Colorado Rockies: 10 Highlights from the 2016 Season

Happy Holidays to everyone! I hope that everyone was able to spend time with loved ones and make some special memories. With 2017 just a couple of days away, I always start to look back at some of my favorite moments from the year that is winding down. I wanted to do the same recapping some of my personal favorite moments from the Colorado Rockies 2016 season and the year as a whole. Here are 10 of my highlights:

Opening Day: The Rockies opened the 2016 season on April 4^th in Arizona as the Diamondbacks unveiled the biggest offseason acquisition in MLB, sending Zack Greinke to the mound. Opening Day is always one of my highlights but this one was a special game, regardless of when it took place. The good guys exploded in the third inning for six runs featuring the first of many “StoryBombs” as Trevor Story, the rookie shortstop, drove an 0-1 pitch to deep to right field. The three-run shot gave the Rockies a 4-1 lead and they never looked back.

This was not the only dinger of the night for Story, who grooved another deep into the left field bleachers. Carlos Gonzalez, and Nolan Arenado also added dingers as the offense combined for 10 runs on 15 hits. It was a very fun start to the season.

The Home Opener: This is also a wonderful day for Colorado Rockies fans. There is no better place to be than 20^th and Blake to catch the pre-game celebration for another year. This one included presentations of Silver Slugger awards to Arenado and Gonzalez. Nolan wasn’t done receiving awards getting a Gold Glove and the Wilson’s Defensive Player of the Year as well. It was a largely disappointing game as the Padres torched the Rockies with 13 runs but Trevor Story greeted his home crowd with two more bombs to give him six in the first four games of his career, a major league record.

Nolan Torches the Giants: Arenado always seems to play well and come through in the clutch against the Giants … and April 13^th was no different. Arenado had possibly his best offensive output of the year, going 4-for-5 on the night. He hit two home runs to go along with a season-best seven RBI. He paced the Rockies as they claimed a 10-6 victory over San Francisco.

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Gray’s First Start: Jon Gray took the mound for the first time for the Rockies on April 22 at Coors Field against the Dodgers. It turned out to be one of the most entertaining games of the year. Gray gave up three runs in the first inning but bounced back in a big way. He was able to strike out 10 Dodgers over five innings, a precursor to how dominant he was going to be in 2016.

This game also included one of the most impressive throws I have ever seen when Story nailed one off the “Bridich Barrier” in right field and tried for third. Yasiel Puig showed off his cannon, throwing Story out from the warning track in deep right field, placing the ball into Justin Turner’s glove in the air. The Rockies overcame a 3-0 and 5-4 deficit, scoring two on an eighth-inning Brandon Barnes triple to take the lead. Barnes’ enthusiasm has always made him a fun guy to watch, even moreso when he comes through in the clutch to give the team a win.

Tyler Anderson’s debut: Anderson was one of the most pleasant surprises for the Rockies in 2016 and his debut paved the way. It came on Sunday, June 12 against the Padres. Anderson dazzled over 6.1 innings not allowing anyone to score, but he was removed with and Gonzalez Germen allowed an inherited runner to score. Anderson ended the day with one earned run, with six strikeouts and no walks. The Rockies offense answered in the bottom of the seventh and they held on for a 2-1 victory.