Harry Houdini could well have shown a grudging respect for the Rockies' escapology this fall, from wriggling free of a 4.5 game deficit for the Wild Card (with many teams ahead of them) to the Hand of God plating by Matt Holliday in the play-in game through the series of optical illusions that placed Colorado's darling in the World Series.
Game 1 of the Series was clearly their worst night of vaudeville daring yet without the benefit of leaving town and starting again. When Game 2 started, the Rockies seemed to have their mojo back with an early lead and a pitcher with dominating speed taunting the Red Sox to swing away.
Unfortunately for Rockies' fans, their team has developed an addict's taste for daredevil stunts and can't stop tempting fate.
"The Handcuff King", the Pedroia-sized Houdini himself, might have clucked disapprovingly of Ubaldo Jimenez's repeated attempts to handcuff himself with walks, letting his wildness get the best of him in the third, fourth, and fifth frames. While Jimenez wriggled free of the milk can and the Chinese water torture cell, the suspended straitjacket escape in the fifth proved a bit too much as he allowed his second run of the contest on a Lowell double.
Colorado's bullpen did a series of card tricks, though, to keep the game close until the gut punch provided by the previously deft practitioner of the base arts, Matt Holliday. Holliday's misplaced confidence as he wandered off first left him in the dirt holding his helmet as he was picked off in the eighth and finished off the Rockies' hopes in Game 2. Like Houdini, it appeared the blow to the appendix was one more shot than they could afford.
Still, it wasn't the punches by the young and crazy kid that killed Houdini or the Rockies (via Papelbon's closeout). Both were quite ill before starting their final deception. Houdini's appendicitis left him with a 104? fever before the final shot. The Rockies' Coors Field magic made them appear more offensively gifted than they could truly claim; also, their pitchers pulled off quite the bedazzlement by making themselves seem more effective by taking on impatient teams willing to chase their wild power hurlers and deft finesse pitchers.
The Rockies take their road show back to Colorado now, hoping they can find just a little more of the ol' purple magic on the home stage. Perhaps the magical home run bats can be produced from their home vests (no sleeves, ladies and gentlemen) or pulling Aaron Cook from a 60-day DL hat will charm the Red Sox. Regardless, making Boston disappear from the World Series will have to be their best trick yet.
If the Rockies are looking for inspiration, perhaps they could look to their Game 2 opponent, Curt Schilling. Despite a pitching performance that was roughly as good as Jimenez's, Schilling and his ego (who have to ask for a king-sized bed on the road to fit them both) wake up to find he's the wily veteran hero with a huge heart and clutchness enough to rescue puppies, orphans, and the Big Dig project in the nick of time.
The lesson, which the Rockies have learned repeatedly over the last month, is that winning is the best deception.
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