Results tagged ‘ Rockies ’
A TeePee and a Sore Knee
Mets vs Rockies
Weather: 71 degrees, cloudy.
Wind: 9 mph, Out to CF.
T: 2:35 (:50 delay) for rain and hail
Att: 31,007.
Back at Coors after a not so great road trip.
The sky was ugly but it was warm. I’ll take warm anytime. Batting practice was better than usual for me today and I snagged three ground rule doubles. The first one I’m pretty sure was from Chris Iannetta and as it bounced into the first row I barehanded it.
The second bounced over Robert and Geoff”s head and I had a better spot in the tunnel which put me there first.
The third was a really nice catch off the bounce. All three were given away.
Today I discovered a “Purple Margarita”
It’s not often I drink something purple but I’ll admit it was pretty good.
Rockies were down two nothing in the second until “The Duece let loose with the juice”
Tulo hits a beauty off of Pelfrey. 
The Right field crowd realizing the baseball is headed their way.
If you look closely in-between the railing you can see Tulo’s homer.
Then the mad scramble for it.
All you can see here is a hand with a watch holding a ball.
In reality the dude with the black shirt and black hat snagged the ball and his little girl is holding it.
Not long after Seth Smith does the same thing.
You can see Smith’s homerun ball top of the picture in the middle.
All I can say is if that was my wiener I’d be treating it a little better…Can you say condiments?
But totally bobbles the second one…They boo-ed him…LOL
The Coors Field “Crack of the Game”.
-CCCCCHHHHHH
Not to be outdone Cargo gets his first homerun at Coors this year in the sixth inning.
You can see Cargo’s homerun just above the yellow line on the right side. On the left side of this picture you can see Douglas cheering.
In the seventh inning with Dexter Fowler at bat the game gets delayed for rain and depending on where you were sitting…hail.
Check out the hail.
Out comes the tarp. Notice there are eight guys in the picture.
Now how many do you see?
Here’s the dude just before he gets completely covered.
The groundkeeper stuck here under the tarp looks like a Teepee. Guys remind you of anything in the morning?
Here he is making his exit to a cheering crowd.
After fifty minutes they removed the sand bags, folded up the tarp and Dexter Fowler was back up to bat. 
Dexter fouled one off his knee and goes down quick.
Dexter exited the game and Ryan Spilborghs took his spot.
Here are some random pics.
Jon Herrera daring someone to cross this line.
I call this set of pictures:
“Hawaii Bob doin his Job”
“Excuse me sir may I see your tickets?”
“Sir these are Rockpile tickets. You’re sitting in the wrong section”
Hawaii Bob gives them the boot and sends them on their way with a smile.
Ian Stewart broken bat series.
Cheers to you Jersey Geoff.
Best jacket of the game 
Mets take this one 4-3. I hate losing to the Mets at home.
Mike…The Rox Addict standing tall in the Homeboy Hangout.
Mark, Tracy and Tom Post Game.
Other than Mike, Robert and I, these were really the only other Rockies fans hanging out after this loss.
That got us a little TV time. Thank you Joy for sending me this.
The first time I’ve ever heard the words Rockpile Ranter uttered on Television and it’s followed by the Cowboy saying I’ve got fleas and Tom saying I’ve got ants in my pants.
No worries, you get what you get when you’re a white boy and you shake your groove thing on TV.
You can expect a different dance now every time the Rockies lose and Mike and I are there postgame
Cheer on your Rockies, believe me you don’t wanna see us dance.
I’m “D” The Rockpile Ranter and this is the purple mohawk dude.
We both agree, it’s time for the Rockies to get a grip and stop this slip….D
Cold is the Word…This One’s a Frozen T-urd
4/29/11 Pirates vs Rockies Game 1
Weather: 53 degrees, cloudy.
Wind: 16 mph, In from RF.
T: 2:37.
Att: 34,477
Today was supposed to be the warm game of this series, not so much.
Batting practice was a good time today. I ran into Joy and Jim and Keelan and I snagged two baseballs. The first was a BP homerun off of Troy Tulowitzki and the second was a BP homer hit by a Pirate that took a nice bounce off the bleachers and rebounded back to me.
Both were given away to tiny Rockies fans.
Dan has a video of the catch and I’ll upload it as soon as it’s available.
A few degrees colder and the Hosers would have been making snow.
Really guys shorts?? It’s the cold and flu season.
Just before the game started I met up with my friends Scott and Ruth, both huge Rockies fans and we watched this nipple hardner from the Rockpile.
