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Parra thrilled to be reunited with Young Rockies’ first-base coach helped Gold Glove winner early in career By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | February 26

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Gerardo Parra suited up for the Brewers in the opening series last season and saw a lot to like

from their opponent, the Rockies -- on the field and in the first-base coaching box.

"They hit, like, 100 base hits and 12 homers, something like that," Parra said, smiling. And the Rockies rose in his eyes

because of Rockies first-base coach and outfield instructor Eric Young.

Parra was a young and quiet prospect with the D-backs several years ago when Young -- who was Arizona's Minor

League outfield coordinator before serving as first base coach in 2011-12 -- took an interest in helping him develop. Two

Gold Glove Awards later, Parra never forgot what Young did for him.

It all figured into Parra's signing with the Rockies for three years and $27.5 million during the offseason. Parra joined an

outfield already crowded with left-handed bats, but the Rockies later made room by trading Corey Dickerson to the Rays

for lefty reliever Jake McGee and righty starter German Marquez

"I was surprised a little bit, but when I listened to Colorado, I was happy, because I know the organization, I knew the

GM," said Parra, who batted a combined .291 with 14 home runs and 51 RBIs with the Brewers and the Orioles. "I knew a

couple players here. I talked to my agent and said I want to try to sign here. This is going to be a great team. And also,

when you play there, the fans come to the stadium -- a lot of them."

MEDIA CLIPS – February 27, 2016

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The relationship with Young helped make Parra's career.

As a prospect with Arizona, Parra was clearly behind Justin Upton and Chris Young on the Spring Training depth chart.

And Young detected a wait-your-turn attitude. For Parra to develop into a two-time Gold Glove Award winner -- in left field

in 2011 and right in '13 -- he needed to become bolder.

"He was a shy kid who wanted to stay in the background in individual drills," Young said. "I just gave him a look, and we

made eye contact. I said, 'No. I want you in the front in every drill.'

"I'd watched film on him and heard good things about him. And as I saw him each and every day, I had to tell him as

reinforcement -- whether he thought it or not -- 'Hey, you're probably my best defensive player out here, better than Justin,

better than Chris. You can play.' He looked me in the eye like, 'You believe in me.'"

It wasn't all sweetness. Parra, with one of the Major Leagues' strongest throwing arms, at times would lay back in an

attempt to fool opposing runners into going for the extra base. Young didn't want him risking a runner gaining 90 feet.

"It's like my son -- there's that tone that I mean business, and that tone that we're going to have fun, and I was on him,"

Young said. "After a while, I could look at him and he was like, 'My bad, Papi.'

"I had to convince him that it looks just as good -- and you gain even more respect -- by charging and throwing a bullet to

that cutoff man and holding him to second base. Word got around and fewer guys started running, because in scouting

reports it said, 'This guy has a cannon, but more importantly he's very accurate.' You're more accurate when you charge,

because you cut that distance.

"You know what was tremendous? When he won the Gold Glove [in 2011], he asked me to present it to him out there on

the field. That was an honor. And he was adamant about this."

Parra said, "When I won my Gold Gloves it was, like, 50 percent to him. He helped me a lot, like how to catch a fly ball,

how you throw it. He's got good points for big league outfielders. That's my best outfield coach.

"Right after I signed, he called me and said he was happy I signed, and I could help us win. I want to win another Gold

Glove this year."

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Parra said playing left in an outfield with two-time Gold Glove winner Carlos Gonzalez in right and 2014 All-Star Charlie

Blackmon in center will make the Rockies' defensive outfield "the best in the National League." Maybe the Rockies will

live up to last year's first impression, which faded into a 68-94 finish.

"I saw a really good team, really good players," Parra said. "I like the adrenaline when the guys played baseball.

Everybody played happy."

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Veteran pitcher Betancourt to retire

Rockies hoping prospects can match their speed skills with power bats

By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | February 26

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rafael Betancourt, who joined the Rockies in a trade with the Indians during a 2009 playoff run

and ended up fifth in club history in saves and sixth in appearances, revealed Friday to a Venezuelan blogger that he is

retiring.

In a series of tweets in Spanish from a blogger for Diego Panorama in his home country of Venezuela, Betancourt, who

turns 41 on April 29, said "it was time." He also said he would love to be "linked" to baseball, but it's not clear if he'll

pursue coaching opportunities.

Betancourt originally signed with the Red Sox as a shortstop in 1993, but soon converted to pitcher and made the Majors

with the Indians in 2003. Betancourt pitched for the Rockies from midseason 2009 to '13, missed '14 because of Tommy

John right elbow surgery, then made the Rockies team again last Spring Training.

In his career, Betancourt was 38-37 with a 3.36 ERA in 680 appearances, and since his Major League debut on July 13,

2003, was never optioned to the Minors. With the Rockies, he appeared in 309 games and was 15-15 with 58 of his 75

career saves.

Betancourt's career was a testament to control.

According to Stats Inc., Betancourt threw 11,098 pitches in the regular season and postseason. In his 10th game, on Aug.

3, 2003, with the 142nd career pitch, Betancourt hit the Rangers' Marcus Thames on an 0-2 count. He completed his

career with a run of 10,956 pitches without another hit batsman.

In 2010 with the Rockies, Betancourt posted a whopping 11.13 strikeouts-per-walk rate. According to Tavis Strand of Root

Sports Rocky Mountain, Betancourt's 4.41 career strikeouts per walk ranks second in MLB history among pitchers with at

least 600 career appearances to Jonathan Papelbon's 4.54.

