Wake Up, National Media! Colorado Rockies Are Again Contenders

As much as it hurts me to admit it, the Rockies are indeed a "small market" team. I've never really understood what this term means, but Colorado's MLB team does have; a small payroll (18th in the league), pitching that gets small amounts of respect, and a small amount of superstars, in one and a half.

Todd Helton was once a star in the MLB, but was often overshadowed by a slightly better hitting Albert Pujols. Troy Tulowitzki is a rising talent and could, and really should, be a star, if not a superstar in the MLB one day.

But even with all that, after the firing of Clint Hurdle on May 29, the Rockies are competing again in the NL West, or could at least make a run at the NL wildcard. To wit, the Rockies are 19-3 in their last 22 games, easily the hottest team in the MLB.

This run has come with sweeps against St. Louis and Miluakee, and 2-of-3 wins against Tampa Bay, all of which were multiple games over .500 at the time, as they definitely played up to their competition.

Colorado has also capitalized against poorer opponents including Pittsburgh, Seattle, and their current competition in Oakland, going 8-0 against them.

The significance of this current Rockies dominance is three-fold.

First, the fans have come back to the ballpark, just as they did in 2007, just as they had all throughout the 90s. Games are more fun to go to when the stands are full, as the hometown team is rooted on by their backers.

Second, this run shows the Rockies are reliving their 2007 days, only this time it's happening in the middle of the season—even before the All-Star break!

Usually Colorado is cold in the early part of the MLB season, pun intended, and any kind of winning happens too little, too late.

If the Rockies can make the post-season, they are showing they can win multiple games in a row, up to 11 at one point. And now they have at least some experience in the post-season, as many of the players from 2007 are still on the roster.

Third, since it has come during interleague play, this run shows the Rockies can win against AL teams. If they were lucky enough to make it that far in the playoffs, back to the World Series, the Rockies could possibly do damage.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

The Rockies are good right now, really good, but everything has gone right for them in the month of June.

Pitching has been above decent, with ace Aaron Cook, Jason Hammell, and Huston Street, the closer, all winning games for the Rox.

Hitting has been magnificent, as Colorado has averaged over six runs per game in the past 22. Helton and Brad Hawpe, the Rockies' right fielder, are both hitting over .320, together scoring 86 runs combined, with 44 doubles, 21 home runs, and 108 RBI. A rock solid core for the Rockies lineup.

Although, in reality, Colorado won't be able to keep winning at this crazy a pace, but they can try to stay consistent. Hit well, and be aggressive on the base paths, things new manager Jim Tracy has stressed.

Since Tracy's hiring, the Rockies have gone from 18-28, to 39-35, gaining a full six games on the NL West leading Dodgers.

If, in the next three months, Colorado can gain just two more games overall on LA, they will win the NL West for the first time in their 17 year history.

But, they could still get in with the wildcard, and are currently only two games out of it.

In all, even if the Rockies don't make the post season, this change of management has certainly sent a spark throughout the entire organization, and has the players playing at their best.

At the end of the season though, Colorado will make the playoffs in the wildcard position, and where they go from there is up to them.