Colorado Rockies

This article is about the current Major League Baseball club. For the former NHL ice hockey club, seeColorado Rockies (NHL).For the mountains, seeSouthern Rocky Mountains.For other uses, seeColorado Rockies (disambiguation).

Colorado Rockies
2024 Colorado Rockies season
Established in1993
Team logo Cap insignia
Major league affiliations
National League(1993–present) West Division(1993–present)
Current uniform
Retired numbers	17 33 42 KSM
Colors
Purple, black, silver, white
Name
Colorado Rockies (1993–present)
Other nicknames
The Rox The Blake Street Bombers
Ballpark
Coors Field(1995–present) Mile High Stadium(1993–1994)
Major league titles
World Series titles(0)	None
NL Pennants(1)	2007
NL West Division titles(0)	None
Wild card berths(5)	1995 2007 2009 2017 2018
Front office
Principal owner(s)	Richard & Charles Monfort
President	Greg Feasel
General manager	Bill Schmidt
Manager	Bud Black
Mascot(s)	Dinger
Website	mlb /rockies

TheColorado Rockiesare an American professionalbaseballteam based inDenver.The Rockies compete inMajor League Baseball(MLB) as a member club of theNational League(NL)West Division.The team plays its home baseball games atCoors Field,which is located in theLower Downtownarea of Denver. The club is owned by theMonfort brothersand managed byBud Black.

The Rockies began as anexpansion teamfor the1993 seasonand played their home games for their first two seasons atMile High Stadium.Since1995,they have played at Coors Field, which has earned a reputation as ahitter's park,as demonstrated by the 1995 team that had four players (Dante Bichette,Vinny Castilla,Andrés Galarraga,andLarry Walker) each hit for 30 home runs; they were soon referred to as the "Blake Street Bombers". The Rockies have qualified for thepostseasonfive times, each time as aWild Card winner.In2007,the team earned its onlyNL pennantafter winning 14 of their final 15 games in the regular season to secure a Wild Card position, capping the streak off with a 13-inning 9–8 victory against theSan Diego Padresin the tiebreaker game affectionately known as"Game 163"by Rockies fans. The Rockies then proceeded to sweep thePhiladelphia PhilliesandArizona Diamondbacksin theNLDSandNLCSand entered the2007 World Seriesas winners of 21 of their last 22 games. However, they were swept by theAmerican League(AL) championsBoston Red Soxin four games. As the Rockies were swept in their only World Series appearance, they are one of only two teams never to win a World Series game (the other being theSeattle Mariners,who have yet to make a World Series appearance).

From 1993 to 2023, the Rockies have an overall record of2,260–2,598(.465 winning percentage).After theDenver Nuggetswon the2023 NBA Finals,the Rockies became the only one of Denver’s franchises in thefive major North American professional sports leagues(MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, & NHL) yet to win a championship.

History

Main article:History of the Colorado Rockies

See also:1993 Major League Baseball expansion

The 1911Denver Grizzlieswere recognized as one of the100 greatest minor league teams of all time.

Denverhad long been a hotbed ofminor league baseballas far back as the late 19th century with the originalDenver Bears (or Grizzlies)competing in theWestern Leaguebefore being replaced in 1955 by aAAAteam of the same name. Residents and businesses in the area desired a Major League team.Denver'sMile High Stadiumwas built originally as Denver Bears Stadium,a minor league baseball stadium that could be upgraded to major league standards.Several previous attempts to bring Major League Baseball toColoradohad failed. In 1958, New York lawyerWilliam Sheaproposed the newContinental Leagueas a rival to the two existing major leagues. In 1960, the Continental League announced that play would begin in April 1961 with eight teams, including one in Denver headed byBob Howsam.The new league quickly evaporated, without ever playing a game, when the National League reached expansion agreements to put teams inNew York CityandHouston,removing much of the impetus behind the Continental League effort. Following thePittsburgh drug trialsin 1985, an unsuccessful attempt was made to purchase thePittsburgh Piratesand relocate them. However, in January 1990, Colorado's chances for a new team improved when Coors Brewing Company became a limited partner with the AAADenver Zephyrs.