• The wave of prospects either hitting or about to hit the Majors consists mainly of solid hitters with speed --

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shortstop Cristhian Adames and outfielders David Dahl and Raimel Tapia. Others have hinted at power -- catcher Tom

Murphy (career high 22 homers in 2013), shortstop Trevor Story (20 last year) and third baseman Ryan McMahon (18

each of the last two years) -- but there isn't a monster home run hitter.

The Rockies' biggest chance to draft a ready-made power bat was in 2013, but the Cubs selected University of San Diego

slugger Kris Bryant second overall, which made drafting righty pitcher Jon Gray from the University of Oklahoma a no-

brainer.

The Rockies, who have happily accumulated hard-throwing pitching through the amateur ranks and through acquisitions,

aren't the only team noticing that power is scarce. Manager Walt Weiss noted that throughout the game the pendulum has

swung toward pitching.

Physical athletes also are gravitating toward the mound.

"There are plenty of athletic pitchers; pitchers, I will say, are getting bigger," Weiss said. "Obviously, we've seen the

velocity. It can be cyclical. The pitchers took a big leap and, generally speaking, have left hitters behind a little bit. But I

imagine hitters will close that gap at some point."

But with the Royals having won last year's World Series with quality at-bats rather than power, it could be that the

Rockies' system is moving in a successful direction.

"The game has changed the last few years," Weiss said. "Those [power] guys are harder to find. Ideally, you want those

guys sprinkled throughout your lineup. You can't have a whole lineup of those guys. There are too many empty at-bats,

typically. You want to be a complete lineup -- you want guys to handle the bat, the guys that can run and the guys that can

get you quick strikes, the big boppers."

Also, it's instructive not to put too much stock in Minor League power numbers. Of the aforementioned prospects, only

Murphy played college ball, so it could be a matter of players still growing and learning.

And, don't forget, two of the greatest power hitters in Rockies history -- Todd Helton and Matt Holliday -- each had a

career Minor League high of 16 homers.

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Arenado lets glove offer defense of ability

Third baseman says turnaround for Rockies hinges on starting pitching

By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | February 26

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado is such a standout defender that he doesn't need anyone

defending his reputation.

Shock arose in Denver and points beyond recently, when the MLB Network show "Top 10 Right Now" found five -- five? --

current third basemen better than Arenado. All Arenado has done is become the first National League player at his

position to win Rawlings Gold Glove Awards his first three seasons in the Majors, and he hit 42 home runs and led the

Majors with 130 RBIs last season.

A good list, of course, sparks debate. Just don't involve Arenado.

"I started getting texts. 'I can't believe you're ranked so low,' this and that," Arenado, who turns 25 on April 16, said. "I was

actually more mad about the people texting me than I was about the list that came out. That's just because I don't care. I

know my peers in this game respect me for how I play the game."

Besides, if Arenado wants to be in a bad mood, all he has to do is listen to predictions for the Rockies. Unlike Arenado's

play, which offers strong visual and statistical evidence for its quality, there's not much to say about five straight sub-.500

seasons and last year's 68-94 record.

Arenado greets a roster many see as curious. Starting pitching has lingered near the bottom of most statistical categories

for years, but several moves beefed up the bullpen (Jason Motte, Chad Qualls and Jake McGee) and reshuffled the

outfield (free agent Gerardo Parra in, Corey Dickerson gone to the Rays for McGee).

So Arenado is part of an offense that too often last year was submerged in deficits created by the starting staff. But the

plan is for Tyler Chatwood and Jordan Lyles to return from lengthy injury periods and for young pitchers who have

arrived over the last two years to continue their development. No free agent came riding on a new contract to save the

day.

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"Listen, we've got some young guys," Arenado said. "We need to grow and get better, and we need to step up. And we're

healthier than we were last year coming in. That could play a factor for us. This is going to be an interesting year. We

don't know how good we can be. I don't know how good we can be.

"Last year, you went into games and you were like, 'The odds aren't really in our favor.' Then you get off to a slow start or

you're down a couple of runs in the first inning, it plays a factor. If our pitchers and our guys can keep us in the game,

good things can happen."

Rockies manager Walt Weiss called Arenado "a pretty special kid -- his heart is right, his head is right, and it gives me

comfort knowing that he's one of the guys the rest of our guys look to."

The trade of shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to the Blue Jays last summer and Arenado's high-energy approach and easy

accessibility make him the logical new face of the Rockies. But what's more meaningful is the work he puts in when fans

aren't watching.

"It's not like we have a tarp down the line and he's going to jump on tarps and stuff like that, but all those range plays he

makes to both sides, he practices that," Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich said. "All those plays coming in, throwing

from different angles, throwing from different body positions, awkward body positions, he practices all that stuff."

Arenado is taking the same approach to his offensive game, where last season he barely increased the number of pitches

seen per plate appearance (from 3.43 to 3.49) but had higher quality by decreasing the number of poor swings because of

impatience. He's going to swing away and swing hard, but he is getting better at making those passes efficient.

He's calling for the same from a team that needs the respect that comes with winning.

"There's a lot driving me -- obviously, winning," Arenado said. "A lot of people are counting us out. It would be nice to

prove some of those haters wrong as a group. Individually, I just want to stay as consistent as I can. Whatever I did last

year, it's going to be hard to get back to that. But I can find ways to keep learning, keep growing and just find ways to

keep getting better at this game."

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New drill simulates game action

MLB introduces new sliding, pace initiatives

By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | February 26

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies manager Walt Weiss' background as a youth and high school football coach had him

wondering how to replicate game speed in baseball practice. The result was the "Win the Inning" drill that he unveiled in a

test-market fashion during Thursday's first full-squad Spring Training workout.