Here’s George and Drew of ROOT SPORTS set up by the Tequila Bar.
Here’s Bob Apodaca thinking warm thoughts.
Though McCutchin may have broken his bat here.
In the third inning he hit a homer off of Chacin and put the first run on the board.
This guy is dangerous.
To quote Robert, “McCutchin is one of the few players who makes Dexter Fowler look slow”.
It was a strange bat day, here’s a floating bat.
Here’s Cargo breaking his bat too. I’ve never taken two broken bat pictures in one game.
Cold weather definately takes its toll on wooden bats. 
Dude just snagged a game foul ball.
OUT !
I have always wanted to take pictures of it snowing inside Coors Field. I call this one….
“Tulo in the Snow”
Watch the expression (or lack thereof) from the dude holding the shovel.
I love what I do
This was an extremely cold and uneventful game, the wind was the kicker.
Clint Hurdle’s Pirates get the win over the Rockies 3-0. Chacin did a pretty good job as far as I was concerned despite the loss. I plan to be much better prepared for tomorrow’s game.
Tulo’s stuck at 99 homeruns and I’ll be sitting front row in left field.
I’m “D” The Rockpile Ranter and the Cold is gett’n Old.
Photo courtsey of Mike the Rox Addict
I’m on the search for the NEW Mobile Blogging Unit…I think I may have found it.
C’mon Rockies, it’s the Pirates at Coors…Let’s take this series…D
Blue-Who?..Rockies take Two
4-17-11 Cubs vs Rockies Game 3
Weather: 68 degrees, cloudy.
Wind: 29 mph, L to R.
T: 3:42.
Att: 42,212
At this point in this series the Rockies and Cubs are tied at 1-1.
First bobblehead game of the year and it’s a cool one. Lots of folks showed up early. 
They showed up early because it’s the Ubaldo Jimenez commerative no-hitter bobblehead and there’s only 10,000 of them.
Hunter and I got ours
We sort of missed our chance to go onto the field for autographs so we stayed in the pavilion for batting practice.
Gary X has proved to me in a very short time that he is a master at autograph collecting. 
Staying turned out to a wise move as I snagged my first homerun ball on the fly. I can’t tell you how good it felt and it was a nice catch to boot. In my head it was nice to know I still got it. I gave that ball away to a little guy there with his folks.
Once again Hunter showed his Pops how it’s done and by the end of BP he managed to snag four baseballs, two of which he gave away to young Rockies fans. Hunter “gets it” and I couldn’t be more proud of my guy.
Here are a few pre-game shots.
Best shorts of the game.
Some VERY cool dudes I work with.
Captain Earthman trying to “Phone Home”
Here are the game shots in absolutely no order.
I LOVE THIS SHOT
I call this one “Flying Cargo”.
Here’s a breakdown of the Helton/Herrera collision over by first base.
I see this at every game. So here’s:
“That person who wears a Broncos shirt to a Rockies game”
I’m sure I’ll have at least one of these a game for ya.
In what was a tied game going into the 8th inning. The Rockies decided it was time to end the stalemate and opened up a can of something?
Rockies scored four runs to make the score 9-5. Huston Street did what he normally does in the ninth, and the Rockies take two out of three from the Chicago Cubs.
Take that Cubs fans!
Here’s Homeboy Tom Helmer doing what he normally does.
GO TOM!!
I recently did a phone interview with Michael Posner who works in the Commissioners Office. It was arranged by Sarah Leer of MLB.
Michael is the Program Director for the Baseball Authentication Program for Major League Baseball.
I have wanted to interview a Baseball Authenticator for a long time and with the help of Queen Geri and Sarah, Michael and I had very informative chat for about twenty minutes.
In the near future I hope to actually chat with a Baseball Authenticator that works at Coors Field and get a feel for what he does. I plan to do this blog entry in two parts so look for Part 1 in the near future.
Great stuff about baseball authentication… Really nice guy, I learned a lot from Michael.
I”m “D” The Rockpile Ranter and if you haven’t noticed I’m upping my game.
I’m thinking about giving “Live Blogging” another shot. I’m a little better prepared this time so we’ll see how it goes.
GO ROCKIES…”D”
Cubs Show It and the Rockies Blow It
4-16-11 Cubs vs Rockies Game 2
Weather: 65 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 12 mph, In from CF.
T: 3:22.
Att: 40,264
I didn’t know what to expect weather wise after yesterday evenings cold game. This game was actually a little bit warmer.
