectualize a scratch-and-spit sport, and turn it into metaphor or a computer program rather than a game, hate this, the fact is the fan experience is pretty much universal and similar.

Yes, I say that after being to games in most MLB markets over the years and claiming to be a lifelong fan of the game.

You still count in the box-office tally if you don’t spend the night fixating on arm slotting, pitch counts, command, pounding the strike zone, differentiating between the two-seam and four-seam fastball, and proving that you have the entire roster and even birthdates memorized.

You count if you’re there to have a good time.

You can love the baseball experience without being a baseball nut, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

It has been the foundation of the sport’s enduring popularity.

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In Denver, a lot of us go to Rockies games — whether once or 75 times a season — because, simply, we want to and if it’s a last-second decision, we know that the nice fellow on Blake Street with the sign saying “I Need Tickets” also has a few available for purchase.

We want to go to the park, still a gem after 23 years.

Some of us pick our spots to coincide with the nights on which the teams of our youth are in town.

We want to be with friends or family for a major-league baseball game, whether that’s part of a weekend junket down from

Cheyenne or a short drive from Arvada.

We know baseball. We love baseball.

Stop the snobbery. The Rockies draw well, Denver is a major-league town and the attendance figures don’t come with asterisks.

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Why do the Rangers keep drafting ? Irving's Trevor Story will offer some clues this weekend By Gerry Fraley, Staff Writer | SportsDay – Dallas News

ARLINGTON -- The Rangers selected three high school shortstops in this month's amateur draft. In the last two years, they have taken three high school shortstops among their first five picks.

Why not?

The next Trevor Story could be out there.

The Rangers' lamentable 2011 draft includes passing on Story. Colorado selected Story out of Irving High School with the

45th overall pick, and he has grown into one of the top 10 shortstops in the majors.

"Talented,'' Rockies manager Bud Black said of Story during spring training. "There's a lot to like. But he's still growing as a player, and there are things he will continue to improve on."

Story will play at his hometown park for the first time this weekend, when the Rangers face Colorado in a three-game series at Globe Life Park. The Rockies visited in 2016 when Story was a rookie, but he did not play because of a season- ending thumb injury.

Story enters this homecoming on a hot streak, with multiple hits in five of his last six games. Story leads National League shortstops in homers (14) and RBIs (50).

"It really is exciting,'' said Story, 25. "In '16, I knew we had the Rangers on the schedule. I had it circled on the calendar. I was looking forward to it big time."

Trevor and older brother Tyler Story, who played at Texas-Tyler, grew up avid Rangers fans. They both wanted uniform

No. 10 in honor of their favorite player: .

"I liked a lot about him,'' Trevor Story said of Young. "He was so consistent, always a gamer.

"It was cool [in 2016] to be in the clubhouse and all of that. It will be more special this time to be involved in the action."

Each of Story's major league seasons has been different.

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He took the majors by storm in 2016, hitting seven homers in his first seven major league games. Story had 21 homers at the All-Star break, matching David Kingman (1972) and Albert Pujols (2001) for most by a National League rookie in the first half. Story's season ended on July 30 because of the injured thumb.

The league fought back in 2017, using more off-speed and breaking pitches. Story dropped from 27 homers to 24 and from a .567 slugging percentage to .467. He led the NL in strikeouts with 191.

One part of Story's game remained steady. He never took his offensive troubles into the field and played superb shortstop. Story excels at one specific play: reaching a grounder up the middle and making a spinning throw to first for the out.

"There should be pride for me and for us around him that he handled his struggles like a professional,'' Colorado general manager Jeff Bridich told The Denver Post. "And that the other parts of his job that area very important, especially at a very important defensive position, did not suffer."

Story returned to Texas for an offseason of strenuous workouts. He wanted to clear his mind of 2017 and get a running start on this season.

The here-we-go-again thought started early. In the first nine games, Story hit only .176 with .646 OPS.

Story did not panic, and his game began to come around. Since the slow start, he is hitting .284 with 12 homers and 46

RBIs. He has a .355 on-base percentage and a .554 slugging percentage in that span.

"Between the mental side and the physical side, I feel good," Story said. "I put a lot of work in over the winter. It's not going to be there every night, but as long as I'm having good at-bats I'll be all right."

When in doubt, always draft a shortstop.

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