It was a rapid-fire succession of offense vs. defense innings. Catching and defensive positioning coach Rene Lachemann

served as the plate umpire, who would accelerate a count -- say, 2-1 after the first pitch. Minor League pitching

coordinator Doug Linton threw fastballs and offspeed pitches from behind a screen set up in front of the pitcher's mound,

to simulate the ball getting to the hitter faster. The idea was to think and execute offensively and defensively.

There were some good moments: Raimel Tapia tripled down the left-field line, and Will Swanner's single to right scored

him. Defensively, outfielder Brandon Barnes moved to second base and made a nice play to his left on a Tony

Wolters grounder.

On the flip side, Rafael Ynoa was at second when he took off on a liner to right and was doubled up, and

shortstop Trevor Story let a bouncer through the middle tick off his glove for an error.

Weiss said the introduction went well. Players jumped into action after a brief meeting and understood it, and the inning

wasn't interrupted by lectures from coaches. There weren't even signs; players coached themselves on bunt or hit-and-

run attempts.

Thursday's innings took place without valuable information that will be included in future drills, such as inning and score.

"Typically, we'll start with situations, we just wanted to introduce it to them," Weiss said. "We just wanted to keep it

moving, but as we go on we'll put emphasis on it, on game-on-the-line situations."

Second baseman DJ LeMahieu said there is value in forcing players to think at game speed.

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"We're going to have a lot of different situations out there and hopefully we're ready for those situations come the season,"

LeMahieu said. "And defensively, you can take all the fungoes you want, but to get the speed of the ball off the bat is a lot

different."

Third baseman Nolan Arenado, however, said the Rockies have to be careful about not forcing everyone to react to

situations the same way.

"I'm a different hitter than, say, DJ LeMahieu," Arenado said. "I want him to hit the ball the other way because he knows

how to do it. He can do it on inside pitches and I can't. Usually, on inside pitches, I'm going to let it eat. I've got to find

ways to get guys in, but I don't believe everyone's on the same execution plan."

Worth noting

• LeMahieu said he'd have voted for half of the rule MLB introduced, which protects middle infielders from late slides --

runners must hit dirt before the bag and be able to reach it and stay on it. But it keeps defenses from stealing outs with the

"neighborhood play," when they actually aren't in contact with the bag while receiving a throw on a force play.

"I feel like you can't review the neighborhood play," LeMahieu said. "But then again, it's weird that you can't review

something like that when you can review the littlest thing on the slide."

LeMahieu said he didn't think the slide was a huge issue, but the change was understandable given the injuries sustained

by the Mets' Ruben Tejada in the postseason and the Pirates' Jung Ho Kang during the regular season. But having to be

in contact with the bag when he gets the ball, with no wiggle room, is "gonna need to be a focus, making sure you're on

the bag."

• Weiss laughed off the limit of 30 seconds for a coach or manager to make mound visits. Usually, pitching coach Steve

Foster makes those informational visits. Weiss usually goes out to make a pitching change.

"We're gonna see some pitching coaches trying to get in shape," Weiss said. "Fostie has a pretty good gait. He always

jogs out there. He won't have to make many adjustments."

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Jake McGee throws fastballs with a tail; he may be Rockies’ new closer

McGee, a trade piece from Tampa Bay, is Colorado’s newest power arm

By Nick Groke / The Denver Post | @nickgroke | February 26

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Jake McGee throws with his foot on the gas. His gear is nearly high speed all the time. In six

major-league seasons, the southpaw has thrown fastballs with nearly 92 percent of his pitches.

And he's not shy about it.

"If I stick to my strength, my fastball, and locate it well, I can get a lot of people out," McGee said.

The new Rockies reliever — he and outfielder Gerardo Parra are the team's highest-profile offseason acquisitions — joins

a growing list of hard throwers in the bullpen.

In a January trade, Colorado sent outfielder Corey Dickerson to the Tampa Bay Rays for just two years of control on

McGee, who worked as an eighth-inning setup arm last season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs, playoff teams last season, showed interest in trading for McGee.

The Rockies, who drastically bolstered their bullpen by also signing free agents Jason Motte and Chad Qualls, are

banking on McGee powering them through late-inning jams.

"He throws it a lot," manager Walt Weiss said of McGee's fastball. "Hitters have a tough time seeing it. It's hard to believe,

but he's just as nasty against righties."

McGee, a lefty, has held left-handed batters to a .224 batting average against him in his career. But right-handed batters

have hit only .190.

That versatility sets up McGee as a natural choice for Colorado's closer in the absence of Adam Ottavino.

"They're saying eight or nine, depending on the situation," McGee said of his role. "I'm used to that with the Rays. They

told me to be ready in high- leverage situations."

His fastball — which averages 96 mph in both the four-seam and two-seam varieties — sets McGee apart, in part

because it's not so straight. "It has a lot of tail," he said. "It goes up and away from righties."

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When the Rockies pulled the trigger on the Dickerson-for-McGee trade, they gave up a left-handed power hitter who

missed significant playing time last year because of a foot injury. Dickerson's plantar fasciitis, though, doesn't seem to be

a long-term issue.

McGee has his own health issues. He started the 2015 season on the disabled list after elbow surgery, ceding his Rays

role as closer to Brad Boxberger. Then a knee injury set him down again. He pitched in three games to finish last season.

"Mine were more like oil changes," McGee said. "They were minor surgeries. So I was lucky. But after getting through

those, I feel much better. I feel refreshed."

McGee came to the Arizona desert early to get a jump-start on spring training. He wanted to work with Colorado catchers

to find a groove. After bouncing from the Rays to the Rockies, he is going full speed into the season.

