The Expansion Draft occurs on November 17, 1992, thus filling the Colorado Rockies roster. The number one pick was David Nied of the Atlanta Braves. Additional roster moves at the time were the signing of free-agent Andres Gallarraga and the trades of Kevin Reimer and Jody Reed to add Dante Bichette and Rudy Seanez. On April 9, 1993, Rockies baseball comes home to Denver, Coloradio in front of a record-setting 80,227 fans. 4,483,350 fans would walk through the turnstiles at Mile High Stadium during the inaugural year.
Based upon the record setting attendance figures from 1993, the Rockies ownership agreed to expand Coors Field from a seating capacity of 43,800 to 50,200. Coors Field opens for baseball on April 26, 1995 in a victory over the New York Mets. The 1995 club won the National League Wild Card and finished second in the N.L. West. At the time the playoff experience was the earliest for any expansion club. The Arizona Diamondbacks would top that mark in 1999, making the playoffs in just their second appearance.
The 1995 Division Series loss to the Atlanta Braves three games to one is the only postseason experience in Rockies franchise history. While their 1993 expansionmates have netted World Series titles in 1997 and 2003, the Rockies have experienced the perils of pitching at 5,280 feet in altitude. As the old saying goes, the most important thing in baseball is pitching, and the Rockies are still waiting for their's to come around. In ten Major League seasons, Colorado has only four winning seasons.
World Series Appearances:
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