What do we do now?
Somehow, some way, we’ve got to move forward and continue to talk about baseball.
The MLB lockout could last a while, it could also be over any moment if the owners just decided to accept the more-than-reasonable final offer from the players.
Since we don’t know which one of these will happen, we’ve got to trudge forward and find ways to celebrate the game we love and discuss the hometown team.
So, for the foreseeable future, we will go ahead here at Mile High Sports and keep diving into the Rockies roster as it is and keep setting up a season we hope will arrive.
But we also have a chance now to take a look at a few more wide-scope topics and go into the Colorado baseball history book to recall some favorite and forgotten moments of the past.
It won’t be the kind of coverage any of us were hoping for, and we all want actual box scores and game analysis as soon as is fair and possible. But one of the beautiful things about the game is that there is no shortage of incredible stories to be found.
Before we get into those stories, though, let’s rub a little salt in the wound and think about the new tales we should be telling right now which we can hopefully resume in progress.
On this current Colorado club, despite a lack of top-end talent, almost every single ballplayer brings a book full of intrigue.
German Marquez has been on the edge of elite for years. He took another big step forward in 2021, making his first All-Star appearance, but has yet to put it all together for an entire season, leaving wide open once again the window of superstardom.
Denver baseball fans will never tire of watching him and Kyle Freeland climb the Rox greatest pitchers of all time list as the southpaw’s production and competitiveness makes his every appearance a must-watch event.
Antonio Senzatela has quietly emerged as one of the most reliable pitchers in Coors Field history and he is still just now entering into what ought to be his prime.
After an inauspicious debut surrounding a tornado of terrible press surrounding the trade that brought Austin Gomber to Colorado, and sent Nolan Arenado away, the rookie lefty somehow rose to the occasion and became one of the most efficient pitchers in baseball for a two month period. Injuries robbed him of impressing much further, leaving more intrigue with him than maybe any other player on the roster.
The story of who will take over in the fifth spot with Jon Gray is another fascinating one that we are missing out on. Rookies Ryan Rolison and Peter Lambert ought to be gearing up right now to prove themselves to their teammates, coaches, and the world.
Speaking of proving themselves to the world, Ryan McMahon and Brendan Rodgers have long shown the ability and potential to be great and we should be watching them work every day to make that a reality.
Charlie Blackmon should be settling even deeper into his natural role as the leader of this team, discussing in a way that only he can the state of the club and his transition into the latter parts of his career.
We should be wondering if C.J. Cron can follow up his career year with even more fireworks, proving that he has finally found his perfect home.
We should be watching the most promising tandem of catchers the Rockies have maybe ever had, Elias Diaz and Dom Nunez. It’s a low bar to clear but one they have shown they can clear if they take just a few steps forward.
We should be deciding whether or not to ride the hype train for Ryan Vilade, Colton Welker, or Elehuris Montero.
Is it possible that Daniel Bard rebounds and once again becomes one of the most feel-good players in MLB? Or could a younger player like Robert Stephenson emerge as the new closer for the club?
We should be talking about free agents and trade partners and potential windows and the next wave of prospects.
There are literally hundreds of stories that we should be diving into right now, instead forced to sit and watch while 30 owners hold the game itself hostage.
So we wait for all of that.
In the meantime, we will pontificate on the bigger matters at hand and we will take the time to remember the summer days of yore.
And we will look out our windows hoping for an end to this long, cruel winter.