"It was like, all right, I'm ready to go right now," he said.

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Rafael Betancourt, longtime Rockies reliever, retires with amazing stats

McGee, a trade piece from Tampa Bay, is Colorado’s newest power arm

By Nick Groke / The Denver Post | @nickgroke | February 26

Longtime Rockies reliever Rafael Betancourt retired from baseball Friday, according to Diario Panorama.

Colorado cut the 40-year-old right-hander late last season after he was designated for assignment in August. Betancourt

had held open a thin hope of returning to the major leagues. He returned last year from Tommy John surgery, and pitched

well early before struggling in the later months. With spring training now in full swing, he shut the door on playing again.

“I want to stay involved in baseball,” he told the Gerado Boscan. “When I get a proposal, then I’ll see.”

Betancourt, though, will leave the game with some impressive statistics behind him.

In 12 seasons, including six with the Rockies, Betancourt pitched as a control-focused set-up man. Tavis Strand of Root

Sports pointed out that Betancourt’s strikeout-to-walk ratio places him in rare company:

K-to-walk ratio leaders in MLB history

(minimum 600 career appearances):

Jonathan Papelbon … 4.54

Rafael Betancourt … 4.41

Mariano Rivera … 4.10

Billy Wagner … 3.99

Huston Street … 3.81

With Cleveland in 2007, Betancourt walked just nine batters over 79 1/3 innings. His control was impeccable.

But Betancourt’s legacy may be tied to one amazing number.

In 680 games, over 685 2/3 innings pitched, Betancourt faced 2,787 hitters. He threw 10,904.

He hit one batter.

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One hit-by-pitch.

Guy’s name is Marcus Thames. In 2003. He was with the Texas Rangers. Betancourt remembers the count — an 0-2

pitch. Jeff Sullivan wrote a great rundown about it in Fangraphs last year.

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Rockies middle infielders not pleased with new MLB sliding rules at second base

“I’m not really a fan of the rule change,” said Rockies infielder Daniel Descalso

By Nick Krueger / Special to The Denver Post | February 26 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The double play is an art form. If performed with flair and quick timing, the turning, feeding,

twirling and jumping looks more like a circus act.

Thursday, Major League Baseball announced its attempt to tame the three-man side show in the name of player safety.

Runners must make a "bona fide attempt" when sliding into second base.

Take note Chase Utley, the Los Angeles Dodgers infielder who sent Reuben Tejada of the New York Mets out of the

playoffs last October with a broken leg.

Rule 6.01 now states the runner needs to begin a slide on the ground before attempting to hit the base with a hand or

foot. Then he must remain on the base and not change his path to try and make contact with the fielder.

If it were up to Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu or utility infielder Daniel Descalso, they would have kept it the old

way.

"I'm all for player safety but I'm not really a fan of the rule change," Descalso said. "As a middle infielder, it's your job to

take yourself out of harm's way. If there is going to be a bang-bang play at second with a chance for you to be taken out,

it's your job to either hang in there or get out of the way."

That was a lesson he quickly learned in Single-A. The new rule also precludes roll blocks or any intentional contact with

the fielder. If that happens, an automatic double play will be called.

Last season the Rockies turned 171 double plays, 1.06 per game, good for third in all of baseball.

"I thought the rules were fine how they were," LeMahieu said. "Teams have a way of taking care of it themselves if they

feel it's not a right slide."

The league also announced the "neighborhood play" is now re-viewable with instant replay, meaning fielders must be sure

to touch second base when they turn two.

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"I'm lukewarm on the neighborhood thing," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "Guys are just going to be a little more in-

tune to where their feet are. I just hope infielders don't get to the point where they have to think about their footwork.

That's a concern I have."

A sure foot on the base means more practice time with a premium put on double play relays from the other middle

infielder. Fielders will also have to change how they protect themselves after touching the base.

"I've always used the base as a kind of protective barrier," Descalso said. "There aren't a lot of guys who are going to

want to slide over the bag to get to you so coming up I've learned that you can kind of use that base to protect yourself."

The talk to change the rule escalated during Game 2 of the NLDS last season when Utley rumbled into Tejada.

While Descalso felt remorse over the incident, he also expressed that it's part of being a middle infielder.

"That's the way the game is supposed to be played," he said. "If you're trying to break up a double play and you happen to

take me out in the process and it's a good, clean, hard play? I'll dust myself off and get back up and do it again."

Weiss will also experience some rule changes. Managers and pitching coaches will only have 30 seconds for mound

visits. The timer will start on the first step out of the dugout.

"A lot of people talk about how slow I walk to the mound," he joked. "I think it's going to have a minimal effect, really.

There are times where you have to slow the game down to get a reliever loose and it may affect that but other than that I

don't see it having a major impact."

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Tyler Anderson, Rockies pitching prospect, feeling “total rejuvenation”

Longtime Rockies reliever Rafael Betancourt retired from baseball Friday

By Nick Groke / The Denver Post | February 26

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Tyler Anderson was a cage rat, hanging off the fence during spring training last year, watching

bullpen sessions as baseball slipped away.

The Rockies put their once-prized pitching prospect on pause to help heal his elbow injury, and Anderson had trouble in

street clothes.

"It started to get harder and harder to wake up every morning," Anderson said. "It was a lot easier to hit the snooze

button."

Anderson, a left-hander who outpitched teammates Jon Gray and Eddie Butler at Double-A Tulsa in 2014, missed all of

last season while recovering from a stress fracture in his pitching elbow.

The 26-year-old returned to spring training last week. He is trying to make up for lost time.