Congrats to Dinger who turned 17 today. I’m thoroughly amazed his purple bedazzled a-ss still has a job.
I love the Rockies but there’s two things I’d really like to see happen one day. One is replacing Dinger with a tougher looking dinosaur. A wimpy mascot projects a wimpy image…feel me?
Keep the same dude that’s in the suit now…I don’t want anyone to lose their job.
The other thing I’d like to see Tulo pick a manly walk-up song for a change. Knowing I have to listen to Justin Bieber all season long is disturbing to say the least.
Even Dinger’s dad on the left looks like a pansy.
Batting practice was a bust for me today. I’ve snagged four baseballs for the season but only one of them was a catch and it wasn’t on the fly.
This game straight up sucked. Cubs fans were in full force with their loud drunk selves.
This is my picture show for this game. I’m having fun with this new camera.
All of these pictures were taken from the Coors Field Rockpile..Birthplace of the Rockpile Ranter.
This game was one of the few times I couldn’t wait to leave Coors Field especially after that painful seventh inning. The only Rockies homerun was from Chris Iannetta in the eighth inning. I waited for the Coors Field magic to kick in but the only thing kick’n was my migrane.
Rockies lose at Coors Field to the Cubs…8-3
This series is split.
Anyone else notice the two times the Rockies have worn purple at home have been losses?
I’m D The Rockpile Ranter and I REALLY hate losing to the Cubs at home.
Rockies are Hot…Cubs are Not
4-15-11
Cubs vs Rockies Game One
Weather: 55 degrees, clear.
Wind: 10 mph, In from LF.
T: 2:22.
Att: 30,285
Something felt different at Coors Field today. Normally when the Cubbies are in town Coors Field is swarming with over enthusiastic Cub fans doing their best to try and own our stadium for a few games. Not today, Cubs fans were few and far between.
I thought maybe it was the weather, but the Cubs habitate in Chicago and they’re no strangers to cold April baseball. Then I though “Could they be scared or intimadated?
The Rockies are on fire right now and it’s hard to be over enthusiastic when you’re playing the number one team in baseball and they’re kicking your a-ss.
Batting practice was totally hampered today by the wind. Balls that easily would have landed in the pavilion were landing twenty feet short. I ran into Joy today at batting practice. She was hanging out waiting on the rest of her crew.
I gave her the last of the six “Helmer is my Homeboy” T-shirts that Tom Helmer gave me.
Just so you know, I gave them to:
Dan
Robert
Marianne
Mike
Joy
and me
If you want a “Helmer is my Homeboy” T-Shirt hang out behind the pavilion where ROOT SPORTS does their post-game broadcast after a Rockies win. Helmer has been known to toss a few of his shirts out to Rockies fans.
I believe someday they’ll be collectors items.
Batting practice was almost over and I walked up to Joy and said “I gotta feeling it’s gonna happen”. Not thirty seconds later a ball was hit my way and I realized it was going to fall a bit short. Fortunately this one took a hearty bounce and I snagged it.
First caught ball of the season, a ground rule double..I’m ok with that
In case you were wondering why all the players had #42 on their jerseys it’s because it was Jackie Robinson Day.
I think they do this just to mess with folks.
Here are a few pre-game pictures.
Robert and the Rox Addict (BFF’s)
Cathy Sabine making Coors Field look just a little bit better.
There were a couple of powerballs on the field as well. Notice how one of ‘em is hang’n just a bit lower?
Alanna Rizzo of ROOT SPORTS
I didnt know it at the time I took this picture, but these two would be the heros of this game.
Jim Tracy showing the Umpires which way the wind blows.
A few random game shots.
Umpire Jerry Layne was tagged in the left ankle by a line drive from Carlos Pena in the second inning. The dude tried to get out of the way but didn’t quite make it.
He was down for a couple of minutes but walked off the field on his own. Glad he’s ok.
Here’s a few action shots straight from the Rockpile.
Worst hair of the game…Cub blue…Ewww
Chacin was money again tonight. He pitched his first career shutout.
This game was all Chris Iannetta. In the third inning with bases loaded Chris hit a triple, scored the three on base and because of an error on the play at third Chris managed to get home.
It was beautiful. I was so happy to see Chris do that. He needed that.
Final Score: Rockies 5…Cubs 0
Rockies have won seven in a row and their record is 11-2.
That’s the best record in MLB right now.
