How rivalries are made

I woke this morning to radio saying “The Rockies greatest rivals, The Arizona DiamondBacks are in town”.  I don’t think us and Arizona are that just yet.Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think we friendly relations at all.  There’s no doubt we don’t like each other, but rivals?  Rivalry involves marking dates on calenders and taking days off work.  Rivalry involves selecting friends based upon there clothing and willful mistreatment of otherwise perfect humans because of bumper-stickers.  Rivalry involves rejoicing in another teams suffering and pour salt on others wounds.  And above all, rivalry requires a touch of bitterness over recently inflicted loses.

I just don’t feel that when I think of the D-Backs.  I feel that when I think of Red Wings and Canucks.  I feel that when I think of the Chiefs and Raiders.  I feel that when I think of the Dodgers (oh, I hate the Dodgers).  But the D-Backs, I don’t like ‘em but I don’t ‘em.  We beat them last year, both in the regular season and in the playoffs.  Eric Burns talked some trash, and I was a little pissed, but then we push his face into the dirt, so to speak, and I recovered.  I just don’t see us being that big of a rivalry yet.  That’s not to say it’s not coming. 

Arizona on the other hand, has every reason to hate us.  We swept them in the NL Championship.  We beat them 10 out 18 in the regular season.  We are the reason they don’t have a second World Series bid and maybe another title.  I could see them considering us a rival, but a rivalry isn’t a rivalry until the hate is reciprocated. 

I do see some hope for a rivalry though.  In several of the major sports outlets, the D-Backs were selected to win the division or the wildcard over the Rockies.  Even with our fabulous finish most of the country still considers us to be a fluke, while the D-Backs are a solid team.  I personally think that making the playoffs with a run differencial of -30 is a much bigger fluke than winning 21 of 22 games, but that’s just me.  Now this type of fustration I feel is directed at the media not the D-Backs, but in the right circumstances I could see the focus changing.  Anyway on to the series:

Vs. Arizona DiamondBacks

Game 1:

Micah Owings (0-0) vs. Mark Redman (0-0)

Average pitcher vs. average pitcher.  I give the game to the Rocks though as we are at home and last season we knock Owings around the park.

Game 2:

Brandon Webb (1-0) vs. Jeff Francis (0-0)

Both teams are skipping ahead their best pitcher with the extra day off.  Both Webb and Francis should be in the Cy Young conversation, but last year we beat Webb 3 times in 6 tries and only list to him once.  When in doubt go with history.

Game 3:

Edgar Gonzalez (0-0) vs. Franklin Morales (0-0)

Once again a toss game for game number three, but this time I don’t think it will be a rubber game.  Gonzalez has a history of being so-so, except last year he went 8-4.  Gonzalez currently has a 15.00 ERA at Coors field, so I’ll take Franklin.

Their bullpen is loaded once again, I don’t think we’ll bust them unless they leave their closer in of two innings again.

Their Lineup is one of the worse in the league, no question our is way better, and with Francis pitching I don’t see them getting many hits.

 Prediction:

3-0 Rockies Sweep

I showed my skill for predicting early in the season by going 0-3 in the last series.  This time I should get at least one.

Next Series:

vs. Braves 4 games