Ten teams to go. We’re into the homestretch for sure now.
The Colorado Centennials – so named because the state was ratified in 1876, or 100 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed – are a bit of a riddle.
Colorado is one of the smaller standalone states, with barely 80 players in big-league ball. Most of the good ones have been pitchers, which is a bit surprising given what the rest of us have seen of the effects of altitude on baseball games.
Roy Hartzell has the most at-bats for a Colorado player with 4,548; his last one came in 1916. Johnny Frederick, who played mostly for the Brooklyn Dodgers, hit 85 homers to top all Centennials in career numbers. No one appears likely to challenge those numbers any time soon. There isn’t a real, honest-to-goodness first baseman anywhere on the roster, and that’s a big problem.
But the pitching is solid, and at the top, it’s outstanding. The first native to make the Hall of Fame, Goose Gossage, won 124 and saved 310 after breaking in with “my” 1972 White Sox. Roy Halladay, the top starter, is the state’s all-time winner. With an ace like that at least the Centennials can compete. Modern relievers Tippy Martinez and Dave LaRoche complement the Goose, while Salida Tom Hughes, a 19th Century hurler who was actually born in Coal Creek, gives Halladay some rotation help.
The Centennials (Cents? C-Notes? 100s?) have three options at manager, none of whom had a long career running an MLB team. Two, Chuck Cottier and George Myatt, are on the team as players. So we’ll go with Tom Runnells, who is currently the Rockies’ bench coach. The Greeley native managed the Expos from 1991-92.
I don’t know if it’s because the Broncos are more entrenched or if people just prefer winter sports, but there aren’t a lot of Coloradans who play baseball real well. At least when Halladay starts and Gossage finishes, they have a chance.
COLORADO CENTENNIALS
OF Buster Adams
2B Chuck Cottier
SS Ike Davis
RH Scott Elarton
OF Johnny Frederick
RH Goose Gossage
RH Roy Halladay
OF Larry Harlow
UT Roy Hartzell
OF Chase Headley
CA Tommy Heath
RH Ron Herbel
RH Brian Holman
RH Tom Hughes
CA Mark L. Johnson
LH Cowboy Jones
LH Dave LaRoche
OF Johnny Lindell
LH Tippy Martinez
OF James Mouton
2B George Myatt
2B Bert Niehoff
LH Gene Packard
LH Frank Papish
OF Buddy Ryan
CA John Stearns
OF Dave Stenhouse
OF Jimmy Welsh
Next: The Dakotas.
Base instincts 