"Now I wake up at 5:30 and my eyes are wide open and I'm ready to go," Anderson said. "I jump up because I'm so

excited to get to the field."

Anderson compiled an impressive 1.98 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with the minor-league Drillers two years ago. But overwork

and overuse put pressure on his joint, and it cracked. So the Rockies made him rest. For a year.

He returned to game action in November, pitching in five intrasquad games against teenaged prospects at the Rockies'

Dominican instructional complex.

His velocity has returned, he said, but more important is the joy.

"When I got back to the team, with the guys, I was like, 'This is so much fun again,' " Anderson said. "It's like a total

rejuvenation."

Anderson is now in line with a robust pipeline of pitchers. His year off from baseball bumped him down prospect rankings.

But his experience through four professional seasons is what sets him apart. He just has to prove he is healthy, starting

this spring.

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"From here, I truthfully mean this, I don't care if I go to Asheville in Low-A because I haven't pitched in a year and they

need to see it and I have to work my way up," he said. "As long as I'm pitching and playing, I'll be

"It's like Christmas every day, waking up and coming here. Now it's hard to fall asleep."

RAFAEL BETANCOURT RETIRES

Longtime Rockies reliever Rafael Betancourt retired from baseball Friday, he told Venezuela's Diario Panorama. Colorado

cut the 40-year-old right-hander last season after he was designated for assignment in August. In 680 career games,

Betancourt threw 10,904 pitches — but he hit just one batter, the Texas Rangers' Marcus Thames in 2003, on an 0-2

count.

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Memories of a great rivalry brought back on ice between Avalanche, Red Wings at Coors Field

Avalanche alumni defeat Red Wings alumni 5-2

By Terry Frei / The Denver Post | February 26 Lined up on opposite blue lines Friday night at Coors Field for the pregame introductions of the full rosters player by

player, the Red Wings and Avalanche alumni tapped their sticks on the ice in hockey's traditional gesture of respect and

support.

The Avalanche did it for the Red Wings, including Detroit's seven members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The Red Wings did it for the Avalanche, including Colorado's five Hall of Famers.

They've sufficiently gotten over the enmity, the spilled blood, the tensions that accompanied knowing that the path to the

most storied trophy in sports, the Stanley Cup, went through each other.

Or at least they've gotten over it enough to, over two days in Denver, interact and concede that without each other, their

places in hockey lore — and professional sports lore — might be very different. That linkage was one of the many draws

as a crowd of 43,319 watched the Avalanche alumni beat the Red Wings 5-2 on the eve of the Stadium Series regular-

season game between the two organizations on Saturday night. Temperature at the opening faceoff was 58 degrees and

the ice held up well ... or at least as well as could be expected.

Iconic defenseman Ray Bourque had a goal and two assists and Joe Sakic, the Avalanche's long-time captain and now

the team's general manager, had a goal and assist for Colorado.

"I thought the atmosphere was outstanding," Sakic said. "We knew there would be a big crowd, and it goes to show how

much this rivalry meant to the fans. Same thing with Detroit. I know the players on both sides appreciated it."

Goaltender Patrick Roy, now the team's 50-year-old coach, stopped 20-of-21 shots in two periods of duty in the Colorado

net.

"He's skating like he's 49 again," joked center Mike Keane, who came to Colorado with Roy from Montreal in a notorious

December 1995 trade.

Roy periodically had been donning the goalie equipment for several weeks and practicing with the Avalanche, and it

showed.

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"It was the first time for me to be part of an event like this, and I really enjoyed myself," Roy said. "I said I was going to

work hard before the game to make sure I'm ready to enjoy myself, and actually I did. I took the time to look at the fans

and talk to the guys before the game and look at the stadium. ...

"You don't want to embarrass yourself in front of our fans. Like it or not, they have some expectations for us and you want

to make sure you perform well. That's how we felt when we were playing and that's how I felt today, to come and play

hard for them, give them a good game and make them proud of us."

Bourque joined the Avalanche in 2000, at age 39, and then retired after fulfilling his quest to hold aloft the Stanley Cup

after a championship in 2001.

"That was a blast," he said. "It was a lot of fun, starting last night, meeting everyone and catching up. The atmosphere, the

crowd and the turnout was phenomenal."

Winger Valeri Kamensky, who journeyed from his home in Moscow for the game, scored the first goal in Avalanche

history, against the Red Wings in October 1995, and he opened the scoring in the alumni game Friday.

"To play together again like this, I need time to understand it," he said. "I think it's great to play in an open rink like this

with so many people. We had important series against them and now we win again and we feel good. And I score the first

goal like 20 years ago!"

Milan Hejduk and Stephane Yelle had the other Colorado goals, while Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan scored for

Detroit.

It was perhaps a three-quarters speed game, whether by choice or physical limitations at advanced ages, with only

incidental contact. But surprising attention was paid to the defensive end of the ice. Emotions never boiled over, though.

That was quite a departure, if an expected one, from the heyday of the rivalry.

The Yankees had (and still have) the Red Sox. The Lakers had the Celtics. The Bears have the Packers. Muhammad Ali

had Joe Frazier. The Montagues had the Capulets.

At least in sports, those rivalries were similar, but not instantly created, as happened after the Quebec Nordiques arrived

in Denver in 1995, were christened the Avalanche and won what generally is considered Colorado's first-ever major-

league championship in the franchise's first season in Denver.

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For a span of seven seasons, from 1995-96 to 2001-02, as the Avalanche and Red Wings won the NHL championship

five times, they were not only opponents, but sharp-edged opponents in a rivalry that overheated beyond the tensions

inevitable between elite teams seeking that single trophy.

