Mourning Colorado Rockies Break Out Bats in Washington

Tuesday was not a usual day for the Rockies.

A 10-4 win over the Nationals was not met with loud music and cheerfulness. This night is not about being happy.

After receiving word around noon that team president, and friend of many in the clubhouse, Keli McGregor had passed away in the night, the mood was not going to be one of celebration.

The team honored their fallen leader by placing a No. 88 jersey, the number that McGregor wore as a football player at Colorado State and with the Denver Broncos, in the dugout for the game. Starting on Wednesday the team will wear patches on their jerseys that will honor McGregor.

As emotions were high, the Rockies found the baseball field as a sanctuary to start letting their minds heal.

Sporting a lifeless offense over the previous week, and having yet to fulfill their potential so far in 2010, the Rockies broke out the bats on Tuesday night. The offense put up an eight spot in the third inning, hitting the ball hard to all parts of the yard. Jorge De La Rosa, usually wielding a weak bat, smoked a bases loaded fastball down the right field line for a three run double. It was De La Rosa's second hit of the night.

De La Rosa brought his bat to the field, and looked good early in the game on the mound, but his mechanics fell apart in the 5th inning, and after throwing 118 pitches, De La Rosa was out of the game after throwing just five plus innings.

The win was much needed for the Rockies, but the fact is, it didn't really matter. Focus was not on the baseball game, it was not on the scoreboard or personal stats. Life was put into perspective on Tuesday for the Rockies. Baseball is simply a game, something that is trivial and really doesn't matter. Life is important, something that can be taken away at any point, without warning.

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