The Fountain of Coors

By Keith Glab 1/4/05

I've always had a problem with those commercials that depict athletes using lo-carb beer as some kind
of sports drink.  The problem, of course, is that carbohydrates are  necessary for an athlete's energy,
and a low-carbohydrate beer offers less of a performance aid than the highest calorie beer available.  

I do, however, believe that there is some magical drink that enhances performance somewhere in
Colorado.  No, I'm not saying that thin air and large outfield pastures aren't involved in the offensive
explosions we see in games played in Colorado.  I am postulating that there must be some reason that
mediocre players go to Colorado and establish themselves as bigger offensive threats after they leave.

Let's observe a few case studies, focusing on each player's age and OPS for their three full seasons
immediately before becoming a member of the Colorado Rockies, and the contrasting OPS's these
players posted in the three full seasons since their leaving Coors field:

Dante Bichette entered Mile-High Stadium as a light-hitting outfielder with an arm that was often
mistaken for artillery.  He left Coors Field known as a slugger who was a liability on defense.  Notice
that his alleged prime, ages 26-28, was less effective than his twilight seasons at ages 36 and 37.  A
prototypical trait for one who has drunk from the Fountain.

Had Ellis Burks not sported chronic health problems, he might have been known as one of baseball's
premier hitters between 1999 and 2002... his four full seasons immediately following his time in Denver.
During this span, Ellis hit .301 and homered once every 15.1 at-bats.  This is a far cry from the man
who never hit .300 or hit more than 21 homers in a season prior to playing in Denver.

This is the man who founded the Fountain of Coors.  Gallaraga's career looked over at age 30, but
thanks to the Fountain, he was a top slugger in his late 30's while battling cancer!  Few players have
benefited from the Big Fountain more than the Big Cat.

Between July 29 and August 1 of 2002, Jose Guillen started in the outfield for the Rockies' AAA affiliate
in Colorado Springs.  In between posting a 1.062 OPS in 17 at bats there, Jose must have nipped off
to Denver to drink from this fountain he'd heard so much about.  His post-Colorado numbers speak for
themselves, and the Nationals should get good production out of their new right fielder.

Todd must have only taken a brief sip from the Fountain, as his post-Coors numbers are only
marginally better than those he posted early in his career.  He has been considerably more consistent,
however, and we would be wrong not to give some credit to the great beverage.

Some would say that Larry's two months in St. Louis don't represent a large enough sample size to
judge how well he will do outside of Coors.  History gives us a clue, however.  The Redbirds can
expect no less than a .900 OPS for Walker over the next few years, and as he fits nicely into the Ellis
Burks mold of potent hitter with injury troubles, he could even be significantly better than that.



For those of you out there who refuse to believe in a magical spring that improves a baseball player,
there is another explanation.  Although a player cannot bring the thin air or spacious outfield of Coors
with him when he leaves, he can take a better approach at the plate.  Hitters tend to get primarily
fastballs at Coors due to the lack of sharp movement on breaking balls pitched there.  If, when a
player leaves, he takes most breaking pitches and looks only for a fastball, he's likely to succeed.

This might also explain why Rockies perform so terribly on the road.  They try to swing at breaking
balls that they are used to see rolling into the sweet spots of their bats.  Perhaps they need an entire
off-season to process the info, lay off the breaking balls, and make good decisions in a sea-level
atmosphere.

But as for me, I'm going to drink a steady regiment of Coors Light in the hopes that it may have been
brewed with water from the Fountain of Coors, and instantly become talented enough to succeed in
the big leagues.


Notice another player benefit from the Founain?  Have some bottled Fountain water to sell?  Think the
author's off his rocker?  In any case, contact him at Keith@BaseballEvolution.com.