Denver

As the unending pageantry of the All-Star pregame show continues its free-fall from glitzy longing for past glories to sob story shlock, I think it's high time to take a look back at the first half of the season that was for yours, mine, and our Colorado Rockies.

On May 27, when the Rockies record stood at 18-28 and the team had just suffered through a, well, insufferable three-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers, the outlook appeared a bit grim for the boys in the purple pinstripes.

A clear sign that your bullpen is pitching well is when, with two outs in the ninth inning with no one on base and two outs, the closer is summoned from the bullpen, just to get some work.

The Colorado Rockies have made a habit of struggling early.

For the third straight year, the club has stumbled out of the gate and looked like a team that was nowhere near finding their stride.

We have entered the Twilight Zone of spring training.

This is the time where most of the players still getting time on the fields are just looking not to get injured before the season starts while still getting enough work in to earn their paychecks when the games finally start to matter.

Since we have arrived at this most agonizing of hours when Opening Day can be seen on the horizon, but five days still await the first pitch, it's about time for an official, dyn-o-mite 2009 preview of yours, mine, and our Colorado Rockies.