Much it involved the Red Wings — most notably winger Darren McCarty — seeking to avenge the serious facial injuries

center Kris Draper suffered as the result of Avalanche winger Claude Lemieux's hit from behind in Game 6 of the Western

Conference finals in 1996, and the ripple effect lasted several seasons.

Judging from the scattered boos for various players from the crowd of divided loyalties advertised by wardrobe choices,

many of the fans hold grudges longer than do the players. The teams went through the postgame handshake line,

traditional after playoff series in the sport, and then took a group picture together.

The alumni and Stadium Series games officially on the primary ticket market were available only as a two-game bundle,

so many of the same fans will be back Saturday night.

This time, Roy will be standing behind the bench.

In a suit.

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Detroit Red Wings at Colorado Avalanche: How to watch on TV, preview and more

Semyon Varlamov will start in goal; rest of Avs’ lineup is the same from San Jose victory

By Mike Chambers / The Denver Post | February 26

In his 16th NHL season, Richards will play in his record fifth NHL outdoor game, and first with Detroit. Richards, 35,

played in three outdoor games for the New York Rangers and one with the Chicago Blackhawks. He has played one

game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, two at New York's Yankee Stadium and one at Nationals Park in Washington,

D.C. He has scored one goal in those games.

RED WINGS:

They have won only one of their past five games but gained points in their past three. They lost in a shootout and

overtime to Ottawa and the New York Rangers, respectively, before beating Columbus 2-1 in a shootout Tuesday. The

Avalanche beat Detroit 3-2 in a shootout Feb. 12 in Michigan. The Red Wings entered Friday with 71 points and in wild-

card playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

AVALANCHE:

Semyon Varlamov will start in goal. The rest of the lineup is the same from Wednesday's 3-2 shootout victory over visiting

San Jose. Colorado has 68 points, eighth most in the Western Conference. Entering Friday's games, the Avs led

Minnesota by four points and Vancouver and Arizona by eight. All Avs players watched Friday's alumni game at Coors

Field.

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These Rockies stink against left-handed pitching

By Matt Gross / Purple Row | February 26

It's been a rough winter ... err, eight months ... err, decade so far for fans of the Colorado Rockies. Combine all the

losing with the Tulo trade last summer followed by the perplexing lack of moves to better position the team for success in

seasons beyond 2016 this winter, and you end up with the fan base that's the least excited for baseball of any team in

the sport according to this week's Fangraphs polls (scroll to the bottom of the link to see them).

There's been plenty to criticize about this front office's 2016 plan, and yet, we haven't even touched on something

that's going to be an enormous problem for this team once the games get underway in a month. So let's do that now.

What I'm going to do here is post all of the Rockies hitters with at least 50 plate appearances against left-handed pitching

in a Rockies uniform over the last two seasons in two tables. The first table will include all of the hitters who posted a

wRC+ above 100 against left-handed pitching, and the second table will include all of the hitters who posted a wRC+

below 100 against left-handed pitching. Let's see if you can spot the problem.

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* * * * *

Something here should jump out immediately. Almost all of the hitters in the first table are players who are not going to

taking plate appearances in a Rockies uniform this season, and almost all of the hitters in the second table are players

who ARE going to taking plate appearances in a Rockies uniform. If the Rockies chose to cut ties with Jose Reyes as

soon as Rob Manfred rules on his domestic violence case, then Nolan Arenado is literally the only player on the first

table who the Rockies will have on their team this year.

Meanwhile, at least seven, and possibly eight (depending on if you think Kyle Parker will find his way Denver this season)

players in that second table are going to be a big part of the 2016 Rockies.

Many of the players in that first table had to go. The Rockies were right to get rid of Michael Cuddyer as his offensive

profile collapsed last season. Drew Stubbs and Wilin Rosario are so awful against righties, their bats couldn't be justified

on the roster, and Josh Rutledge just never could make it stick as an everyday player. However, when you combine all of

these guys leaving with the Tulo trade and letting McKenry go to Texas, you end up with a big, big problem.

You could start to see this storm gathering last season as the Rockies posted their lowest OPS and worst record of all

time against left-handed pitching. (Here's a table showing those numbers for the last ten years so you can get an idea of

where we stand going into 2016. The last column is the Rockies record in games STARTED by a left-handed pitcher.)

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However, now things are about to get even worse. While it's true that Stubbs and Rosario posted lower numbers than

usual against left-handed pitching in 2015, and that helped allow the team's OPS in this department slide to .677,

McKenry and Tulo were both still excellent here. In fact, there's no player in the baseball (minimum 50 plate appearances)

that has a higher OPS against left-handed pitching the last two years than Troy Tulowitzki, and the Rockies are about to

find out the hard way just how difficult it is for them to win games against left-handed pitching without his bat in the lineup.

To get a clearer idea of what the 2016 lineup will do against left-handed pitching, here's one last table showing all of the

players (with at least 50 plate appearances against major league left-handed pitching the last two seasons) I expect to get

routine time in a Rockies uniform this year.

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All I can say is "Please don't get hurt Nolan!!!" If he goes on the DL for any length of time this season, this team will be

train carrying toxic waste derailment ugly in this spot.

(Also of note, that Descalso number is a mirage fueled by a .400 BABIP against left-handed pitching when he played for

the Cardinals in 2014. His career OPS against left-handed pitching is .676.)

