Sometimes, it just isn’t working. It’s not for a lack of effort. It’s not because either side doesn’t want to make things right. And it’s not due to any one thing. Ultimately, there are simply irreconcilable differences, which prove to be too much to overcome.
At that point, a parting of the ways is best for all involved. Continuing to put energy into something that has no chance of success is draining, preventing either party from moving on and finding something better. A divorce, while painful and regrettable, is the merciful path to take.
That’s where things currently stand with the state of Colorado and its baseball team. It’s not working with the Rockies. And it’s time everyone admitted it.
The best thing for both sides – baseball fans in Denver, as well as the team – would be for the franchise to move on and find another home.
Yes, that’s hard to hear. Sure, it’s a little bit of a shocking notion. And without a doubt, it would be a sad day for all involved. But it’s what’s needed.
Colorado is sick of the Rockies ownership group, fed up with the treadmill-like existence of a team that produces the same lackluster results year after year after year. And the Monforts, brothers Dick and Charlie, have had enough of the fans, as a perceived lack of appreciation has turned into downright contempt for their paying customers.
And the situation is getting worse with each passing year. Fans are tired of crappy pitching staffs, underperforming star players and losing seasons. And the team is sick of getting ripped in the press, on talk shows and in the ballpark.
That’s why the Monforts need to bring in the Mayflower trucks, pack up the team’s belongings and slink off in the dead of night when no one is watching, headed for a fresh start in a new town.
Indianapolis has long supported minor league baseball, so they’d jump at the chance to be a part of The Show. Oklahoma City has supported the Thunder, so an MLB franchise would be a nice compliment to their NBA team. Las Vegas is going to crack the pro sports code at some point; the carnival nature of a baseball game would be a good fit. And Montreal has been longing for another shot at the big leagues since seeing the Expos leave town for Washington, D.C.
Any of those places would welcome the Monforts with open arms; they’d be the conquering heroes who finally brought Major League Baseball to town. Dick and Charlie would go from being loathed to loved in one fell swoop.
And sports fans in Colorado would be able to quit banging their heads against the wall. They’d be freed of the annual process of watching their hopes get dashed by the end of May.
Neither side should feel any guilt about the split. It’s not as though they haven’t tried to make it work.
The fans have certainly done their part. They built the franchise a great stadium and gave the ownership group a sweetheart deal that turned the facility into a cash cow. They’ve filed through the turnstiles in droves, no matter the quality of the product on the field, to watch the Rockies play. And they’ve been unbelievably loyal, standing by superstars that would have been lambasted in other markets for their inability to lift the team to more wins.
And frankly, the Monforts have tried hard, as well. They’ve been around in one way or another since the franchise was formed, watching as the team has poured millions into free agent pitchers that didn’t pan out, sluggers who couldn’t stay healthy and managers who checked out after getting the big bucks, all while trying to survive in as a mid-market team in the only American pro sports league without a salary cap. This season alone the Rockies payroll hovers around $100 million.
But it’s just never going to work. Deep down, ownership doesn’t believe it’s possible to win in Colorado, so they’ve resigned themselves to the hope of being a playoff team twice every five years, while printing money every season. And it’s not as though their position is without merit.
After all, the Rockies have never won a division championship; they’re about to run their streak of not winning an NL West pennant to 23 years. They can’t keep players healthy, as the grind of playing 81 games at altitude eventually takes its toll. And they can’t convince pitchers, other than those at the end of their road with nowhere else to go, that it’s a good idea to play their trade a mile above sea level.
That’s some pretty good evidence to support the theory that it’s impossible to field a consistent winner in Colorado. So it’s an exercise in futility to keep trying to crack the code.
A new locale would breathe new life into the Rockies organization. A front office staff that has been beat down by constant losing, a result that most believe is their inevitable fate, would be rejuvenated by the chance to compete without one hand tied behind their back.
Meanwhile, Colorado could take a much-needed break from baseball. Coors Field could be transformed into the downtown destination for the local MLS team, re-creating a winning formula that is working in places like Portland and Seattle, as well as the reigning MLL franchise. This would keep Lodo active while a better MLB ownership group is found.
At some point, baseball will return to Denver; the city’s penchant for putting 2.5 million fans or more into the seats during a season will ensure that fact. But it needs to be the right group this time; someone with a plan for building a winning organization at altitude is a must.
That’s never going to happen with a sale, as the Monforts have publicly stated that they want to pass the franchise down from generation to generation. So the only way to get new captains at the helm is for the entire ship to change.
It’s a radical idea, no doubt. Very few cities actively try to run their sports teams out of town. And even less owners voluntarily leave a market where they are making money. But it’s one that makes perfect sense.
After all, the formula has worked before. Long-time sports fans in the Centennial State have seen it firsthand.
The first version of the Colorado Rockies, the NHL team that called Denver home from 1976 to ’82, was an absolute mess. They posted a putrid 113-281-86 record, earning only one trip to the playoffs during their stint at McNichols Arena. Prior to the 1982-83 season, the franchise moved to New Jersey and became the Devils.
Ultimately, professional hockey returned to the Mile High City, as the Quebec Nordiques became the Colorado Avalanche in 1995-96. And Denver’s second go around in the NHL has been much better, as the team has won two Stanley Cups. Meanwhile, the Devils have thrived, as well; since moving to East Rutherford, the franchise has won three championships.
Maybe it’s time for history to repeat itself.
Baseball fans in Colorado deserve better than what they’re currently getting. And honestly, the Monforts deserve a better fate, too.
So it’s time to mutually agree to part ways. The other option – continuing indefinitely in a crappy relationship that is going nowhere – makes no sense for anyone.
It’s time for the Monforts to be the proud owners of the Indianapolis Racers. And it’s time for Colorado to welcome the second iteration of the Denver Bears.
That’s a long-term fix that is worth a little short-term pain.