Part-time Rockies fans, the bandwagon is rolling full speed, time to get on.
I’m D The Rockpile Ranter…I’m in it to win it…D 
Dodgers get none while the Rantics have fun
4-5-11 Dodgers vs Rockies Game 1
Weather: 71 degrees, clear.
Wind: 14 mph, L to R.
T: 2:19.
Att: 24,693
The game today was my third this season and the Rockies first against the Dodgers. I arrived at Coors Field and guess who was there ahead of me?
Leave it to the some of the Rantics to be the first ones at the gates. That’s what I’m talking about. Left to Right.. Mike the Rox Addict, Alannah X and Gary X.
Mike may be the Rox Addict, but he was a Rantic first
I was looking forward to this game as I knew it wouldn’t be nearly as crowded as it has been the last few games. As soon as they opened the gates Mike and I headed for the Pavilion. I was gravitating over to my usual spot and noticed a baseball sitting under a bleacher.
This Coors Field rarity is know as an Easter Egg and believe it or not it’s my first at Coors Field. The Coors Field Ushers unfortunately do a great job of picking up ALL the baseballs before we get inside and somehow they missed this one.
My first ball of the year…An Easter Egg…I’m ok with that. Something new right?
Rockies were on the field and batting practice was in full swing. Ball two was tossed up to me by Ubaldo Jimenez as the Rockies were leaving the field. I gave it to a little girl who was with her mom leaning on the railing.
Dodgers took the field and not long after I was tracking my third ball. In the chase for the ball I found myself in the tunnel and realized I didn’t have a chance at the ball as it was going to land inside the pavilion not inside the tunnel.
I’ve learned not to give up at that point as any number of things can happen, and did.
The guy who attempted to catch this homer let it bounce out of his glove and it dropped down into the tunnel right in front of me and I snapped it up. Game three of the season and still no balls caught on the fly 
I gave that ball away to a little boy standing close by with his family.
That would be it for batting practice.
As we walked by ROOT SPORTS I took this shot of R-LUV with Tom Helmer in the background.
R-Luv got to sit in the pavilon today so she gave me her ticket which wound up being in the first row of right field, prime home run territory. No luck, however during the very next game Todd Helton hit a homerun to that exact location.
George and Tracy pre-game.
Here are your Rockies warming up.
Tulo started today’s game with a .000 batting average.
In the fourth inning all that would change, Tulo gets his first hit of the season off of Kershaw with two out.
In the fifth inning with two out Chris Iannetta decided it was his turn. 
A few random game shots.
Dan and Emily during the seventh inning stretch.
Spilly tossing his warm-up ball into the right field crowd between innings.
Alannah X ran into a friend from school and the two of them got to watch the game together. I promised I’d post their picture.
Props to Chacin for pitching 7 scoreless innings. Rockies beat the Dodgers at Coors field with a final score of 3-0.
Mike, R-Luv and I hung around after the game. Here are a few shots of the ROOT SPORTS crew doing the post game report.
Check out the video of Tom tossing out his T-Shirts
A few entries back I mentioned that I wanted to interview a Rockies fan every other game or so. Well I had someone step up to the plate and volunteer, I like that.
Her name is Katerina and I first met her a few months ago while standing in line outside of Coors Field waiting to purchase Rockies tickets with Hunter and Mylee. She mentioned she had read the Rockpile Rant and really liked the blog Purple Row.
We talked about the Rockies while we waited in line.
Very cool lady, HUGE Rockies fan and my first fan interview of 2011.
1. How did you become a Rockies fan?
Becoming a Rockies fan was a choice I made four years ago this month. Wow, four years! But how and why: I just decided I wanted to follow baseball and learn more about it. The choice for the team I would root for was obvious, because the Rockies were the home team, and not to mention their colors were purple. I’m the only Rockies fan in my family, so I guess that makes me the purple and black sheep, but at least they raised me to root for the home team, and none other.
I hate to be classified with the ’07 bandwagon fans, but truth is: it was during that run when I first realized I loved them, and during that first offseason when I realized I had an addiction. It gets worse and worse, or rather better and better each year. It’s been a great ride, and I feel honored to be living during such a great time to be a Rockies fan.
- Who is your favorite Rockies player (current or past) and why?
My favorite player is Troy Tulowitzki. He always was, since his rookie year, and it’s awesome to say that he always will be, because of his contract extension.