In 1991, as part of Major League Baseball's two-team expansion (along with theFlorida (now Miami) Marlins), an ownership group representing Denver led by John Antonucci andMichael I. Monuswas granted a franchise.They took the name "Rockies" due to Denver's proximity to theRocky Mountains,which is reflected in their logo; the name was previously used by the city'sfirst NHL team(now theNew Jersey Devils). Monus and Antonucci were forced to drop out in 1992 after Monus's reputation was ruined by an accounting scandal.Trucking magnateJerry McMorrisstepped in at the 11th hour to save the franchise, allowing the team to begin play in 1993. The Rockies shared Mile High Stadium with theNational Football League(NFL)'sDenver Broncosfor their first two seasons whileCoors Fieldwas constructed. It was completed for the1995 Major League Baseball season.

The Rockies in June2007.Later the same year, Colorado won its first NL pennant

In1993,they began in theWest divisionof theNational League.That year the Rockies set the all-time Major League record for attendance, drawing 4,483,350 fans (a record that stands to this day). The Rockies were MLB's first team based in theMountain Time Zone.They have reached theMajor League Baseball postseasonfive times, each time as the National Leaguewild cardteam. Twice (1995and2009), they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. In2007,the Rockies advanced to theWorld Series,only to be swept by theBoston Red Sox.The team'sstretch runwas among the greatest ever for a Major League Baseball team. Having a record of 76-72 at the start of play on September 16, the Rockies proceeded to win 14 of their final 15 regular season games.The stretch culminated with a 9-8, 13-inning victory over theSan Diego Padresin aone-game playofffor the wild card berth. Colorado then swept their first seven playoff games to win theNL pennant(thus, at the start of the World Series, the Rockies had won a total of 21 out of 22 games). Fans and media nicknamed their improbable October run "Rocktober".

Colorado made postseason berths in 2017 and 2018. In 2018, the Rockies became the first team since the1922 Philadelphia Philliesto play in four cities against four teams in five days, including the 162nd game of the regular season,NL West tie-breaker,NL Wild Card GameandNLDSGame 1,eventually losing to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS.

Like their expansion brethren, the Miami Marlins, they have never won a division title since their establishment and they, along with the Pittsburgh Pirates are also one of three MLB teams that have never won their current division. The Rockies have played their home games atCoors Fieldsince 1995. Their newestspring traininghome,Salt River Fields at Talking Stickin Scottsdale, Arizona, opened in March 2011 and is shared with theArizona Diamondbacks.

Controversies

On June 1, 2006,USA Todayreported that Rockies management, including managerClint Hurdle,had instituted an explicitly Christian code of conduct for the team's players, banning men's magazines (such asMaximandPlayboy) and sexually explicit music from the team's clubhouse.The article sparked controversy, and soon-afterThe Denver Postpublished an article featuring many Rockies players contesting the claims made in theUSA Todayarticle.Former Rockies pitcherJason Jenningssaid: "[The article in USA Today] was just bad. I am not happy at all. Some of the best teammates I have ever had are the furthest thing from Christian", Jennings said. "You don't have to be a Christian to have good character. They can be separate. [The article] was misleading."

On October 17, 2007, a week before the first game of the2007 World Seriesagainst the Boston Red Sox, the Colorado Rockies announced that tickets were to be available to the general public via online sales only, despite prior arrangements to sell the tickets at local retail outlets. Five days later on October 22, California-based ticket vendor Paciolan, Inc., the sole contractor authorized by the Colorado Rockies to distribute tickets, was forced to suspend sales after less than an hour due to an overwhelming number of attempts to purchase tickets. An official release from the baseball organization claimed that they were the victims of adenial of service attack.These claims, however, were unsubstantiated and neither the Rockies nor Paciolan have sought investigation into the matter. The United StatesFederal Bureau of Investigationstarted its own investigation into the claims.Ticket sales resumed the next day, with all three home games selling out within two and a half hours.

In March 2021,Ken Rosenthaland Nick Groke reported inThe Athleticthat, during the2020season, the Rockies had made baseball operations personnel work as clubhouse attendants in addition to their front office duties, resulting in work days lasting up to 17 hours.Former staffers described doing laundry for players while team personnel asked them for scouting and statistical information. The article further described a general atmosphere of dysfunction and unaccountability in Colorado's front office.General managerJeff Bridichresigned the following month.

