Mention the name “Coors Field” to any Dodger player or Dodger fan and they will cringe.

Why?

Because in spite of the some of the wildest Dodgers-Rockies games played there in their respective franchise histories due to its mile-high altitude (humidor notwithstanding), Coors Field is cursed – at least for the Dodgers it is.

Make no mistake about it, the Curse of Coors Field is very real.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

If you recall (and how could you not), Coors Field is where Matt Kemp suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder when he ran into the center field wall on August 28, 2012 while attempting to make a running catch – an injury that would require off-season surgery to repair. And though Kemp attempted to make a quick come back from the injury and subsequent surgery, it basically derailed most of his 2013 season.

Kemp’s collision with the center field wall at Coors Field in August of 2012 set into motion a series of injuries that would ultimately destroyed his 2013 season.
(Photo credit – Barry Gutierrez)

On July 3rd of this year, superstar phenom Yasiel Puig became the second Dodgers outfielder to collide with a Coors Field wall – his of the right field variety. Although not seriously injured, the violent collision had Dodger fans holding their collective breaths. Puig finished the inning but later came out of the game for what was described as a bruised left hip.

In Monday’s game at Coors Field, Puig again had to exit the game, this time for what is being called a strained right knee – an injury that Dodger manager Don Mattingly said “didn’t seem that serious.” Then again, Mattingly is 0 for 4 when he has said such things in the recent past.

The Curse of Coors Field doesn’t only involve injuries, it also involves the actual play on the field.

Since 2010, former (and future) Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw is 1-1 at Coors Field with an ERA of 5.04 during that period. And though he got the win on Monday, he allowed five earned runs. While this may be un-Kershaw-like anywhere else, it is definitely Coors Field-Kershaw-like.

And then there’s Kenley Jansen, who has been more Mariano Rivera-like this season than Mariano Rivera himself. Jansen had not given up a home run in nearly three months (June 15 to Travis Snyder in Pittsburgh) but was taken deep on Monday by Wilen Rosario – a 374-foot shot that just cleared the right field wall. It was only the sixth home run allowed this season by Jansen and the 21st for Rosario.

I’m sure there are countless other curse-like occurrences that have take place at Coors Field but there was also a reverse curse there as well. As unbelievable as it may seem and in the friendliest of hitter-friendly ballparks, former Dodger Rookie of the Year pitcher Hideo Nomo actually tossed the only no-hitter ever thrown at Coors Field on September 17, 1996 . (Note: Nomo would later toss the only no-hitter ever thrown at Camden Yards on April 4, 2001 while with the Red Sox, thus becoming one of only five players to have thrown a no-hitter in both the National League and American League).

With the Dodgers having only two remaining games against the Rockies in Denver (they play three more at Dodger Stadium), let’s hope that they can get out of town without the Curse of Coors Field rearing its ugly head again.