Colorado Rockies roundup: Coors Field Opening Day capacity, TV schedule, Ryan McMahon, and C.J. Cron
On Tuesday, there were some news and notes involving the Colorado Rockies, including their new Opening Day capacity, 2021 TV schedule, and some quotes from Ryan McMahon and C.J. Cron during Tuesday’s game.
We learned that Coors Field will be able to have more fans than initially expected on Opening Day. Originally, it was announced that 12,500 fans, or just about 25 percent of Coors Field’s capacity, would be able to be in attendance on Opening Day at Coors Field, when the Rockies take on their division rival, the reigning World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
However, their large stadium and implementation of guidelines and policies given by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, and MLB has allowed them to expand that even further.
Now, Coors Field will be able to have 21,363 fans on Opening Day, which is 42.3 of Coors Field’s capacity. Since they have the second-largest stadium by seating capacity and they now have the highest percentage of any of the 30 MLB teams by capacity that has been announced thus far, the Rockies are on their way to having the highest attendance numbers of any MLB team.
Whether they can draw that number is a different question since many fans have been angered with the team’s actions in recent years but the Rockies will at least have the opportunity to have the most fans in the stands, at least as of this publication.
Tickets will go on sale tomorrow (Thursday, March 11) and they will be opened to season ticket holders first. If inventory allows, then, it will be opened up to the general public.
You can read more about Coors Field’s COVID guidelines for the season here.
The Rockies TV schedule was also announced on Tuesday.
The Rockies and AT&T Sports Net Rocky Mountain announced that they will broadcast all 162 regular-season games in 2021 (barring any games that are nationally broadcast in exclusivity). Outside of the shortened 2020 season, it will be the first time that the club will have all games broadcast.
Originally, prior to the stoppage due to the pandemic, AT&T Sports was only going to broadcast 150 games of the regular season and the other 12 games, which were mainly weekday, day games, were not going to be televised.
All of the Rockies television crew will be returning as well, including Drew Goodman, Jeff Huson, Ryan Spilborghs, Jenny Cavnar, Marc Stout, and Cory Sullivan.
The first spring training TV game will be broadcast today at 1 PM M.T. when the Rockies take on the San Diego Padres.
The Rockies are entering the first year of their new television contract with AT&T Sports Net.
C.J. Cron on being the “veteran guy” on the Rockies and his new relationships with the Rockies
During the game on Tuesday but after he had been pulled from the game, Rockies non-roster invitee C.J. Cron spoke with the media, including Rox Pile, about being the “veteran guy” that guys can rely on to talk about things. One of the guys that has formed a good relationship with Cron is Josh Fuentes, who is in competition with Cron for the everyday first baseman job.
Here’s what Cron had to say about their relationship:
“I think my job coming in was to be that ‘veteran’ guy and to try to keep the clubhouse loose,” said Cron. “Josh is obviously a great dude. We always talk a bunch over there at first. Sometimes, groundballs take a little bit longer than we’d like so we talk about some stuff. He’s a good kid. Just whatever kind of questions (Fuentes or anybody else has), (I’m) just trying to help the team.”
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What are Ryan McMahon’s objectives early in spring games and what are his thoughts on his new teammate, C.J. Cron
Ryan McMahon spoke to the media after he was removed from the game and he spoke about some of the things that he has been looking for to improve and, perhaps, be the guy that is replacing Nolan Arenado at third base.
But during that, he also had a little bit of praise for one of his teammates.
“Early in spring, I think (my) goal is to try and see the ball (and) see how you’re seeing it,” said McMahon. “Typically, your swing isn’t perfect off the bat, unless you’re Charlie Blackmon, so you come in here and you’ve got to work it out … (That) and staying on time and taking good swings during the game.”
McMahon said that he thinks that it’s coming along well for him and it seemed to show on Tuesday as he went 1-for-2 with a home run and a walk.
He was also asked about his new teammate, C.J. Cron, and McMahon likes Cron having around for more than one reason.
“He has already brought some new ideas and new ways of thinking (to the team),” said McMahon. “(Some) [d]ifferent analytical things we can look up or look at before going up to face pitchers so I think he’s going to be good. He’s a good guy to lean on. Obviously, he’s been around (the league) a bunch and around some really good hitters as well as himself having a great approach so it will be good to lean on him this year, that’s for sure.”
Cron started off slow at the plate to start the spring but, like McMahon, he was a big help in the Rockies 11-4 win against Arizona on Tuesday as he went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a home run, an RBI, and two runs scored.
The Rockies will look to improve upon their 5-3-1 spring record when facing the Padres later today. Austin Gomber will take the hill for the Rockies against the Padres top prospect (MLB.com’s #3 overall prospect) MacKenzie Gore. The game will be broadcast both on AT&T Sports Net Rocky Mountain and on the KOA Rockies Radio Network.