2008 Woodie Awards
Holliday, Tulo clutch for Rockies
Peter Rossi
Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: Sports
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Euphoria filled LoDo Monday night when the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 9-8 in a 13-inning marathon to clinch the National League Wild Card.
The two teams matched up for a one game playoff after posting identical records. The Rocks were able to prevail, winning in their final at bat in the bottom of the 13th inning. They are set to battle the Philadelphia Phillies in a five-game series starting at 1 p.m., today at Citizens Bank Park.
The club put together a torrid streak down the stretch, winning 13 of 14 games, just to get into the one game playoff. A combination of young pitching and an offense that causes headaches proved lethal in the final month of the season. The Rocks finished 20-8 in September and rattled off an 11-game winning streak. The team's chances seemed unlikely heading into the final at bat Monday night, but "unlikely" is a notion the team dismissed all season.
The Rockies were carried - as they have been all year - by Matt Holliday and Troy Tulowitzki. In the 13th inning, Tulo had an RBI double and scored the tying run, while Holliday had an RBI triple and scored the winning run.
Tulowitzki finished the season with 24 homeruns and 99 RBIs. His numbers were great, but the rookie also exuded a swagger throughout the year that proved he belonged at the highest level. The 22-year-old shortstop dazzled in the field all year, making back handed plays in the hole and throwing off his back foot to throw out would-be base runners. Tulowitzki's arm strength and presence at the position reminds me of a young Alex Rodriguez when he was playing shortstop for Seattle. He's that good and if it weren't for Holliday, he would be the team's best player.
Holliday ended up winning the batting title, nudging Atlanta's Chipper Jones with a .340 average and also out-dueled Philadelphia's Ryan Howard in the RBI championship with 137. As if those credentials weren't enough, he also led the league in hits and doubles. His numbers speak for themselves. Holliday should be the National League Most Valuable Player; case closed.
The two teams matched up for a one game playoff after posting identical records. The Rocks were able to prevail, winning in their final at bat in the bottom of the 13th inning. They are set to battle the Philadelphia Phillies in a five-game series starting at 1 p.m., today at Citizens Bank Park.
The club put together a torrid streak down the stretch, winning 13 of 14 games, just to get into the one game playoff. A combination of young pitching and an offense that causes headaches proved lethal in the final month of the season. The Rocks finished 20-8 in September and rattled off an 11-game winning streak. The team's chances seemed unlikely heading into the final at bat Monday night, but "unlikely" is a notion the team dismissed all season.
The Rockies were carried - as they have been all year - by Matt Holliday and Troy Tulowitzki. In the 13th inning, Tulo had an RBI double and scored the tying run, while Holliday had an RBI triple and scored the winning run.
Tulowitzki finished the season with 24 homeruns and 99 RBIs. His numbers were great, but the rookie also exuded a swagger throughout the year that proved he belonged at the highest level. The 22-year-old shortstop dazzled in the field all year, making back handed plays in the hole and throwing off his back foot to throw out would-be base runners. Tulowitzki's arm strength and presence at the position reminds me of a young Alex Rodriguez when he was playing shortstop for Seattle. He's that good and if it weren't for Holliday, he would be the team's best player.
Holliday ended up winning the batting title, nudging Atlanta's Chipper Jones with a .340 average and also out-dueled Philadelphia's Ryan Howard in the RBI championship with 137. As if those credentials weren't enough, he also led the league in hits and doubles. His numbers speak for themselves. Holliday should be the National League Most Valuable Player; case closed.
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