On April 10, 2024, during a charter flight on a United Airlines Boeing 757, coachHensley Meulensposted a video of himself seated in the captain's seat mid-flight.TheFederal Aviation Administration(FAA) is investigating the incident.

Season record

Main article:List of Colorado Rockies seasons

Uniforms

Further information:Major League Baseball uniforms

One of the Rockies' team colors ispurplewhich was inspired by the line "For purple mountain majesties" in "America the Beautiful".The shades of the color used by the ball club lacked uniformity untilPMS2685 was established as the official purple beginning with the2017 season.

The Rockies' home uniform is white with purple pinstripes, and the Rockies are the first team in Major League history to wear purple pinstripes.The front of the uniform is emblazoned with the team name in silver trimmed in black, and letters and numerals are in black trimmed in silver. During the Rockies' inaugural season, they went without names on the back of their home uniforms, but added them for the following season. In 2000, numerals were added to the chest.

The Rockies' road uniform is grey with purple piping. The front of the uniform originally featured the team name in silver trimmed in purple, but was changed the next season to purple with white trim. Letters and numerals are in purple with white trim. In the 2000 season, piping was replaced with pinstripes, "Colorado" was emblazoned in front, chest numerals were placed, and black trim was added to the letters. Prior to the 2012 season, the Rockies brought back the purple piping on their road uniforms, but kept the other elements of their 2000 uniform change.

The Rockies originally wore an alternate black uniform during their maiden 1993 season, but for only a few games. The uniform featured the team name in silver with purple trim, and letters and numerals in purple with white trim. In the 2005 season, the Rockies started wearing black sleeveless alternate uniforms, featuring "Colorado", letters and numerals in silver with purple and white trim. The uniforms also included black undershirts, and for a few games in 2005, purple undershirts. The Rockies retired the black sleeveless uniform in 2022, replacing it with the "City Connect" uniform (see below).

From 2002 to 2011, the Rockies wore alternate versions of their pinstriped white uniform, featuring the interlocking "CR" on the left chest and numerals on the right chest. This design featured sleeves until 2004, when they went with a vest design with black undershirts.

In addition to the black sleeveless alternate uniform, the Rockies also wear a purple alternate uniform, which they first unveiled in the 2000 season. The design featured "Colorado" in silver with black and white trim, and letters and numerals in black with white trim. At the start of the 2012 season, the Rockies introduced "Purple Mondays" in which the team wears its purple uniform every Monday game day, though the team continued to wear them on other days of the week.

Prior to 2019, the Rockies always wore their white pinstriped pants regardless of what uniform top they wore during home games. However, the Rockies have since added alternate white non-pinstriped pants to pair with either their black or purple alternate uniforms at home, as neither uniform contained pinstripes.

The Rockies currently wear an all-black cap with "CR" in purple trimmed in silver and a purple-brimmed variation as an alternate. The team previously wore an all-purple cap with "CR" in black trimmed in silver, and in the 2018 season, caps with the "CR" in silver to commemorate the team's 25th anniversary.

In 2022, the Rockies were one of seven additional teams to donNike's "City Connect" uniforms. The set is predominantly green and white with printed mountain range motifs adorning the chest. The lettering was taken from theofficial Colorado license plates.The right sleeve has a yellow patch featuring the shortened nickname "ROX", the "5280" sign representing the altitude of Denver, two black diamonds representing Double Diamond skiing, and the exact longitude and latitude of Coors Field. The left sleeve has the interlocking "CR" in white with green trim, and purple piping was added to represent purple seats at Coors Field. Caps are green with a white panel, featuring a "CO" patch with various Colorado-inspired symbols, including colors from thestate flagand mountain ranges. In 2023, the Rockies tweaked their "City Connect" uniform, pairing it with white pants on day games and green pants on night games.

Home white pinstriped uniform, as worn byDavid Dahl.

Road grey uniform, as worn byRyan McMahon.

Alternate purple uniform with home white pants, as worn byWade Davis.