I chose Tulo because he is a great player, defensively and offensively. Also, two had been my favorite number, and the fact that he was a rookie that seemed to be staying for a while certainly helped that choice. But the greatest reason I chose him was the fact that he wants to play the game the right way, and wants to be the best at it. I can relate to his competitiveness and passion. And Tulo wants to win. When he showed loyalty by signing to stay with Colorado forever he was cemented even more as my favorite player.
Yeah, his song and hair might be ugly sometimes, or most of the time, but it’s awesome to be stuck with Tulo as a favorite player.
- Favorite Rockies moment or memory.
Wow, only one? That’s hard.
I have to go with having mine and my family’s ears glued to the radio during Rocktober. That streak was just so awesome, and listening together, staying up way past our bedtimes is a classic memory I’ll never forget.
I’ve had a lot of good memories next to the radio these past few years.
Near seconds are attending a Rox game at AT&T Park last August, appearing on and being interviewed for Rockies All Access Tulo show last spring, and being at 2009 Game Four in the bottom of the 8th before Huston Street broke our hearts.
I feel the best is yet to come…very soon.
- If you could have any job with the Rockies organization what would you like to do?
If I would choose any job in the organization, I’d work on the Rockies Magazine staff. Even proofreading every issue would be cool.
Either that or be the person who secretly switches out the humidor-ized baseballs for ones that haven’t been in the humidor, and sneaks the “juiced balls” into the Giants ball bag when they come to Coors Field.
Alright, that last one is a joke.
Thank again Katerina, great job. I’ll change-up the questions each time.
I had a few more pictures but MLBlogs started acting up again so we’ll call this one done.
I’m “D” The Rockpile Ranter, gett’n by, still trying to catch one on the fly….D
First of the Year…Time for Brats and Beer
4/1/11
ROCKIES OPENING DAY 2011
Opening day at Coors Field. I missed it last year because I had to work and this year I was twice as ready to soak in the festivities.
My day started out with a 10am breakfast at the 20th Street Cafe with Pete, Robert, Geoff, Mike(not in the picture because he was late), and Douglas..
This breakfast is a tradition for Douglas but for the majority of us it was our first time attending. Nothing wrong with starting a big day out with a great breakfast and mine was pretty tasty. Biscuts and Gravy with a side of hash browns..Mmmm.
Douglas mentioned this is his 30th consecutive Opening Day..That’s impressive!
I really like hanging with these guys. We’re all from totally different backgrounds but we click because we’re all baseball freaks in our own special way.
I know it sounds bad but after breakfast Geoff, Pete and I headed over to The Falling Rock Tap House to have a beer and just observe the goings on.
That’s where I bumped into John. I first met John at Kaufman Stadium last year. He was doing the same thing we were just checking stuff out.
These guys were from the Radio Statiion Alice 105.9 and were going around to fans and asking them to fill out a survey. 
The survey was just a list of potential new names for the Rockies…They said that at the end of the season the Rockis were going to choose a new name and they had a list of ten or so names such as The Trout, The Miners, really stupid names.
They asked me to rank them in the order I liked them and I kind of stood there for a moment and then I said “I can’t rank these they all suck” The guy kept at me to just choose and finally I just told him “Dude I can’t choose any of these”.
It was then they said where they were from Alice 105.9 and yelled “April Fools”.
After we finished our beer we wandered some more and I bumped into loooong time Rantic and Rockies employee my friend and fellow MLBLogger Missy.
A closer look at whatever is on their feet. Festive but I don’t think I could Rock ‘em.
The Coors Light girls were out in full force letting folks play with their beanbags.
Live broadcasts were a plenty on Blake Street.
While wandering we ran into Danny, his wife and Randy.
ROOT SPORTS was everywhere
We joked and said if this guy was the man he would have had a ticket already. We later saw him inside Coors field.
Apparently he is Da Man, totally my bad.
Batting practice was a bust for me. I managed to get some play but the 1/4 inch I lost in height from my back surgery was the key factor in missing two balls by that exact amount.
That’s my story anyway
Here are a few shots of the Rockies pre-game.
Ladies and Gentlemen…The 2011 Coors Field Hosers.
Tulo and Cargo were presented their Golden Glove and Silver Slugger awards.
They were posing so what the hey?
The Captain do’n his part to help quench thirst.
Tulo had a couple chances to really come through but ended the day with the same batting average as he started, .000.
The Duece had a Goose.
Helton was looking good. I hope that’s a sign of things to come.
The entire concourse was packed, seriously packed.
Rockies lost their home opener 7-6 in 11 innings. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.
