The Rockies’ Trevor Story isn’t going away

Trevor Story hit his 16th home run of the season Monday night. It’s the latest example that the rookie isn’t just a flash in the pan.
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Trevor Story loads bats into the dugout before the Colorado Rockies Game against the San Diego Padres on June 10, 2016. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Trevor Story loads bats into the dugout before the Colorado Rockies Game against the San Diego Padres on June 10, 2016.

The crack of the bat told you it was gone.

The Colorado Rockies were up on the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 on Monday night in Los Angeles when Trevor Story came up to bat. The Rockies’ rookie shortstop settled in at the plate with two on and one out.

Story watched a ball go by in the first pitch of the at-bat. Then Dodgers starter Mike Balsinger tried to sneak a breaking ball past him. It…it didn’t go well for Balsinger. Story smashed the 1-0 pitch a couple rows back into left center at Dodger Stadium.

The homer — Story’s 16th of the season — broke the game open in an eventual 6-1 Colorado (26-31) win. It was also the latest example that Story is not going away. As the All-Star break draws closer and closer, Story is proving to be more than an April flash in the pan.

Baseball’s history is littered with players who crushed it in April, only to be relegated to the minors or the bench later in the season. For every Albert Pujols, there are multiple Chris Sheltons. Baseball is a random, difficult game.

Story has displayed staying power, though.

In 55 games, the 23-year-old from Irving, Texas, has smashed 13 doubles, four triples, 16 home runs and 42 RBIs while slashing .262/.315/.563. He ranks first in the National League in extra-base hits with 33, and he’s tied for second in the NL in home runs and RBIs.

(The only player ahead of him in those categories? The man who stands to his right on the baseball diamond, Rockies’ third baseman Nolan Arenado.)

However you slice it, Story’s been ridiculous. And, yes, the Colorado altitude probably has something to do with it. But not as much as you think. Story’s road numbers are arguably better than what he’s done at Coors Field so far this year.

Story is on pace to hit 38 home runs and 101 RBIs right now. Even if he falls off a little bit, he’s still in a great position to break Nomar Garciaparra’s rookie home run record for shortstops (30) that he set in 1997 with the Red Sox.

Story is flirting with some significant baseball history by smashing home runs and spraying extra base hits this season — even as April turned to May, and May to June.

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