Alternate purple uniform with road grey pants, as worn byJosé Reyes.

Alternate purple uniform with white pinstriped pants (2000–2018), as worn by David Dahl.

Alternate black vest uniform with white pinstriped pants (2005–2018), as worn byCarlos González.

Alternate black vest uniform with black/purple cap and road grey pants (2005–2021), as worn by Carlos González.

Alternate white pinstriped vest uniform (2004–2011), as worn byJason Giambi.

Road grey pinstriped uniform (2000–2011), as worn byAlex White.

Baseball Hall of Famers

Hall of Fame 1BTodd Helton(1997–2013)

Hall of Fame OFLarry Walker(1995–2004)

Colorado Rockies Hall of Famers
Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Colorado Rockies Todd Helton Jim Leyland Larry Walker* Players and managers listed inboldare depicted on their Hall of Fame plaques wearing a Rockies cap insignia. * Colorado Rockies listed as primary team according to the Hall of Fame

Colorado Sports Hall of Fame

Main article:Colorado Sports Hall of Fame

Colorado Rockies in the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame
No.	Name	Position(s)	Seasons	Notes
—	Jerry McMorris	Owner	1992–2005
—	Bob Gebhard	GM	1992–1999
KSM	Keli McGregor	President	2001–2010	AttendedColorado State University
9, 14	Vinny Castilla	3B	1993–1999 2004, 2006
10	Dante Bichette	OF	1993–1999
14	Andrés Galarraga	1B	1993–1997
17	Todd Helton	1B	1997–2013
25	Don Baylor	Manager	1993–1998
33	Larry Walker	RF	1995–2004

Retired numbers

Todd Heltonis the first Colorado player to have his number (17) retired, which was done on Sunday, August 17, 2014.

Jackie Robinson's No. 42, was retired throughout all of baseball in 1997.

Larry Walker,the first member of the Baseball Hall of Fame wearing a Colorado Rockies hat, became the second Colorado player to have his number retired, which occurred in 2021.

Keli McGregorhad worked with the Rockies since their inception in 1993, rising from senior director of operations to team president in 2002, until his death on April 20, 2010. He is honored at Coors Field alongside Helton, Walker, and Robinson with his initials.

Todd Helton 1B RetiredAugust 17, 2014 Larry Walker RF RetiredSeptember 25, 2021 Jackie Robinson All MLB HonoredApril 15, 1997 Keli McGregor President HonoredSeptember 28, 2010

Out of circulation, but not retired

The Rockies have not re-issuedCarlos Gonzalez's No. 5 since leaving the team after 2018.

Individual awards

See also:Baseball awardsandList of Major League Baseball awards

NL MVP

• 1997 –Larry Walker

NLCS MVP

• 2007 –Matt Holliday

NL Rookie of the Year

• 2002 –Jason Jennings

NL Comeback Player of the Year

• 2017 –Greg Holland
• 2020 –Daniel Bard

Silver Slugger Award

5× All-StarNolan Arenado(2013–2020)

SSTroy Tulowitzki(2006–2015) was 5× All-Star in his tenure in Denver

• Dante Bichette(1995)
• Vinny Castilla(1995, 1997–1998)
• Andrés Galarraga(1996)
• Eric Young(1996)
• Ellis Burks(1996)
• Larry Walker(1997, 1999)
• Mike Hampton(2001–2002)
• Todd Helton(2000–2003)
• Matt Holliday(2006–2008)
• Carlos González(2010, 2015)
• Troy Tulowitzki(2010–2011)
• Michael Cuddyer(2013)
• Nolan Arenado(2015–2018)
• Charlie Blackmon(2016–2017)
• Trevor Story(2018–2019)
• Germán Márquez(2018)

Hank Aaron Award

• 2000 –Todd Helton

Gold Glove Award

First base:

• Todd Helton(2001–2002, 2004)

Second base:

• DJ LeMahieu(2014, 2017–2018)
• Brendan Rodgers(2022)

Shortstop:

• Neifi Pérez(2000)
• Troy Tulowitzki(2010–2011)

Third base:

• Nolan Arenado(2013–2020)

Outfield:

