Sports Redux: Let's Learn About Colorado

It's hard to believe there's a Major League team we know less about than the Diamondbacks, but there is, and they're coming to town starting tonight. Who and what are these Colorado Rockies?

The popular conception is that the Rockies are a team loaded with sluggers, who benefit from the thin air of the Mile High City. That may have been true a decade ago, but right now, they're a young team full of promise (currently hanging around .500 in a tough division) with a few bright young stars.

Chief among them is LF Matt Holliday, currently leading the league in hitting at .352. RF Brad Hawpe is also starting to put together a solid season (.297, 8 HR). But the big name in Denver is still Todd Helton, who was oh-so-close to being dealt to the Red Sox this offseason. He's still hitting the ball well (.332), and the Rockies have pulled him off the trading block while they wait and see how much of a run their current roster can make. The hero of the moment is Ryan Spilborghs, who drove in all six runs in the Rockies' win at Baltimore on Sunday.

Colorado's pitching's been decent if not spectacular, which is the best you can hope for at 5,280 feet. Tonight's starter, Aaron Cook, is a prime example of that, at 4-2 with a 4.54 ERA. Their closer is a fellow named Brian Fuentes, who's been very good this year, and will probably have a line of suitors as the trading deadline draws near.

The gang at CelticsBlog is buzzing about a couple of trade rumors that are giving grateful fans something to talk about other than the Finals. One is getting Shawn Marion from Phoenix for some package of youngsters and the infamous #5 pick. More likely might be Rashard Lewis from Seattle, who would cost possibly only Ryan Gomes and Theo Ratliff's albatross contract, and would fit well iinto the "poor defense at any cost" philosophy the C's have been experimenting with for several years.

The team brought North Carolina's Brandan Wright and Florida's Joakim Noah up to Waltham for predraft workouts. Wright demanded that they work out separately, which gave Noah a chance to joke around and bond with Doc Rivers. We hope it works, since we're openly hoping that Noah is wearing green in a few months.

Colorado map from the superlative Perry-Castaneda Map Collection.