Matt Holthe's Fleeting Thoughts

The Colorado Rockies were swept by Milwaukee this year in the National League Division Series. They continue their strange playoff run where no series is close. They have played two single-game wild card playoff games - 2017 and 2018. Last year they lost to Arizona. This year they beat Chicago. Outside of those winner-take-all single-game playoff games, which are set up to be just a single game, the Rockies series have all been relatively easy for one of the teams. Here are the Rockies post-season playoff history: Year Opponent Result 1995 Atlanta Lost 3 games to 1 2007 Philadelphia Won 3 games to 0 2007 Arizona Won 4 games to 0 2007 Boston Lost 4 games to 0 2009 Philadelphia Lost 3 games to 1 2017 Arizona Lost 1 game to 0 2018 Chicago Won 1 game to 0 2018 Milwaukee Lost 3 games to 0 The closest series is 3-1 (twice), otherwise everything has been a sweep. Very strange playoff history.

Yesterday was an incredibly rare event in baseball. There were two "game 163" games. When two teams tie for a division title, they play 1 extra game to decide the division winner. In this case, both the NL Central (Cubs and Brewers) and NL West (Dodgers and Rockies) tied. They have the extra games every once in a while, but there have never been two games in one season. I had rooting interest in both games. I grew up a Cubs fan, and lived out in Colorado for 10 years, so my second team is the Rockies. Unfortunately, both the Cubs and the Rockies lost yesterday. On the plus side, the loser of both of those games ended up being the two wild card teams in the National League. So they are both actually still in the playoffs. But, on the negative side, they play each other in a single game wild card game to see who advances in the playoffs. Tonight I'll be watching the wild card game, but it will be difficult. The Cubs are my team, but the Rockies haven't made it this fa...