Dean writes: Vinny had some great years here in Denver, where the air is thin and dry, breaking balls (especially curve balls) don't break as sharply as a result, and fly balls tend to carry over the wall more easily. Until I saw a major league game here, I'd never seen the ball routinely jump off the bat with such speed.
It also didn't hurt that Vinny usually batted 6th at the end of the Blake Street Bomber line-up that included Dante Bichette and Andres Galarraga. That group (and either Ellis Burks or Larry Walker, can't recall for sure now) took the Rockies to their only playoff appearance in 1995, when the Rocks managed to win two games from the Braves before succumbing in the divisional series. That was the year that the Braves won the World Series and Tommy Glavine pitched one of the most courageous games I've ever seen pitched in game 6 to beat the Indians and win the Word Series. Glavine recently won his 300th career game while pitching for the Mets, who are hanging on to their divisional lead by the skin of their teeth.
Hitters' stats aren't quite as inflated in Denver these days, as the balls used in Rockies' home games are stored in a humidor so that they are heavier. But the stats are still inflated relative to everywhere else. No coincidence that, although Vinny had some decent stints elsewhere, he never duplicated his Rockies' numbers with another team.
It also didn't hurt that Vinny usually batted 6th at the end of the Blake Street Bomber line-up that included Dante Bichette and Andres Galarraga. That group (and either Ellis Burks or Larry Walker, can't recall for sure now) took the Rockies to their only playoff appearance in 1995, when the Rocks managed to win two games from the Braves before succumbing in the divisional series. That was the year that the Braves won the World Series and Tommy Glavine pitched one of the most courageous games I've ever seen pitched in game 6 to beat the Indians and win the Word Series. Glavine recently won his 300th career game while pitching for the Mets, who are hanging on to their divisional lead by the skin of their teeth.
Hitters' stats aren't quite as inflated in Denver these days, as the balls used in Rockies' home games are stored in a humidor so that they are heavier. But the stats are still inflated relative to everywhere else. No coincidence that, although Vinny had some decent stints elsewhere, he never duplicated his Rockies' numbers with another team.
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