• Larry Walker(1997–1999, 2001–2002)
• Carlos González(2010, 2012–2013)
• Brenton Doyle(2023)

Manager of the Year Award

• 1995 –Don Baylor
• 2009 –Jim Tracy

NL Batting Champion

• Andrés Galarraga(1993)
• Larry Walker(1998, 1999, 2001)
• Todd Helton(2000)
• Matt Holliday(2007)
• Carlos González(2010)
• Michael Cuddyer(2013)
• Justin Morneau(2014)
• DJ LeMahieu(2016)
• Charlie Blackmon(2017)

DHLHometown Heroes (2006)

• Larry Walker – voted by MLB fans as the most outstanding player in the history of the franchise, based on on-field performance, leadership quality and character value

Team award

• 2007–Warren Giles Trophy(National League champion)
• 2007 –Baseball AmericaOrganization of the Year

Team records (single-game, single-season, career)

Main article:Colorado Rockies team records

Rivalries

The Rockies developed an on-and-off rivalry with theArizona Diamondbacks,often attributed to both teams being the newest in the division.Colorado had joined the NL West in 1993, while the Diamondbacks are the newest team in the league; founding in 1998.The two teams have met twice in the postseason; notably during the2007 National League Championship Serieswhich saw the Rockies enter the postseason as a wild card, and went on to upset the division champion Diamondbacks in a sweep en route to the franchise's loneWorld Series appearance.The two teams met again in the2017 National League Wild Card Game,which was won by Arizona.

The Rockies also have clashed in divisional matchups with theLos Angeles DodgersandSan Francisco Giantsparticularly as both teams often thwarted the Rockies' postseason ambitions by winning the division. The Rockies have never won the NL West while the Dodgers and Giants have combined for 21 division titles since the Rockies began play in 1993.

Roster

Colorado Rockies roster
Active roster				Inactive roster		Coaches/Other
Pitchers Starting rotation 18Ryan Feltner 21Kyle Freeland 26Austin Gomber 48Germán Márquez 47Cal Quantrill Bullpen 68Jalen Beeks 50Ty Blach 40Tyler Kinley 20Peter Lambert 61Justin Lawrence 46Nick Mears 43Anthony Molina 38Victor Vodnik		Catchers 35Elías Díaz 25Jacob Stallings Infielders 24Ryan McMahon 7Brendan Rodgers 30Aaron Schunk 4Michael Toglia 14Ezequiel Tovar Outfielders 19Charlie Blackmon 12Sean Bouchard 11Jake Cave 9Brenton Doyle 15Hunter Goodman 16Sam Hilliard		Pitchers 59Jake Bird 57Angel Chivilli 63Noah Davis 29Tanner Gordon 56Evan Justice --Antoine Kelly 55Juan Mejía 41Riley Pint Infielders 1Adael Amador 2Greg Jones Outfielders 27Jordan Beck 23Kris Bryant 82Yanquiel Fernández 22Nolan Jones		Manager 10Bud Black Coaches 74Reid Cornelius(bullpen) 75Kyle Cunningham(asst. bullpen catcher) 53Ronnie Gideon(first base) 70Andy González(assistant hitting) 31Hensley Meulens(hitting) 77Aaron Muñoz(bullpen catcher) 68P. J. Pilittere(assistant hitting) 8Mike Redmond(bench) 34Warren Schaeffer(third base) 72Darryl Scott(pitching) 60-day injured list 52Daniel Bard 58Lucas Gilbreath 49Antonio Senzatela 26 active, 14 inactive 7-, 10-, or 15-dayinjured list #Personal leave Rosterandcoachesupdated July 15, 2024 Transactions •Depth chart →All MLB rosters

Home attendance

Mile High Stadium(1993–1994)

Coors Field(1995–present)

The Rockies led MLB attendance records for the first seven years of their existence. The inaugural season is currently theMLB all-time recordfor home attendance.

