Congrats To The Colorado Rockies

With their 6-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Colorado Rockies won their first National League pennant and will be representing the National League in the World Series.

As much as the media types love this story because of their hot streak, which seemingly came out of nowhere, I like this story for other reasons.

For example, the Rockies and the D'Backs were tied for last place in the NL West last year and most people projected them to be at the bottom of that division again. Instead, they were the participants in this year's NLCS.

So there's that "worst to first" storyline that the big networks will market around.

Then, there's the construction of this baseball team.

The rumor mill had the longest serving Rockie, Todd Helton, traded to the Boston Red Sox during the off-season--but talks fell through at the end. If Helton would have been traded, I don't think that the Rockies even sniff the playoffs.

As for the rest of their roster, I admire the home grown talent on that squad. That's how teams used to be built, from the bottom up. It's rare enough to get a stud like Matt Holliday, but when you get several studs on a roster(Garrett Atkins, Troy Tulowitzki and Brad Hawpe) it's special.

The Rockies front office did a pretty nifty job in constructing a pitching staff as well. Guys like Jeff Francis, Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales came up through the system and look to be Major League quality pitchers. LaTroy Hawkins, Matt Herges and Josh Fogg were picked up off the scrap heap.

You have to applaud a team like this, and admire from a distance. But then I realize, it's the Rockies.

And that's when it hit me.

Everyone and their mother knows the Chicago Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908 and haven't appeared in one since 1945. However, I can't relate to either of those teams, so I'll take a more recent look.

I was born in July 1986, since then the Cubs have made four playoff appearances (1989, 1998, 2003, 2007.) In that time, Major League Baseball has added the Rockies and Florida Marlins in 1993 and the D'Backs and Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1998.

Of those teams, the Marlins (1997, 2003) and D'Backs (2001) won the World Series. Now the Rockies will have their chance.

As for the Cubs, they'll continue to wait 'til next year.