Michael McKenry
I’ll be honest—I thought I knew Coors Field. High altitude, lots of home runs, thin air—that’s the story, right? But talking to Michael McKenry reminded me it’s way more complicated. He told me about Justin Morneau losing hits to the giant outfield, about breaking balls that don’t break, and about becoming “cold tub buddies” with a batting champ. He even admitted he couldn’t sleep in Denver because the air felt so strange. And then there’s Charlie Blackmon, who turned body maintenance into an art form just to survive. Turns out, Coors isn’t just a park—it’s a test.
Hey, Mac, tell me about hitting at Coors Field. Why is it a luxury for hitters?
It’s because it’s the biggest field on the planet. People talk about the air and the altitude, but the real difference is the size of the outfield. Colorado basically plays three center fielders. Balls drop in. Guys play so deep. I’ll never forget in 2015, when Justin Morneau won the batting title—he hit .319. Anywhere else, I think he hits .360.
The thing nobody talks about: when you leave Coors, everything changes. Breaking balls act differently. At Coors, they back up or don’t break like you expect. So you have to retrain your eyes. It was a constant adjustment.
Can you elaborate on Morneau and the mechanics of hitting there?
Morneau was a gap-to-gap guy with power everywhere, but he didn’t have the loft to really take advantage of Denver’s air. Drew Stubbs did—he crushed at Coors but struggled on the road. For me, I had to relearn everything too. At home, if the ball spun in the middle, I swung, no matter what.
What I remember most, though, was being “cold tub buddies” with Morneau. After every game, we’d sit in the tub, break down the game, give each other advice. That was my first version of doing post-game analysis before I ever worked in TV. That kind of clubhouse sharing feels lost in today’s game.
How does Coors Field compare to the other 29 parks?
Charlie Blackmon comes to mind. He’s the most routine-oriented guy I’ve ever seen. He stayed healthy year after year, which is rare in Colorado—most guys fall off after 7-9 years. He spent over an hour every day just maintaining his body.
For hitters, there’s an advantage and disadvantage. Visiting teams get the “Colorado boost” too, but they never acclimate. You lose it after three days. Personally, I never slept well in Denver. The air, the altitude—it messed with me. And then you add the weather: the wind shifts mid-flight, clouds spin in fast, temperature swings all in one game. It’s a different animal.
You worked with the Rockies recently—what was your role?
I was a special assistant. Spring training, practice, hitting lab, you name it. I just wanted to give back. Clint Hurdle gave me real, honest advice early in my career. That mattered. I want to be that guy now—transparent, supportive, reminding players they’ve only got one shot at this.
How much easier is it for the Rockies to attract free agents because of the park?
Back in the day? Huge advantage. Now? Not so much. Analytics changed everything. Teams judge by data, not park factors. The Blake Street Bombers era will never happen again. They’ve got the humidor, TrackMan, Hawkeye. And players worry about injury in Colorado, so most only want short-term deals.
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More from Michael McKenry
NOTE: The above was edited for clarity and length.
You can read the full transcript here.