Here’s Mike and I post game doing our thing in the background.
A while back I mentioned in an entry that I heard a rumor that Bud Selig would be at the opening of Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. I believe I mentioned I though his autograph would be a cool one to add to the collection.
Tom Helmer wrote me a few days later and told me he could get me Selig’s autograph. Apparently The Cowboy and Bud Selig are good friends. So when ran into Tom in Scottsdale I gave him a new baseball just in case.
I kind of forgot about it until a couple of days before Opening Day at Coors Field. Tom sent me an email and said that Ringolsby got Selig to sign the ball for me and he would give it to me on Opening day.
Well he did.
I just want to give a huge thanks to Tom Helmer and Tracy Ringolsby for doing this for me and for being extremely cool to the Rantics.
ROOT SPORTS…We’ve got your back.
After the game Douglas, Robert, Mike, Pete and I headed over to a jam packed Blake Street Tavern to wind down and reflect on the Rockies loss
That’s where we ran into Mr Checkers.
I’m “D” The Rockpile Ranter.
Black or white, me and the boys did Opening Day right…”D”
Chill’n in the Sun, Baseball’s Officially Begun
ATTENTION-There are more pictures for this entry but MLBlogs is having issues with uploading pictures so when I can upload more I will…Thanks…D
3/31/2011
While other fans are celebrating their opening day, Rockies fans wait patiently for Friday’s home opener. The weather is supposed to be absolutely beautiful tomorrow and in Colorado warm sunny days with no snow in April is a good thing.
Today Rockies fans were allowed to enter Coors Field a day early with the purchase of a $6.00 ticket(proceeds going to the Rockies Foundation). The ticket came with a voucher good for a Rockies game during April and May, the chance to get a few autographs and the opportunity to watch the Rockies workout.
I received a text from Gary X about ninety minutes before the stadium opened letting me know that they were first in line.
When I arrived, I found Gary X and Alannah X rock’n first and second place in line along with Mike and Douglas close by.
They were kind enough to save me a spot..Thanks G
After the gates opened everyone was determined to get a good spot in line for autographs. Not me, I noticed an empty outfield and the D-Backs were on the field taking BP. I headed straight for the pavilion and had the entire left and center field to myself for at least ten minutes.
As luck would have it, not even one baseball was hit even close to the outfield the entire time I was there, …all alone, with the snagging opportunity of a lifetime.
Still it felt good and I’m glad I got to do it.
After my ten minutes of private bliss the pavilion started to fill in and I mean fill in big time. There was an extremely good turnout for this Rockies “Workout For Charity”. Fans relished this unique opportunity to see their team up close and personal one day before the Rockies season starts.
It was fun, fun to sit in the outfield and take in the sights. Fun to see familiar faces and talk Rockies baseball real time with good friends, it felt good to be back.
Jim and Joy and their son were sitting next to me in the pavilion.(Great to see and hang with you all).
Once the D-Backs finished their batting practice I asked Jim to watch my backpack and Mike and I hoofed it over to the first base side to take a few pictures of the pitchers who were over in right field doing their warm-ups.
That lasted all of about five minutes because I noticed the Rockies were starting to gravitate towards the batting cage. That was my clue to get my butt back over to the pavilion. There were probably six baseballs hit to left and center field but with all the people blocking the ability to move I didn’t have a chance at any of them.
Gary X informed me that at one point I was looking the wrong way and I missed a toss up…It figures .
Jason Giambi is the still man. I watched Giambi hit two baseballs into the third deck and another ball bounced off of the third level rail. The dude still has a lot of power in that swing and his swing was ON today. Tulo had a bit of a slow start but at one point hit about four homers into the pavilion behind me about fifteen feet.
Cargo launched a beauty into the third level and looked like the Rockies long term superstar was having a great time today. Props to Esmil Rogers (aka Mr Rogers today) for tossing out a bunch of baseballs to extremely eager young fans and for taking the time to sign for a group of fans in the first row of the outfield.
I’m ready. Everyone at Coors Field today was ready.
When I wake up, it will be opening day and I’ll be at Friday, Saturday and Sunday’s games.
I”m “D” The Rockpile Ranter and if you’re not at 20th and Blake tomorrow gett’n your Rockies groove on you’ll be missing all the opening day festivities.
I wish Tom Helmer and the crew at ROOT SPORTS the best tomorrow on their first day of broadcasting. That whole team is the best and we’re lucky to have them.
