The Rockies finish the 2009 regular season with 33 games at home and 26 games on the road. That home-game advantage, and a favorable September schedule give the Rockies hope of a 2009 playoff appearance and a chance to repeat the special season the team and community enjoyed in 2007.

In August the Rockies have 14 games at home and 14 games on the road starting tonight with the opening game of a short two games series in Cincinnati, followed by a three game series in Philadelphia starting Tuesday. Other August road series include three games in Florida and three games in San Francisco. Home series include four with the Cubs and four games with the Giants.  The team needs to play well enough to stay in the race until September’s favorable schedule rolls around.

If the Rox can stay in the wild-card race with San Francisco, Chicago, Florida, and Atlanta through this month, they have a chance to win the wild-card race come September.

With 18 games at home and only 9 on the road in September, the Rockies’ will have a good chance to make the playoffs for the first time since the team’s magical run to the World Series in 2007.

In September, the Rockies don’t play any of the wild-card contenders at home, and just the Giants on the road. But the team does get home series’ with the Mets, Diamondbacks, Reds, Padres, and Brewers, which have all lost more than they’ve won this year. Add September road series with the Padres and  Diamondbacks, and the Rockies only play 6 games in September with teams that have winning records.

That’s when the wild-card race will get fun. Like I said, if the Rockies can stay in the race until September 1, they will have a good chance of playing for something in Rocktober. And as we see every year, it doesn’t matter how you get in the playoffs, it just matters that you get in.Then any team has a chance to make a run at the ring and create something special.