Hope for the Colorado Rockies Springs Eternal

I thank Tulo for his time and wander around the clubhouse. Marcus Giles has been counting down the clock until the press has to leave, and with only a few minutes left, I decide to give my who-would-play-you-in-a-movie line to a couple more players. I ask Spilborghs and, without skipping a beat, he fires back, "Tony Danza."

"Tony Danza back in the day or Tony Danza now?" I ask.

photos by Holly Harris

photos by Holly Harris

Todd Helton, Matt Holliday and the rest of the Rockies are ready for business.

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More About

• Matt Holliday
• Colorado Rockies
• Todd Helton
• Offseason Training Camps
• World Series

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"Tony Danza now," he replies.

"Who would play Matt Holliday, then?"

Spilly thinks it over for a second.

"Stifler," he says, then disappears into the showers.

Spilly is the kind of guy you want to grab a beer with.

Feeling pretty proud of my interview technique thus far, I approach Aaron Cook. The Rockies pitcher is shirtless and has a bag of ice strapped to his shoulder. I ask Cook who would play him in a Rockies movie, and he looks at me as if I just asked him if pie is delicious.

"I don't know, man," he says dismissively.

"Who would play Tulo?" I ask, clearly not picking up on his signals.

He sighs.

"I don't know. Brad Pitt, okay?"

With that, he turns around and begins chatting up Brian Fuentes. I would not want to step into the batter's box against Cook right now. I get the feeling there might be a little chin music.

Today's game is against the Chicago White Sox, and I spend the rest of the day exploiting my press pass. I watch batting practice, at times leaning right up against the batting cage so that I'm mere feet away from my favorite sluggers. Holliday and Tulo smack the snot out of the ball; Atkins hits well, too, and if the few swings I saw Helton take are any indication, he's poised to smash way more than the seventeen bombs he hit last season.

But really, what do I know about it? I'm no sports writer covering Hi Corbett Field, as much as I want to think I am. I'm simply an unabashed Rockies fan lucky enough to have scored a golden ticket to the chocolate factory.

I'm just another guy caught up in the magic of the boys of summer come spring.