Go Rockies…Let’s change things up and start the season off STRONG…D
Going Squirrely?…You Can Get in Early
3/23/11
I still can’t stop thinking about Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
I keep thinking woulda, coulda, shoulda.
It doesn’t help that Dan and Emily just got back from a week in Scottsdale a few days ago, Mike got back yesterday, Geoff is back and Robert has been there since the first game.
All I can say is next year I’ll have more time and now I sort of know the ropes. Look out!
I try not to set my goals too high as life has it’s own share of built in disappointments and I don’t need to add to it..But, living in the mountains gives you lots of time to ponder stuff.
Below is a list of things I’d like to accomplish in 2011. None of them may ever happen but a guy can dream.
Goals and Dreams for 2011
More than anything on this big blue earth I want to catch my first live game home run during the regular season.(4th year’s a charm). It’s got to happen, nobody can come so close so many times and not eventually snag one right?
All I can figure is there’s a master plan out there and my first homerun catch is gonna be a monumental one. Believe it or not I dream about this and in the dream it’s Todd Helton who homers to me.
Have the opportunity to rub up a few baseballs with Lena Blackburn’s mud that will then be used during the game. 
Throw out the first pitch of any game.
Take batting practice with the Rockies, hit a few maybe field a few.
Snag 50 BP baseballs in 40 games.
Have an opportunity to take game pictures in the media section right next to the Rockies dugout.
Try again to get Jason Giambi’s autograph on my Spring Training homerun of his from last season.
Interview one of the Baseball Authenticators that secretly inhabit Coors Field.
Make new friends and increase the Rant’s following with the goal of making the Rockpile Ranter a household name in Colorado.
Be part of one of Tom Helmer’s “Tom on the Town” segments along with the Rantics
Find a way to make baseball a full time job rather than my hobby .
The Rantics are an intense group of loyal Rockies baseball fans. A Rantic is someone who would do almost anything for their team at a moments notice. If that describes you and we’ve never met, I want to meet you.
Every other blog entry or so this season I’d like to profile a new Rockies fan. I plan to take a picture of them and ask a variety of questions and I’ll post it on the blog. That is how I built the Rockpile Rant, one reader/friend at a time.
Give me three minutes of your time, I’ll make ya famous
If you want to get a sneak peak of your Rockies before opening day you might want to pick up a couple tickets for the “Rockies Workout for Charity” on March 31st.
Tickets are six bucks and all net proceeds benefit the Rockies Foundation.
With your six dollar ticket you will receive a voucher for a complimentary ticket for select April and May home games, subject to availability.
Gates open at 1pm. The Rockies will be signing autographs at 1:30 for twenty minutes along the first baseline. Similar to Autograph Sundays I presume.
The Rockies will take the field at 2:10 and will go through a full workout lasting about ninety minutes.
It will be cool, you’ll get to walk around Coors Field and check out all of the new stuff that was added, snag a few autographs and if we’re lucky get in a round of batting practice.
I’m “D” The Rockpile Ranter and I’m ready for some home cooked food and some live baseball.
Wont you join me?..Go Rockies…D 
I end up with one…But damn it was fun
2/28/11 Rockies Spring Training Game Two
Today was all about relaxing, watching some baseball and maybe snagg’n a ball or two. Hunter and Mylee spend Friday-Sunday visiting grandma and grandpa and they had a blast cruising all over the desert in their grandpa’s tricked out Jeep Rubicon.
Today was their chance to see some baseball before catching our flight back to Denver at 6:50.
There were a few fans standing in line as we approached the centerfield gates but I could tell there would be a lot less people in attendance today. The weather was perfect. It was just shy of 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. We couldn’t have asked for a better day.
As soon as the extremely friendly Ushers let us inside we headed for the left field berm.
I learned my lesson from Saturday and was avoiding the right field berm. It took a little over thirty minutes but eventually the Rockies wandered out, started warming up and began to take some swings.
While Hunter and I were standing on the berm a guy who works for the Rockies (I think) walked up to Hunter and I and asked me how old Hunter was. I told him twelve. He said that was too bad. I asked “why”.
He said he was going to ask if Hunter wanted to be the Rockies bat boy for the game.
I was floored, Hunter was in shock. Unfortunately you had to be fourteen. He said come back in two years and I told him I’d hold him to it. As bummed as I was that Hunter couldn’t do it I was really impressed that he came over and asked us…Thank you Sir that was extremely cool.
With us today was Krista’s sister Angie who lives in Arizona.