Home Attendance at Mile High Stadium
Year	Total Attendance	Game Average	League Rank
1993	4,483,350	55,350	1st
1994	3,281,511	57,570+	1st

Home Attendance at Coors Field
Year	Total Attendance	Game Average	League Rank
1995	3,390,037	47,084++	1st
1996	3,891,014	48,037	1st
1997	3,888,453	48,006	1st
1998	3,792,683	46,823	1st
1999	3,481,065	42,976	1st
2000	3,295,129	40,681	3rd
2001	3,166,821	39,097	2nd
2002	2,737,838	33,800	6th
2003	2,334,085	28,816	9th
2004	2,338,069	28,865	9th
2005	1,914,389	23,634	14th
2006	2,104,362	28,979	11th
2007	2,650,218	32,719	9th
2008	2,665,080	32,902	8th
2009	2,875,245	35,497	6th
2010	2,909,777	35,923	7th
2011	2,630,458	32,475	7th
2012	2,793,828	34,492	5th
2013	2,680,329	33,090	5th
2014	2,506,789	30,948	8th
2015	2,602,524	32,130	6th
2016	2,953,650	36,465	5th
2017	2,048,138	25,286	11th
2018	3,015,880	37,233	5th
2019	2,993,244	36,954	4th
2020	No attendance information available
2021	1,978,645	24,854	7th
2022	2,597,428	32,467	9th
2023	2,607,935	32,196	7th

+ = 57 home games in strike shortened season. ++ = 72 home games in strike shortened season.

Minor league affiliations

Main article:List of Colorado Rockies minor league affiliates

The Colorado Rockiesfarm systemconsists of sevenminor leagueaffiliates.

Class	Team	League	Location	Ballpark	Affiliated
Triple-A	Albuquerque Isotopes	Pacific Coast League	Albuquerque, New Mexico	Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park	2015
Double-A	Hartford Yard Goats	Eastern League	Hartford, Connecticut	Dunkin' Park	2015
High-A	Spokane Indians	Northwest League	Spokane Valley, Washington	Avista Stadium	2021
Single-A	Fresno Grizzlies	California League	Fresno, California	Chukchansi Park	2021
Rookie	ACL Rockies	Arizona Complex League	Scottsdale, Arizona	Salt River Fields at Talking Stick	2021
	DSL Colorado	Dominican Summer League	Boca Chica,Santo Domingo	Colorado Rockies Complex	2018
	DSL Rockies				1997

Radio and television

See also:List of Colorado Rockies broadcasters

Colorado Rockies games are produced byMLB Networkand televised locally on Rockies.TV, a streaming service with noblackoutsthat is available withMLB.tvfor $199.99 a year or $39.99 a month, or without MLB.tv for $99.99 a year or $19.99 a month. Games air on the following cable providers and networks:

• DirecTV/DirecTV Stream(CH. 683)
• Xfinity/Comcast(CH. 1262)
• Spectrum (Colorado and Wyoming)(CH. 130 or CH. 445)
• Spectrum (Gunnison and Telluride) (CH. 305 or CH. 445)
• Spectrum (Lincoln) (CH. 435 or CH. 445)

Jeff HusonandDrew Goodmanare the usual TV broadcast team, withRyan SpilborghsandKelsey Wingerthandling on-field coverage and clubhouse interviews.Jason Hirsh,andCory Sullivanhandle the pre-game and post-game shows. Corrigan, Spilborghs, and Sullivan also fill in as play-by-play or color commentator during absences of Huson or Goodman. From 1997 to 2023, most regular season games were produced and televised byAT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.

As of 2010, Rockies'flagship radio stationisKOA850AM, with some late-season games broadcast onKHOW630 AM due to conflicts withDenver Broncosgames. The Rockies Radio Network is composed of 38 affiliate stations in eight states.

As of 2019,Jack CorriganandJerry Schemmelare the radio announcers, serving as a backup TV announcer wheneverDrew Goodmanis not available.

In January 2020, long-time KOA radio announcer Jerry Schemmel was let go from his role for budgetary reasons from KOA's parent company. He returned in 2022, replacing Mike Rice, who reportedly refused theCOVID-19vaccine.

As of 2013, Spanish language radio broadcasts of the Rockies are heard onKNRV1150 AM.

External links

• Colorado Rockies official website
• Minor League Affiliates of the Colorado Rockies

Awards and achievements
Preceded by St. Louis Cardinals 2006	National League champions 2007	Succeeded by Philadelphia Phillies 2008