June 15th @ Colorado

[roary]

With Boston opening a three-game series in Colorado Tuesday, Red Sox hurlers have been getting a lot of attention. Besides pitching in Denver's thin air, they'll be hitting for the first time this season. But Boston's hitters will also be affected by the mile-high atmosphere -- only it will probably work to their benefit.

 

Teams have combined for at least two more runs per game at Coors Field than at any other park, and hitters are hitting .311 there, making it the only stadium where players are batting over .300.

 

Two Boston ex-National Leaguers have taken full advantage of the conditions at Coors over the years. Former Marlin Kevin Millar is hitting .379 with two home runs and seven RBI in 29 at-bats there, while erstwhile Red and Pirate Pokey Reese is batting .344 with two homers and six RBIs.

 

Others are left to turn to reputation and hearsay to supplement limited -- if any -- personal knowledge. Among the Red Sox who have no career regular-season at-bats there are Manny Ramirez, Nomar Garciaparra, David Ortiz, Jason Varitek and Johnny Damon.

 

Damon, though, visited Coors in Spring Training in 1996.

 

"I had no pop to left field and I hit a ball and it got to the warning track out there and I was shocked," he said. "I mishit it so much and when it got out that far, I was like, 'Wow. In this ballpark, the ball jumps a little bit.' "

 

But neither the frequent Coors visitors nor those making their first trip expect to alter their game plan.

 

"Why would you change your approach? I mean, if the ball's going to go out, it's going to go out," Reese said. "I'm just thinking about what I'm thinking about when I'm not there: just squaring to the ball and hitting it hard somewhere."

 

"I was talking to Shawn Green yesterday. He told me, 'Hey, don't even try to hit the ball in the air or whatever, because that can get you in trouble with your swing,' " Ortiz recalled.

 

But batting practice will be a whole different story -- at least for Damon.

 

"I'm going to shoot for the fences, see how far I can hit it and hopefully it doesn't mess up my swing for the game," he said.

 

Boston is making its first-ever visit to Coors Field and will face a Colorado team that has dropped eight straight games.

 

After an off day, its good to have baseball, no? So I started the thread early on in the day so we can get all pumped up and whatnot.

[Tek04]

Sorry i havent really been on the site the past couple days, been busy, but glad the sox are on again...lets sweep the rockies!

[Pedro]

Let the slugfest begin...

[dirtdogman5]

If you like offense, this is going to be you game.

[Pedro]

I'm very worried about Schilling tomorrow. Not only is he hurting and risking further injury, but he has gotten smashed at Coors over his career. He is pitching like the Ace of the staff and has up to this point IMO, been the best starter in the American League. He has a great shot winning his first Cy this season... for him to fall out because of injury would just suck. Not to mention the ramification it would have on the Red Sox as a team.

 

On the bright side, I expect an absolutely monsterous series from Manny and Ortiz.

[yeszir]

Originally posted by Pedro@Jun 15 2004, 08:14 PM

I'm very worried about Schilling tomorrow. Not only is he hurting and risking further injury, but he has gotten smashed at Coors over his career. He is pitching like the Ace of the staff and has up to this point IMO, been the best starter in the American League. He has a great shot winning his first Cy this season... for him to fall out because of injury would just suck. Not to mention the ramification it would have on the Red Sox as a team.

Right, it's absolutely not worth it at all for Schilling to risk injury at a place where he pitches poorly anyway. We'll just have to wait and see how things play out I guess.

[roary]

I just heard that Pokey is not in the lineup due to an injury he sustained while making that superman play two days ago. (how's that for irony).

 

Nothing is broken, but supposedly he tore some ligaments in a toe in that landing. How can you blame him really? He fell 50 feet on the way down.

[Pedro]

It just seems so strange how they say that Schilling is definitely hurting, and that it could get worse... yet they are going to throw him at a ballpark that he's gotten owned in. That damn Morgan... he never seems to have a clue about anything. 2-4 weeks? Might as well be 2-4 months. Don't ******** with us.

[roary]

Haha, sometimes Morgan seems like a sabateur sent over from the Yankees. His mission is to give false optimism to RSN and make shoddy predictions about our players.

[Pedro]

lol... you couldn't be anymore CORRECT.

[YanksHater213]

i think we can sweep it if arroyo pitches well. and i hope bronson can show a strong bounce back tonight

[yeszir]

Originally posted by YanksHater213@Jun 15 2004, 08:40 PM

i think we can sweep it if arroyo pitches well. and i hope bronson can show a strong bounce back tonight

Screw pitching, I just want to see him bat.

[RedSoxRooter]

Originally posted by yeszir+Jun 15 2004, 07:42 PM-->

QUOTE (yeszir @ Jun 15 2004, 07:42 PM)

[roary]

Originally posted by RedSoxRooter+Jun 15 2004, 08:54 PM-->

QUOTE (RedSoxRooter @ Jun 15 2004, 08:54 PM)

Originally posted by yeszir@Jun 15 2004, 07:42 PM

[yeszir]

Bahaha Fens, your sig. Feel like rubbing it in for the others?

[Pedro]

I love pitching duels and hate overly long games. The sooner they get out of this joint, the better. I'm excited about them going to perhaps baseball's most beautiful and scenic ballpark in SBC... as well as seeing Pedro vs. Bonds.

[JMDurron]

I hate that Pokey is hurt tonight, given his career avg at Coors. Since Francona was apparently going to give Ortiz the day off (makes sense, you PH him against a RHP later in the game), we could have seen Bellhorn at 1B to test him out today. Instead we get Millar.

[Pedro]

Strike three?!

 

I suppose it's only fair the strike zone is expanded to twice the size it would normally be.

[yeszir]

This is what we're missing out on

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 
17 61 13 21 8 0 2 6 6 11 2 2 .344 .400 .574 .974  

 

Pokey owns that stadium. .974 OPS!

[roary]

"Youk" chant in Colorado.

 

Damn. A hit.

[yeszir]

Sox "O" showed up tonight I guess. Manny just ripped a double. I guess we won't be missing Pokey too much tonight after all.

[Pedro]

This ballpark blows....

 

.... until the Sox start driving them out of there.

[JMDurron]

It blows again. That non-breaking breaking ball seemed to be a "Coors Lite Special."

[YanksHater213]

wow, this is exactly what we expected, a TON of runs, bellhorh just keeps proving his case for him to start with another strong night so far,

 

2-3, 2 2b, 2 rbi, been on base 3 times, thats pretty damn good

[JMDurron]

So...many...LOB...

[yeszir]

Williamson looks impressive at least. I feel like I havent seen a lot of him, but I certainly like what I'm seeing.

[yagmaster]

This has been a frustrating game. Just when I thought Arroyo was finding his groove again, he gets lit up. Coors field sucks.

[yawkeyway]

Originally posted by yagmaster@Jun 15 2004, 11:27 PM

Coors field sucks.

Doesn't any field named after a Brewery suck?

 

Yea, so anyway, 6-3 Rockies.

[dirtdogman5]

Ugh. One of the worst losses of the season. I'm pissed off now.

[Pedro]

There's no excuse for this CRAP... None.

 

How dare you leave that many baserunners on against the worst team in the entire league (Expos not included) with the worst pitching staff who had lost 8 straight games.... wtf?!