Kragthorpe: 'Rocktober' just the beginning, Colorado Rockies owner hopes

Assuming everything plays out the way owner Charlie Monfort is planning, the Colorado Rockies are going to need a new postseason slogan.

"Rocktober" can take them only so far, with the World Series scheduled to end in November.

"We've got a month to work on that," Monfort said Monday, happily anticipating Wednesday's start of the National League Division Series against defending champion Philadelphia.

If the Rockies do go all the way, perhaps some of his old marketing classmates from the University of Utah can help him come up with another catchphrase.

"It should be fun," Monfort said. "I fully expect us to be there in New York, playing the Yankees."

Why not? After the Rockies' remarkable recovery that landed them in the playoffs via the NL wild card and almost brought them a miraculous division title, they are nicely positioned for another October run.

In its own way, this year's finish was more amazing than the closing sprint of 2007. That year, the Rockies won 14 of their last 15 games, then swept Philadelphia and Arizona in the playoffs before losing to Boston in four games in the World Series.

After losing 88 games last season and starting this year 18-28, the Rockies fired manager Clint Hurdle. That was tough for Monfort, who learned patience in his business management studies at Utah and loyalty in his family's beef business. He had stuck with Hurdle through some trying times of rebuilding, ultimately leading to the World Series, but the momentum did not last.

"I hate to say it, but every once in a while, you need a new voice," Monfort said.

The promotion of bench coach Jim Tracy, a former Dodgers and Pirates manager, worked like few other in-season coaching or managerial changes in sports history. The Rockies went from 18-28 on May 28 when Tracy was hired to a 92-70 finish, playing .638 baseball over the last four months. Players such as infielders Clint Barmes, Troy Tulowitzki and Ian Stewart responded especially well to Tracy's calming influence.

And from a low point of 151/2 games behind Los Angeles in the NL West, the Rockies somehow took the race down to the second-to-last day of the season, while holding off Atlanta for the wild card.

In the process, they grew into a team that "I wouldn't want to face right now," Monfort said.

With a year-plus of struggles in between, this is another rewarding year for Monfort. Maybe '07 was more validating, considering the way he had been vilified in Denver for fielding a low-payroll team, only to have the Rockies become World Series contestants. Yet to have them back in the playoffs, coming from where they did early in the season, is also very satisfying.

"I don't think anyone thought we were about to have a special summer, but it sure happened," Monfort said.

Monfort believes this Rockies team is even better than the '07 version, with two years' more experience, increased depth and versatility, better defense and stronger pitching. "I just think we're in a much better position to compete," he said.

And the Ute alum, who came to Salt Lake City mainly for skiing opportunities, became a fraternity president and still graduated in four years, would love to celebrate his 50th birthday (Oct. 30) during the World Series. Monfort is targeting a visit to campus to check out the historical display honoring Utah football that his family has funded in the team's indoor practice facility, and the Utes have two home games later this month. But he's hoping to be unavoidably detained during those weekends, thanks to another long-lasting "Rocktober."Source sltrib.com