Sharpen those No. 2 pencils and start brewing your cram coffee, because it's exam time here on Big League Stew! Between now and the start of the postseason, we'll be giving essay-style tests to a blogger from each of the eight teams lucky enough to earn a playoff ticket. Next to take a seat in the classroom is Mark Townsend (Twitter) of Bugs & Cranks. His Rockies are in the postseason for the second time in three years.

Team name: Colorado Rockies

GPA/school rank: 92-70, NL wild card winners

Accomplishments: 2007 NL Champions, 2007 Organization of the Year, First and only three-time NL wild card champion (1995, 2007 & 2009)

Special skills: Defensive wizardry. The 2007 Rockies set a single-season record for fielding percentage ... and that was with Garrett Atkins(notes) and Kaz Matsui playing everyday. They have since been replaced with Gold Glove caliber defenders in Ian Stewart(notes) and Clint Barmes(notes). With Dexter Fowler(notes) and Carlos Gonzalez(notes) now covering the Ponderosa-sized Coors Field outfield, the opposition's offensive options are limited to walks and the long ball. But if Ryan Spilborghs(notes) happens to be playing that day, you better put it 4-5 rows deep.

Oakland GM Billy Beane, who provided the Rockies with 18 percent of their 40-man roster (Huston Street(notes), Carlos Gonzalez, Jason Giambi(notes), Matt Murton(notes), Alan Embree(notes), Omar Quintanilla(notes) and Greg Smith(notes)).

The entire NL Central, which went 11-31 against the Rockies this season.

And the master of the illusion, David Copperfield.

Financial aid: $72.4 million. Every cent has been wisely spent.

Personal statement: I could write paragraph after paragraph telling you how truly special, talented and unique the 2009 Rockies are, but that wouldn't be an honest representation of what this team is all about.

If you really want to know what makes the Rockies who they are, then what you need to know is that this team really isn't comfortable telling you how good they are. They would much rather show up to the ballpark everyday with their bats, their gloves, their cleats, and show you how good they are.

There are no larger than life personalities in that clubhouse. There are no massive egos that need to be stroked, massaged and fed on a daily basis. It's not a team made up of a handful of All-Stars surrounded by overpaid marginal big leaguers. It's one solid unit that grasps the concept of team baseball better than any I've seen in a long time.

I'm sure it sounds cliche and cheesy to those unfamiliar, but this team really does play the game for each other. If someone falters, another picks them up. The roles are defined, and the roles are understood. And wherever the credit may fall, it doesn't matter as long as they're shaking hands after the final pitch is recorded.

I know I should be encouraging you to root for the Rockies in the postseason, but I feel it's more important to be honest with you. If you're a Cubs fan, a Brewers fan, an Indians fan, or a fan in general of a team that underachieved this season, don't watch the Rockies play in October. I'm telling you, you'll feel sick to your stomach in the first inning because you'll quickly come to the realization of why your team underachieved, and how far away they are from playing at the level Colorado is playing right now.

From a fan's perspective, I couldn't be any prouder to say I'm a lifelong (their life, not mine) Rockies fan. They have proven to be a first class organization from top to bottom and I can't honestly tell you one thing I even remotely dislike about any player that's currently wearing the purple pinstripes.

After the 2007 season I said the Rockies made me fall in love with the game of baseball all over again, and it was true. This team in 2009 made me fall in love with game all over again nearly everyday. It's been an incredible ride for the last four months and I don't see any reason why it's going to end any time soon.

Essay questions

What are your biggest strengths? Depth. You're looking at a bench consisting of Jason Giambi, Garrett Atkins, Ryan Spilborghs, Seth Smith(notes), Chris Iannetta(notes) and either Eric Young Jr. or Omar Quintanilla. All-Stars Jason Marquis(notes) and Aaron Cook(notes)? Battling their asses off in the final week just to make the postseason roster. That's how deep the rotation is. Huston Street is a lockdown closer, but you can mix in a little Franklin Morales(notes), Rafael Betancourt(notes) and Joe Beimel(notes) (all with closing experience) if need be. Just imagine if Manny Corpas or Taylor Buchholz(notes) were healthy. Unfortunately they're not, but Matt Daley(notes) is.

What's your biggest weakness? The Whiff. Too many strikeouts. When facing top level pitching day in and day out in the playoffs, you can't count on putting three or four hits together. Colorado too often makes their life difficult because they don't value every precious 90 feet and every precious out as much as they should. If they fail to drastically alter their approach batting with two strikes in the postseason, it will likely be their downfall.

How have you changed over the year? Aside from beginning the season as a conductorless freight train headed to nowhere in particular and ending the season a well-oiled machine that's clicking on all cylinders? Not a lot.

The obvious difference is a manager that is capable of making rational baseball decisions. Clint Hurdle panicked frequently and often misguidedly, changing closers TWICE before the team even faced a save opportunity, shuffling his lineup on a daily basis — 40 different lineups in 46 games — and benching Troy Tulowitzki(notes) two games... for swinging at a first pitch. Jim Tracy, while far from a baseball genius, instantly stabilized this team from top to bottom. That's all they needed.

The not so obvious difference is that Huston Street is the only man that remains from Colorado's opening day bullpen. It's been a complete overhaul, and it's worked splendidly.

When did you first start believing in yourself? In early June the Rockies went on one of those roadtrips that usually seal their caskets for the season — four games in Houston, four games in St. Louis, three games in Milwaukee.

Things began accordingly, dropping the first three in Houston. However, the Rockies rebounded to steal one in Houston, sweep all four from St. Louis, and sweep all three from Milwaukee. Instead of a death sentence, the 8-3 roadtrip would serve as the launching pad out of the NL West cellar. At that point I realized they might not suck anymore. That maybe they could finish above Arizona.

It wasn't until Ryan Spilborghs' grand ending to "14 innings of pure madness" that I realized how far this team had come, and how far they were capable of taking it.

Can you tell us about a time you faced adversity and overcame it? Adversity? This team could write several books on overcoming adversity. In fact, they have mastered to the point that if you asked their players to define adversity, they would probably recite the definition of prosperity.

When Clint Hurdle was fired, only one team in MLB (guess who) had a worse record. The players looked in the mirror, took accountability of their play, made the adjustments, and overcame it.

Jorge De La Rosa(notes) began the season 0-6 and he was one bad start away from possibly pitching himself out of the big leagues for good. He battled back. He overcame it. He became a 17 game winner.

In early June, Yorvit Torrealba(notes) received news that his 11-year-old son had been kidnapped in Venezuela. Thankfully the ordeal ended quickly and without harm to his son. The team rallied around their teammate and Torrealba returned to the team a new man. He overcame the personal trauma, stole the catcher's job from upstart Chris Iannetta, and was easily the team's MVP in September.

Those are just a few examples of what this team has dealt with on their path to October.

In one month, where do you see yourself? Waiting for the World Series to start. The last time the Rockies made the Fall/Winter Classic they had that 3 1/2 month wait before Game 1. I just hope it's not so long this season.

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Previous exams: St. Louis Cardinals (NL Central) New York Yankees (AL East) Boston Red Sox (AL wild card) Los Angeles Angels (AL West)

Related: 2009 Postseason Entrance Exams