OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Mile High Dreams: Colorado Rockies Expansion Saga

Fantasy Skipper · 08-10-2025, 05:41 PM

After a mixed homestand, our Colorado Rockies embarked on a challenging seven-game road trip to Montreal and Pittsburgh, hoping to shake off the lingering August slump. Unfortunately, the struggles persisted, as the team went 2-5 on this swing. The road continues to be unkind, and the August "swoon" has firmly established itself as a September headache. The team now sits at 60-84 as the inaugural season winds down.

Montreal Expos Series (0-3)
September 6th vs. Expos: The Rockies fell 3-1 in a low-scoring affair. Dwight Gooden took the loss despite a solid five-inning, two-run performance. Dennis Martinez was dominant for Montreal, allowing only one run over eight innings. Moises Alou hit a solo home run for the Expos.

September 7th vs. Expos: A lopsided 11-3 defeat saw the Expos pound Rockies pitching. Darryl Kile had a rough start, giving up five runs, including a grand slam to Scott Cooper, in just 2.1 innings. Moises Alou continued his strong series going 4-for-5 with a double and three singles for Montreal.

September 8th vs. Expos: The Rockies suffered a heartbreaking 8-7 loss, blowing a late lead. Colorado's offense showed life with home runs from Shawon Dunston and a triple from Lance Johnson, but Jack Armstrong took the loss after giving up key runs in the seventh. Wil Cordero hit a two-run homer and Luis Alicea delivered a go-ahead double for Montreal in a back-and-forth contest.

Pittsburgh Pirates Series (1-3)
September 9th vs. Pirates: A rain shortened 5-4 loss saw the Rockies fall to the Pirates. Gil Heredia struggled early, allowing fiver runs in four innings. Despite a two-run home run from Jeromy Burnitz and some late rally efforts, the Pirates, led by Chili Davis's two-run single, held on for the win in a game called after seven innings du to weather.

September 10th vs Pirates: The Rockies pulled off an impressive 8-5 victory against the division leaders! Sandy Alomar Jr. had a spectacular day at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two doubles and two singles, scoring two runs and driving in two. Armando Reynoso earned his ninth win, and Kevin Ritz picked up his 14th save. This was a fantastic offensive showing, with B.J. Surhoff and Brian Hunter also delivering key hits.

September 11 vs Pirates: The Pirates secured a 4-2 win. Dwight Gooden took the loss giving up four runs over five innings. B.J. Surhoff continued to swing a hot bat, hitting two doubles, but the Rockies offense couldn't solve Mark Portugal, who pitched 6.2 strong innings for Pittsburgh.

September 12 vs Pirates: The road trip concluded with a 7-1 loss. Darryl Kile had a very rough outing, giving up seven runs on 11 hits in just 4.1 innings. Pete Harnisch dominated for Pittsburgh, pitching a complete game one-run gem. Sandy Alomar Jr. collected three hits in the losing effort.

Media Reactions
"Mile High Mike" O'Connell, Denver Sports Radio
"Another road trip, another round of headaches! Swept by the Expos, then we lose three of four with the Pirates, which let's be honest, is better than being swept. But what are we doing out there?! Kile and Gooden are getting shelled in some games, and then the next day they're fine. We got some good offensive games like Alomar Jr.'s four-hit performance, but it's like we can't put it all together. This August slump as officially migrated to September, and it's ugly! I'm trying to temper expectations, folks, because it's an expansion team, but man, this is tough to watch!"

Isabelle "Izzy" Garcia, The Denver Post
"The Colorado Rockies' recent seven-game road trip underscored the continuing growing pains of an expansion franchise. A sweep at the hands of the Montreal Expos, marked by inconsistent pitching and a lack of timely hitting, provided a harsh reality check. While the team showed resilience avoiding a sweep at Pittsburgh, the overall 1-6 record on the trip highlights persistent challenges. Starting pitching struggled to contain opposing offenses in several outings, and while individual offensive performances were notable, the collective ability to string together runs consistently, especially in critical moments, remains elusive. As the season nears its end, the focus of Manager Dusty Rhodes and General Manager Caleb Thorne must be on identifying key contributors and refining strategies, understanding that building a competitive team from scratch is a multi-year endeavor."