The new guys up from the farm are not going to help much here either. Tom Murphy, Cristhian Adames and Trevor

Story all have better offensive numbers against right-handed pitching than against left-handed pitching with Murphy's split

being particularly severe. Here are their total minor league OPS's at all levels in each situation:

Tom Murphy:

OPS vs. RHP: .908

OPS vs. LHP: .712

Cristhian Adames:

OPS vs. RHP: .741

OPS vs. LHP: .672

Trevor Story:

OPS vs. RHP: .843

OPS vs. LHP: .755

But wait, it actually somehow gets even worse when looking at the big picture. Last year, when the Rockies went an

abysmal 11-32 in games against left-handed starters, they were avoiding having to face many southpaws. The 43 they

matched up against in 2015 was the fewest they've matched up against since 2006, and that's largely been the case

because of the lack of left handed starters on other teams in the NL West. Here's how many games a lefty started for

each of the other four teams in the division last season:

Dodgers: 78

D-Backs: 39

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Giants: 32

Padres: 4

In total, that's just 24 percent of their 648 combined games. This year, there's going to be an uptick from the D-Backs and

Dodgers. The D-Backs are now expecting full seasons from Patrick Corbin and Robbie Ray instead of abbreviated

ones, and five of the top six pitchers in the Dodgers' rotation depth chart are now left-handed thanks to the additions

of Alex Wood and Scott Kazmir since the start of last season.

The Giants and Padres are not expected to see much movement here. San Francisco is still Bumgarner and all righties

and the Padres won't be starting any lefties unless Robbie Erlin sneaks into the rotation at some point. However, they

only had a combined 36 starts by left-handed pitching in 2015, so they can't bring this number down much.

In all, I'd expect the other four teams in the NL West to have closer to 35 percent of their combined 648 started by lefties

this year instead of the 24 percent from last year, and that will only make life more difficult for the Rockies. On the bright

side though, this lefty / righty breakdown will create a hilarious obstacle for the Giants in their quest to win the division. So

we can at least enjoy that.

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Detroit Red Wings at Colorado Avalanche: How to watch on TV, preview and more

Semyon Varlamov will start in goal; rest of Avs’ lineup is the same from San Jose victory

By Ethan Fisher / Purple Row | @misterfish1| February 26

Over at Mile High Hockey, we're very grateful you fine folks at Purple Row are letting us borrow Coors Field for

the Colorado Avalanche's first ever outdoor game in franchise history. We'd reciprocate by having the Rockies over on

the ice at the Pepsi Center, but that's probably not practical. So after discussing thank-you gifts amongst the Mile High

Hockey staff, we decided we could write you guys an article about how great this Stadium Series game really is.

I know what you guys are thinking: "We're letting a bunch of Canadians take over the stadium where America's favorite

pastime is celebrated in Denver? What is this crap?! Laying a sheet of ice over the diamond and letting these canucks

smack at a black piece of rubber with barbaric limber?! Blasphemy! This is worse than the Party Deck!"

Yeah, we know. All of that is true and cannot be denied. But you guys should watch! No sporting event has taken place at

Coors Field since September, and the Rockies' home opener versus the Padres is still more than month off. What are you

going to do? Search (futilely) for Kyle Kendrick highlights? Think about Troy "Tulowizki" home runs with a Costco supply

of Kleenex at your side?

Might as well get a good look at the old ballpark again and watch a Denver sports team play a meaningful regular season

game, because, well, let's face it: We know as Rockies fans, they have as much of a chance of playing important home

baseball there this year as there is of seeing a leprechaun ride a unicorn.

Without further ado, here's the Dummy's Guide to the Avalanche's Stadium Series game!

What? The second Stadium Series game of the '15-'16 season. The NHL began playing annual outdoor games on New

Year's in 2008 as a promotional stunt. A few years ago, NHL commissioner and descendent of evil Gary Bettman decided

it would be cool to have more games outside, risking the idea of "less is more." Alongside the annual Winter Classic

played on New Year's, two or three "Stadium Series" events would be held in the late winter or early spring to generate

more interest in a few regular season games. And more importantly to the league, dollar signs!

Coors Field will join Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, Citizens Bank Park, Nationals Park,Dodgers Stadium, and Yankee

Stadium as baseball fields to play host to an outdoor NHL game.

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Who? The Colorado Avalanche will host former division rival the Detroit Red Wings for the main event. In addition, many

of the best players from each team during the late-90s early-00s (ten Hall of Famers!) will play an exhibition match,

harking back to when the two teams were the best in the league and bitter enemies - easily as famous as the Yankees-

Sox, Dodgers-Giants, or Cardinals-Cubs in baseball today. Oh, and there will be a collegiate hockey game at Coors as

well! The Denver Pioneers will have warmed up the ice (that makes no sense but go with it) with the Tigers of Colorado

College a week before the retirees and professionals have at it.

Where? Coors Field, in the greatest city, Denver, in the greatest state, Colorado, in the greatest country, the US of A, on

the greatest planet, Earth.

When? Colorado College-Denver took place back on the 20th at 6:10 p.m. MT on ROOT Sports, the alumni game is on

the 26th at 5:00 p.m. on Altitude 2, and the main event between the Avs and Wings is on February 27th at 6:00 p.m. on

NBC.

Why?

1.) This is the most unique sporting event in Colorado this year, and possibly ever. Football and baseball? Both designed

to be played outdoors, though a few teams are dumb and play indoors. Basketball? Pretty much required to play indoors

because of weather. Hardwood floors and condensation don't mix! Hockey? Almost always played indoors, because that's

easiest, but when it is played outdoors, it's AWESOME. Colorado has never gotten an outdoor hockey game at any level

before, so this will be historic and thus unique. You only get to see something take place for the first time once (because

otherwise that would make no sense), so watch!

2.) Also, it should be a good game! Both teams currently sit in playoff spots and are playing competitive hockey.