If you’re in Arizona and are looking to adopt a small dog please check out her website.
Mini MIghty Mutts..Little dogs need good homes too.
How cool is this? The Vendors here sell Rice Krispy Squares 
Here are a few videos Krista took of batting practice.
This is one of many “I almost got”.
Here’s the second, I wasn’t even close but you never know?
Here’s the third…Are you starting to see a pattern here?
Now in this video the ball has been hit, I’m planted with my glove in the air mere seconds from snagg’n my first clean catch at Salt River Fields.
Out of nowhere the D-Backs dude in Red (who already had snagged three at that point) totally rips this one from me.
Then the dude said he was sorry and kept mentioning how this was his first batting practice ever. I seriously doubt that but he wasn’t the worse.
At this point I was beginning to get a bit frustrated.
Of all the missed opportunities today for some reason this next one got to me the most. In this video I’m tracking the ball perfect. I put my glove up to catch it and the older dude with black jacket, shorts, white knee brace and black hat with a red brim puts his glove up next to mine and knocks the ball away.
Guess who winds up with the ball?
The same D-backs guy who already had snagg’d three or four and kept saying this was his first batting practice. I was starting to sense a tag-team thing going on.
Dan…The dude in the above video is the “Overly Eager Grandpa” I was telling you to watch out for.
I’ll never understand why people do that. First off it’s dangerous. If you knock a ball away chances are that diverted ball could hit one of us in the face. Secondly, it’s just plain rude.
Here’s an excited Hunter after getting his third ball, a toss up from an unknown player. He’s a stud.
Here’s Mylee keeping herself entertained while the boys chased baseballs.
In this last video you can’t see it but this ball was the last ball hit during BP. It wasn’t a homer but it was close.
So close I leaned over the rail and the ball landed smack in the center of my glove and bounced out. Matt Belisle chuckled at me, picked up that ball and tossed it back to the bucket.
I just had to smile. I was too dehydrated to cry.
That was it for BP…I didn’t snag any baseballs on the fly and the only ball BP ball I got was a toss up from this player.
Anyone who can identify him please let me know. No it’s not Cole Garner.
I thanked him big-time as players don’t toss me a lot of baseballs.
Danny came over to the left field berm and visited with me for a while.
Danny was excited because he happened to snag a game rubbed Inaugural ball earlier and he was kind enough to let me photograph it.
Thanks for coming over and chatt’n Danny. It was good to see you and I’ll see you again on April 1st brotha.
I wanted one of those baseballs bad. Robert’s still down in Scottsdale and Dan, Emily and Mike will all be heading down soon, so between those fellas somebody will hook me up with one.
I headed over to the Rockies dugout as that’s kind of my routine. Here are some random shots.
I didn’t take any action shots today as I was just chill’n on the berm drinking a beer I purchased from a happily employed Captain Earthman.
Earthman thanked me for the blog entry for I did for him a few weeks back. 
Today was amazing. Not only did I spent quality time with my wife, kids and sister-in-law. I was able to relax, enjoy the warm weather and soak in the Rockies baseball taking place in front of me that I’ve been longing for all winter long
I mentioned to Krista that I never wanted to leave.
But we did have to leave, right around the 8th inning so we could be sure and catch our flight. Rockies get their second win over the D-Backs in as many games with a final score of 6-5.
I love it here in Arizona, and when Mylee finishes school this Ranter and his wife will officially be Snowbirds. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a gambler but for me batting practice is like being in a casino.
I don’t mind going home empty handed as long as I get some “play” while I’m there.
Today….I got me some ”play“ and I couldn’t be more excited for the Rockies home opener on April 1st.
This Stadium is one of the coolest places I’ve ever been to…Rockies and D-Backs fans, you’ll be proud when you strut around this complex. 
I’m “D” The Rockpile Ranter and this concludes my Spring Training 2011 trip. The plan is to spend ten days in Scottsdale next year.
I’m thinking a Rantic Baseball Getaway? Mull it over, I’m giving you plenty of time
If your looking for live pictures from the games, the Salt River Fields practice facility and other teams facilities Dan and Emily will be heading to Scottsdale in a few days. When they arrive Dan will be posting pictures on he and Emily’s FACEBOOK page daily.
Click here—> Rox Fan Emily and Dan.
Also Mike, writer of the MLBlog Rox Addict will be heading down in a week or so and he’ll have some great pictures. Be sure and give his Rockies blog some luv.
GO ROCKIES…D
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