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Colorado Rockies: Two Reasons to be Excited on August 1

By Kevin Henry |
Jul 25, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Colorado Rockies outfielder David Dahl (26) gets his first career hit with a single in the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 25, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Colorado Rockies outfielder David Dahl (26) gets his first career hit with a single in the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
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Jul 28, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story (27) and Colorado Rockies center fielder David Dahl (26) celebrate after defeating the New York Mets 2-1 at Citi Field.Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 28, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story (27) and Colorado Rockies center fielder David Dahl (26) celebrate after defeating the New York Mets 2-1 at Citi Field.Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports /

Welcome to August 1, 2016. As you begin your day, you might want to prepare yourself for what could be one of the more interesting days for the Colorado Rockies in recent years.

As the calendar turns to August, the majority of eyeballs and attention spans in Denver and the Rocky Mountain region are expected to turn their attention toward the Denver Broncos. After all, it’s August and it’s time for the defending Super Bowl champs to get back to business and get back to work at training camp. Oh wait, there’s still baseball being played at 20th and Blake? Oh yeah, it’s still baseball season as well, isn’t it?

That’s been the outlook since the Rockies last sniffed the postseason in 2009 and had a winning record on August 1 in 2010. The thought since then? Just keep playing baseball and give the crowds a chance to grab a beer and watch the sunsets … but it’s time for them to wear their orange and start talking about the Broncos (oh wait, some people (fans and members of the certain media outlets) never stop doing that).

That’s fine, but this season, there is a reason to play attention to the purple pinstripes.

Let’s face it, the Rockies haven’t given their fans much to be optimistic about since 2010. Look at the records for the Rockies on August 1 over the five years between 2010 and this season.

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2015 – 44-58

2014 – 44-66

2013 – 51-59

2012 – 37-65

2011 – 51-58

2010 – 55-50* (the Rockies went 28-29 the rest of the season)

By the way, just for fun, the Rockies were 57-47 on August 1, 2009.

So here the Rockies stand on August 1 with a 52-53 record after yesterday’s 6-4 loss to the New York Mets. They sit just five games out of the second Wild Card slot.

Rockies Twitter blew up on Saturday night after the Rockies polished off a 7-2 victory over the Mets and finally reached the .500 mark for the first time since May 21. There was joy. There was jubilation. There was talk of what might be as the rest of the season unfolded.

Then Charlie Blackmon took to the airwaves on the postgame report and reminded all of us that reaching the .500 mark wasn’t exactly like qualifying for the postseason.

“Congratulations, you’re average.” That was the Bearded One’s reaction to being asked how he felt about his team being at the .500 mark.

It’s a stark reminder for all of us that as much as the team has accomplished this season, there’s still plenty of season left.

However, unlike past seasons, there are reasons to be excited about the Rockies as August 1 dawns. What are those? Here are two of my thoughts…

Next: Reasons 1 and 2 for Excitement on August 1

Jul 25, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Colorado Rockies outfielder David Dahl (26) gets his first career hit with a single in the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 25, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Colorado Rockies outfielder David Dahl (26) gets his first career hit with a single in the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /

The influx of youth

Look at the Colorado rookies who have made a difference in the second half. Tyler Anderson, Trevor Story, David Dahl, Tony Wolters and Carlos Estevez have all played critical roles in Colorado’s second-half domination.

Add to that the excitement for that next waves of Rockies that could be in LoDo on or before the roster expands to the full 40-man roster on September 1. Tom Murphy and Raimel Tapia are two names that jump out from the list in the minors, as well as Christian Bergman and Ben Paulsen.

One name not on the 40-man roster but someone who could well make an impact this season is Jeff Hoffman. Kyle Freeland is also out there, as is Matt Carasiti, who has been storming through the minors in Dahl-esque fashion.

The immediate future is bright for the Colorado Rockies. It’s been a while since Rockies fans could say that.

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The trade deadline calm

Yep, today is the trade deadline … and as of this writing, it’s been a very quiet few weeks other than some rampant rumors about Carlos Gonzalez, Blackmon, Boone Logan, Jorge De La Rosa, Nick Hundley, and others.

What does it say about the Rockies that they haven’t had a fire sale?

First, they’re winning and they believe they’re in a position to make a run with the team they have. Walt Weiss believes that and apparently so does Jeff Bridich.

Second, it means they believe strongly in the pieces they have in place and that they believe they can win now and next year. This isn’t a “rebuilding for 2018” strategy. This is a statement.

Third, it believes that the pieces they have in place in the minors aren’t better than some other’s team’s pieces in the minors. Colorado has done a masterful job of building up its minor league system. After all of that construction, they’re not ready to tear it down for a very short-term gain.

Yes, winning now is important. Winning for multiple years, however, is more important. To do that, you need prospects who are dominating at their respective minor league levels. The Rockies have just that.

In the past, it would’ve been difficult to have come up with a couple of reasons to be excited about watching the Rockies on August 1 or beyond. However, this season, there are plenty.

You want to wear your Broncos gear as training camp kicks into high gear? Great. You want to discuss who should be the Denver quarterback? Awesome. Just do it at 20th and Blake as the Rockies begin an important eight-game homestand on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Next: What the Rockies Can Learn from Daniel Descalso

Colorado fans have been waiting for the confluence of talent and optimism to hit LoDo. That time is now and this homestand is a great time to see it for yourself.

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