Moreover, the hated Detroit Red Wings are the scum of the earth and deserve to lose every game they play for all

eternity. If the Avs inflict defeat upon those bastards on a national stage, it'd be pretty badass. And most importantly, after

rebuilding the last five years, the Avs are young, exciting, and getting better all the time. Right now, they

already have their version of Jon Gray, Brendan Rogers, Ryan McMahon, Ramiel Tapia, et al., and they're all about to

enter their prime.

3.) Or then how about Gabe Landeskog's gorgeous flowing locks? The Avalanche captain has hair spawned from an

angel. There is no other logical explanation. We're talking multitudes of Josh Rutledge here. This coif, when not

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concealed by a helmet, is like peering into heaven. Rox fans, if you're looking for beautiful dude follicles, make sure to

tune in.

4.) What else do you have to do? The Rockies' regular season doesn't start for a little while. The Nuggets, while better,

are still by no means a playoff contender in the NBA. The Broncos, always Denver's greatest hope, don't begin their quest

for a second straight championship for another six months, so tell me what you're planning to do instead of the fastest and

hardest-hitting game in all of sports. Unless you're getting dragged to dance recitals, or you're going to watch The Force

Awakens for the umpteenth time, there's no valid excuse.

Go Avs and Go Rockies!

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Carlos Gonzalez ‘relaxed’ and ready for anything with Rockies

By Jerry Crasnick / ESPN | February 25

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Winning might not be in Carlos Gonzalez's short-term future. But at least he can take comfort in

stability.

While Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce monitors social media for updates on his trade status, Dexter Fowler is just

settling in at the Chicago Cubs' camp only days after reports that he had agreed to a multiyear contract with the Baltimore

Orioles. Those quaint and innocent days of the hot stove being confined to November, December and January have long

since passed.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, revels in the familiar surroundings of the Colorado Rockies' clubhouse at Salt River Fields at

Talking Stick. Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich sent shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to the Toronto Blue Jays in a big July

deal, but Gonzalez has survived sporadic flurries of trade speculation and will return for his eighth season in a Colorado

uniform.

When Gonzalez shrugs off the perception that he might be stressed out about the trade rumors, it's not just a defense

mechanism. He was 22 years old when Arizona traded him to Oakland in December 2007, and 23 when Oakland dealt

him to Colorado for Matt Holliday the following winter, so he's prepared for whatever disruptions might come his way.

"I'm always relaxed, to be honest with you," Gonzalez said. "Of course, it's hard for Jay [Bruce] or guys who've been with

one organization for so long. But I understand the process. I've been traded twice, so it's nothing new for me.

"The first time I got traded, it was really hard on me. I went through a lot of emotions, because I didn't know what to

expect. That's normal. After the second time, I knew how to handle it. The bottom line for me is being able to play every

day and continuing to live my dream. Things go fast, so I'm trying to enjoy it as much as possible."

It's understandable why Gonzalez would be in demand for a team in search of a middle-of-the-order bat. He's a two-time

All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner who is under contract for a reasonable $37 million over the next two

seasons. He's enough of an impact player to attract the type of prospect haul the Rockies should be seeking in their

efforts to put a winning team on the field for the first time since 2010.

Gonzalez is also coming off an absurdly strong finish in 2015. After starting slowly while recuperating from knee surgery,

Gonzalez found his swing in June and began smoking balls with regularity. His 27 home runs led the National League

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after the All-Star break and tied Dante Bichette's franchise mark set in 1995, and he drove in a major-league high 62 runs

in that span. During a memorable 281 at-bat stretch from early June to early September, he went deep 32 times. That

averages out to a homer every 8.78 at-bats.

"I've never seen anything like it," Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado said. "He's a special player, and that's what

special players do. It was the most locked-in of anybody I've ever seen."

Gonzalez has a new running mate and workout buddy this season in outfielder Gerardo Parra, who signed a $27.5 million

deal as a free agent in January (paving the way for the Rockies to send Corey Dickerson to Tampa Bay in exchange for

closer Jake McGee). They're fellow natives of Venezuela who played together in Arizona's minor-league system before

the business of baseball sent them on separate paths.

Nevertheless, it seems a little strange to come to Rockies camp and see Gonzalez in his old corner locker without

Tulowitzki in the vicinity.

"It's tough, because Tulo and I spent about seven years together," Gonzalez said. "Having to see him leave was one of

the weirdest things in baseball. I really enjoyed playing with him for so long. We learned from each other, and we went

through a lot of situations together. We had good moments and bad moments. That's what it's all about -- all the

experiences you have in baseball."

If the Rockies plan to make inroads in the post-Tulo era, they'll need lots of competitive innings fromJorge De La

Rosa, Chad Bettis,Jordan Lyles, Tyler Chatwood andJon Gray in the rotation, and for veteran setup men Chad

Qualls andJason Motte to justify the combined $16 million that Colorado spent on two-year deals for them. The biggest

intrigue in camp revolves around the status of shortstop Jose Reyes, who has been placed on leave by Major League

Baseball pending a resolution of his domestic violence case.

Even if a lot of things go right, the Rockies probably will have to be satisfied with beating out San Diego and finishing

fourth in the National League West. At least the fan base can take solace in daily CarGo sightings at Coors Field. Now

that Todd Helton has retired and Tulowitzki is a Blue Jay, Gonzalez is officially "the man" in Denver. If he's ready to lead,

his teammates are happy to follow.

"It's a little different for him, yeah, and that's a good thing," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "CarGo is a guy who all his

teammates like. He plays with a joy, and he's got a good heart. If his voice is going to have more impact, I'm all for it."

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