Jim Tracy

The handshake deal.

After a horrifying moment last season on August 5, 2011, when Juan Nicasio's neck was broken after being hit in the temple with a line drive by Ian Desmond of the Washington Nationals. Nicasio suffered a fractured skull and had bleeding on his brain from the impact of the liner.

View From the Rockpile: Musings From a Mile High Along the Journey to Rocktober

There’s no bigger stage for a middle-market club than the sparkling new sandlot just a skip, hop and a seven-train jump from Broadway.  Do it here, and media, critics and fans will take notice. 

America, meet the 2011 Colorado Rockies.

Take off the purple-colored glasses for a minute. Forget about the magic of 2009. Forget about the past for a moment.

The Rockies had climbed back into the game on Carlos Gonzalez's first career grand slam. With the score 8-6, Joe Beimel allowed Stephen Drew, a guy who seems to only hit against the Rockies, to hit a solo home run to right field to expand the lead to 9-6.

Anyone who follows baseball knows that if there ever was a must-win for the Colorado Rockies, Thursday was it.

It is September. Usually, that means fans of a team managed by Jim Tracy can let out a sigh of relief.

That is because it means that Tracy can micromanage to his heart's content and still have enough players on the bench to make it work.

Hindsight is 20/20.

When the Colorado Rockies fired their manager Clint Hurdle last season, the Rockies were 18-28, and had lost seven of their last 10. The Rockies named Jim Tracy as interim manager and he "turned around" the Rockies, guiding the team to a 74-42 record (.638) the rest of the way and into the 2009 NL playoffs.

The Rockies walked off with a win on Sunday. Their fans walked off sick to their stomachs.

In the mile-high city, there is an outfielder having the best baseball season you haven't heard about. 

His name is Carlos Gonzalez, and he has been a menace to National League pitching this season.

Carlos Gonzalez, 24, is a tall, lean lefty with a sweet swing. 

Originally from Venezuela, Gonzalez is in his second full year with the Colorado Rockies.  He came to the Rockies in the Winter of 2008 when the Rockies dealt Matt Holliday to the Oakland A's. 

Huston Street is back.  Sort of.  Street was activated from the disabled list on Tuesday as Juan Rincon was designated for assignment, making room on the roster.