08-10-2025, 05:41 PM	#62
Fantasy Skipper Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jul 2025 Posts: 112	Rockies August Swoon Lingers Into September with Another Tough Road Trip After a mixed homestand, our Colorado Rockies embarked on a challenging seven-game road trip to Montreal and Pittsburgh, hoping to shake off the lingering August slump. Unfortunately, the struggles persisted, as the team went 2-5 on this swing. The road continues to be unkind, and the August "swoon" has firmly established itself as a September headache. The team now sits at 60-84 as the inaugural season winds down. Montreal Expos Series (0-3) September 6th vs. Expos: The Rockies fell 3-1 in a low-scoring affair. Dwight Gooden took the loss despite a solid five-inning, two-run performance. Dennis Martinez was dominant for Montreal, allowing only one run over eight innings. Moises Alou hit a solo home run for the Expos. September 7th vs. Expos: A lopsided 11-3 defeat saw the Expos pound Rockies pitching. Darryl Kile had a rough start, giving up five runs, including a grand slam to Scott Cooper, in just 2.1 innings. Moises Alou continued his strong series going 4-for-5 with a double and three singles for Montreal. September 8th vs. Expos: The Rockies suffered a heartbreaking 8-7 loss, blowing a late lead. Colorado's offense showed life with home runs from Shawon Dunston and a triple from Lance Johnson, but Jack Armstrong took the loss after giving up key runs in the seventh. Wil Cordero hit a two-run homer and Luis Alicea delivered a go-ahead double for Montreal in a back-and-forth contest. Pittsburgh Pirates Series (1-3) September 9th vs. Pirates: A rain shortened 5-4 loss saw the Rockies fall to the Pirates. Gil Heredia struggled early, allowing fiver runs in four innings. Despite a two-run home run from Jeromy Burnitz and some late rally efforts, the Pirates, led by Chili Davis's two-run single, held on for the win in a game called after seven innings du to weather. September 10th vs Pirates: The Rockies pulled off an impressive 8-5 victory against the division leaders! Sandy Alomar Jr. had a spectacular day at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two doubles and two singles, scoring two runs and driving in two. Armando Reynoso earned his ninth win, and Kevin Ritz picked up his 14th save. This was a fantastic offensive showing, with B.J. Surhoff and Brian Hunter also delivering key hits. September 11 vs Pirates: The Pirates secured a 4-2 win. Dwight Gooden took the loss giving up four runs over five innings. B.J. Surhoff continued to swing a hot bat, hitting two doubles, but the Rockies offense couldn't solve Mark Portugal, who pitched 6.2 strong innings for Pittsburgh. September 12 vs Pirates: The road trip concluded with a 7-1 loss. Darryl Kile had a very rough outing, giving up seven runs on 11 hits in just 4.1 innings. Pete Harnisch dominated for Pittsburgh, pitching a complete game one-run gem. Sandy Alomar Jr. collected three hits in the losing effort. Media Reactions "Mile High Mike" O'Connell, Denver Sports Radio "Another road trip, another round of headaches! Swept by the Expos, then we lose three of four with the Pirates, which let's be honest, is better than being swept. But what are we doing out there?! Kile and Gooden are getting shelled in some games, and then the next day they're fine. We got some good offensive games like Alomar Jr.'s four-hit performance, but it's like we can't put it all together. This August slump as officially migrated to September, and it's ugly! I'm trying to temper expectations, folks, because it's an expansion team, but man, this is tough to watch!" Isabelle "Izzy" Garcia, The Denver Post "The Colorado Rockies' recent seven-game road trip underscored the continuing growing pains of an expansion franchise. A sweep at the hands of the Montreal Expos, marked by inconsistent pitching and a lack of timely hitting, provided a harsh reality check. While the team showed resilience avoiding a sweep at Pittsburgh, the overall 1-6 record on the trip highlights persistent challenges. Starting pitching struggled to contain opposing offenses in several outings, and while individual offensive performances were notable, the collective ability to string together runs consistently, especially in critical moments, remains elusive. As the season nears its end, the focus of Manager Dusty Rhodes and General Manager Caleb Thorne must be on identifying key contributors and refining strategies, understanding that building a competitive team from scratch is a multi-year endeavor."