Maybe it wasn't God who's been helping the Rockies

The Rockies were tied for the 2nd best home record in major league baseball this year, and considering they haven't lost on the road yet this postseason, they may never lose again.

But although the Rockies are known by the nickname of the Blake Street Bombers, Colorado has been becoming a tougher place to play, and that's not just because the Rockies are now a better team.

Since 2002, the Rockies have been storing baseballs in a humidor. The idea was to make Colorado less of a home run haven and more like other ballparks. That way the Rockies would be better able to adjust to playing on the road. And it came not from God, but from the Rockies' staff engineer who figured balls that were drying out in Colorado's dry climate were putting them out of major league specs, so the team created a humid environment for them. They use 50 percent humidity to keep the balls from shrinking and losing their grain.

As a result, baseballs that used to be slick as a cue ball - and made it tough for pitchers to throw breaking balls - are now like they would be at any other ballpark.

And naturally home runs have dropped. In 2001, the Rockies gave up 239 home runs. Since then in 2002 they gave up 225, in 2003 - 200, in 2004 - 198, in 2005 - 175, in 2006 - 155, and this year - 164. Team pitching is obviously better from before the humidor days. Major league baseball is also keeping track of how things go and may ultimately use the idea in Arizona as well, given the excessively dry climate there. Which is somewhat ironic, considering these teams are playing each other in the NLCS.

If the Rockies are really smart, then they're only giving the humidified baseballs to their pitchers. God would definitely approve.

-WCK