List of Colorado Rockies Opening Day starting pitchers
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National League West division. The first game of the new baseball season for a team is played on Opening Day, and being named the Opening Day starter is an honor, which is often given to the player who is expected to lead the pitching staff that season,[1] though there are various strategic reasons why a team's best pitcher might not start on Opening Day.[2] The Rockies have used 17 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 24 seasons. Since the Rockies' first season in 1993, the 17 starters have a combined Opening Day record of ten wins, seven losses (10–7), and seven no decisions. No decisions are only awarded to the starting pitcher if the game is won or lost after the starting pitcher has left the game.[3][4]
Seven Rockies pitchers have started on two Opening Days: Kevin Ritz, Darryl Kile, Mike Hampton, Jason Jennings, Aaron Cook, Ubaldo Jiménez, and Jorge De La Rosa. Kile has the best Opening Day record with two wins and no losses. Armando Reynoso is the only Rockies pitcher to start on Opening Day in Colorado's former home of Mile High Stadium. Rockies starting pitchers have an Opening Day record of four wins, two losses, and one no decision when at home. With the exception of one lost game at Mile High Stadium, the other games were played at Colorado's current home stadium of Coors Field. On the road for Opening Day, Colorado starting pitchers have accumulated a record of six wins, five losses, and six no decisions. The Rockies have a record of one win and two losses on Opening Day for seasons in which they would later go on to participate in post-season play.[3]
The longest Opening Day winning streak for Rockies starting pitchers is three years, when Colorado won in 2004, 2005, and 2006, under three different pitchers, Shawn Estes, Joe Kennedy, and Jason Jennings. Rockies starters have lost twice in two consecutive years, once in 1993 and 1994, and once from 2002 to 2003.[3]
Key
| Season | Each year is linked to an article about that particular Rockies season. |
| W | Win |
| L | Loss |
| ND (W) | No decision by starting pitcher; Rockies won game |
| ND (L) | No decision by starting pitcher; Rockies lost game |
| Pitcher (#) | Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Rockies |
| * | Advanced to the post-season |
| ** | NL Champions |
Pitchers
References
- ↑ Bastian, Jordan (March 22, 2010). "Marcum tapped for Jays' Opening Day". MLB.com. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- ↑ Dilbeck, Steve (February 24, 2014). "Dodgers may not start Clayton Kershaw in Sydney". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 "Colorado Rockies Opening Day Starters and Results". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
- 1 2 "Colorado 5, Milwaukee 3". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2010-04-06.
- ↑ "Cardinals 10, Rockies 2". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
- ↑ "Kent slugs homer in first at-bat with Astros". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
- ↑ "Johnson gives up six hits, Estes just two". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
- ↑ "Rockies rally off Hoffman in ninth inning". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
- ↑ "Holliday, Rockies nip Diamondbacks in 11". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
- ↑ "D-Backs chase Rockies with three in 8th to prevail". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
- ↑ "Nix's bases-loaded walk caps off two-run eighth for Rockies". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
- ↑ "Instant offense: Lopez ignites D-backs (0-1)". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 2009-04-06.