Woody Paige: Fans will flood Denver for Yanks stars and a pop star, not for Rox stars

By Woody Paige July 9, 2023 | updated 2 years ago

Zowie! Taylor Swift and the Yankees will entice a combined record of more than a quarter of a million frantic fanatics to their rare appearances in Denver next weekend.

Swift will perform at Mile High stadium Friday and Saturday, and the Yanks are coming to Coors Field for a three-game series with the Rockies. Swift has not been here since 2018 and the Yankees since 2016.

Tickets for Swifties are available on StubHub.com for $989, and displaced Evil Empire Bleacher Creatures can purchase tickets for $34.

In Our Dusty Old Cowtown this is bigger than the Stock Show.

Only Aaron Judge will be missing.

But what a financial bonanza for Taylor Swift and Richard Monfort.

Never thought I would mention those two names in the same sentence.

Monfort, affectionately known as “Dick’’, will be the beneficiary of three consecutive sellouts in a season when the Rockies attendance, ninth in baseball in 2022, has dropped to 13th (and actually lower because the team doesn’t acknowledge no-shows).

On the Rockies’ home Opening Day the loathed owner offered season’s greetings personally to wishful attendees when he stood at the main entrance to the ballpark.

He won’t be repeating that gesture following the Rockies’ return from the All-Star intermission. Monfort will not be welcoming the dominant Yankees’ gathering or the rest who would ask him why the Rox are in such a hard place again in 2023. The Rockies aren’t mathematically eliminated from the postseason yet, but they are pragmatically eradicated before mid-July.

The Rox lost on the road for the 11th time in 12 games Saturday, 5-3 in San Francisco.

The Rox are, in baseball parlance, just a bit outside Dick’s pre-season proclamation that his team would play .500 baseball. Instead the Rockies are playing .378 baseball and now have lost 32 of 46 games on the road.

Based on reviews, Swift’s “The Eras Tour’’ is her best ever.

Based on fact, the Rockies’ “The Errors Tour’’ could be their worst ever.

During the Monfort Reign of Terrible since 2011 the Rockies have lost 90 or more games five times, but they are on schedule to lose 101 games for the first time this season considering a 34-56 record with one more game before the All-Star interruption.

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The Rockies have prevailed in only eight of their past 25 games.

Seems just like last year when the Rockies finished with a winning percentage of .399.

When is next year?

The Rockies lost their 2,551st regular-season game in 31 seasons Saturday afternoon.

With the Bros. Monfort involved in ownership and/or leadership the Rockies will have reached the postseason in just five seasons from 1993-2023.

The Rockies’ lackeys complain daily about injuries preventing the club from competitiveness. They’ve had 17 since before the season started. In comparison, 25 Giants have been hurt. San Fran is 47-41.

The Major League trading deadline is Aug. 1 this year, and the Rockies obviously won’t be buying.

And the Monforts certainly will not be selling … the franchise.

However, the team that claims that it never is rebuilding and always has a “draft and development’’ philosophy includes a current roster featuring 17 players who were not drafted by the Rockies. The two catchers (including the Rox only All-Star – journeyman Elias Diaz), first base journeyman C.J. Cron (the only All-Star last year), three outfielders, three reserves and nine pitchers on the staff were acquired by trades and waiver moves. So much for philosophy,

Bill Schmidt, the Rockies’ executive vice president-general manager and an employee in scouting since 1999, has indicated recently to another newspaper that the Rockies would consider proposals. Ha!

Problem is nobody is interested in practically all of the Rockies’ veteran position players or pitchers. The Rox couldn’t give away Kris Bryant. If the Rockies can get any young pitchers from somebody for anybody they must do the deal.

Despite what Monfort, Schmidt and manager Bud Black believe, the Rox immediately must blow up the team and the season and concentrate completely on a youth movement.

Ezequiel Tovar has proven he is major league-worthy. More drafted prospects and fewer old suspects the rest of season, please.

The Rockies don’t have one star who is Swift or swift.

But a renowned singer and a real baseball team will draw crowds in Denver next weekend.

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Woody Paige: Fans will flood Denver for Yanks stars and a pop star, not for Rox stars

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