Colorado Rockies: The nightmare stretches of seasons past

2 Apr 2001: Mike Hampton #10 of the Colorado Rockies winds back to pitch the ball during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Fiels in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Cardinals 8-0.Mandatory Credit: Tom Hauck /Allsport

Stretch: 2001, June 18 – July 28

Record: 7-29, went from 36-32 to 43-61

The Rockies posted a winning percentage of .194 in these 36 games, possibly the most brutal month-and-a-half in the franchise’s history. The stretch also saw the derailment of slugging veteran pitcher Mike Hampton‘s excellent start in Denver.

Hampton – the NLCS MVP a year prior with the New York Mets – came into mid-June with a 3.06 ERA and a 9-2 record with his new club. But the Rockies lost Hampton’s next six starts, as he gave up 34 earned runs in 33 innings (a 9.27 ERA). He allowed seven home runs in three starts from July 6 through July 18. Yet another pitcher broken by the hot summer nights at Coors Field.

Hampton had a mini-resurgence with the Atlanta Braves in the mid-2000s, but he was never quite the same again.

Stretch: 2005, April 6 – May 7

Record: 5-21; record from 1-0 to 6-21

The 2005 Rockies take the prize for the worst start in Rockies history. The Larry Walker-less squad started the campaign with a 12-10 walk-off victory against the Padres, but the good times ended after Opening Day.

Colorado was rarely blown out, and from May 1 through May 4 lost four consecutive 1-run games. But the team sported a poor .745 OPS on May 7, and Todd Helton was unusually unproductive, not hitting his second home run until May 2.

Maybe Helton just wanted an actual week off by July, as he would miss the All-Star Game for the first time since 1999.

Stretch: 2001, June 18 – July 28

Stretch: 2005, April 6 – May 7

Schedule