BSN Exclusive: Arenado on Opening Day in Miami's House of Horrors

Thursday’s first pitch in Miami welcomes the 2019 season for the Colorado Rockies and their pursuit of the first National League West pennant in team history.

With last year’s successful starting rotation back to help challenge the franchise record of 92 wins, not to mention the addition of a methodical hitter in Daniel Murphy and the rise of young players into the starting lineup, there is much promise and excitement to see what this year holds for Denver’s baseball club.

Before images of October baseball start to appear, consider that baseball is a sport played one game at a time. No matter how talented a team appears on paper or even how well a group is able to string wins together, momentum is only as good as the next day’s starting pitcher.

The momentum for Colorado on Opening Day is one of a fresh start and more literally homegrown ace Kyle Freeland, who placed fourth in the NL Cy Young Award.

Historically, the Rockies have not fared well when visiting Miami. Given much to the disparity between traveling from the mile high elevation of Coors Field to one the stadiums with the lowest measured feet above sea level, the ball itself does drastically different things out of a pitcher’s hand.

However, this is not the case this year as the Rockies are coming from their Spring Training facility in Scottsdale at a relative pedestrian 1,300-plus feet above sea level, not to mention an exhibition in Ft. Myers, FL, against the Minnesota Twins.

In the past eleven season, the Rockies have a 11-26 record (.297 winning percentage) against the Marlins in Miami with run differential of -56 in those games (122-to-178).

The proverbial captain of Colorado, Nolan Arenado, is pleased with how this first series in southern Florida lines up for his squad.

“It’s definitely nice to get it out of the way and get that trip out of the way. Hopefully, we come out of there with a series win which we haven’t had in a long time there.”

Though last season may have opened with a 1-2 start against divisional rival Arizona, Arenado et al have other ideas in mind for the start of 2019.

“That would be really nice to take care of business (in Miami).”

In looking for their first series win against the Marlins in six years (2013) –  the previous series victory before that was also six year prior (2007) – the Rockies hope to alleviate any pressure upon themselves in the early going.