Colorado Rockies team president Keli McGregor was found dead this morning in his Salt Lake City hotel room. He was 48.

According to an article on the Rockies official team website, McGregor was in Salt Lake City on business with Charlie Montfort, team chairman and CEO, and Greg Feasel, executive vice president.

Paramedics were called to the Grand America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City when associates were unable to reach McGregor. While details have yet to unravel, no foul play is suspected and all indications are that McGregor died of natural causes.

McGregor, reared in Colorado, was a two-time All-American tight end and Colorado State University, where he is third on the school’s list in career receptions with 153. In 1985 he received a B.S. degree in microbiology.

He was also drafted that year by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round. He played tight end for the Broncos, Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks. He was named to the CSU All-Century team in 1992 and its Hall of Fame in 1996.

McGregor joined the Rockies in 1993 as senior director of operations before becoming senior vice president in 1996 and Executive vice president in 1998. He assumed the presidency of the team in Oct. 2001.

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig made a statement today regarding the news:

“On behalf of Major League Baseball, I am very saddened by the sudden and unexpected passing of Keli McGregor. As president of the Colorado Rockies, Keli was one of our game’s rising young stars. He was a great athlete and equally great as a baseball administrator. Also, he was a great human being. All of baseball will miss him. I offer my condolences and deepest sympathies to his family, friends and the Rockies ballclub.”

As of the time of this article, the Rockies are scheduled to play their game tonight against the Washington Nationals in Washington.

Re-printed with permission of the author.

In addition to writing her Chicago Cubs column for Examiner.com, Miriam Romain has been published in several Cubs annuals by Maple Street Press and is a contributor to SportsClimax.com . She is also writing a book with the working title “Summers at Wrigley with my Dad.”

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax™ 

Ubaldo Jimenez was handed the ball in this season’s opener for the Colorado Rockies and after his performance against the Atlanta Braves last night, it’s clear why.Jimenez no-hit the Braves in a 4-0 victory at Turner Field on a career-high 128-pitch performance. It was the first no-hitter in the history of the Colorado Rockies who’s starting pitching staff had only gotten into the 7th inning in a few previous attempts. 

What was impressive about this performance was the fact the radar gun at Turner was still showing 98 miles per hour in the ninth.

“He wasn’t tired, believe me,” Braves manager Bobby Cox said. “He could have thrown 150 pitches and he would have been throwing 98.”

The feat was far from over when Jimenez took the mound in the 9th with the heart of the order coming up for the Braves. Fueled by adrenaline, the fast-baller threw smoke and managed to get sluggers Chipper Jones and Brian McCann out then the celebration began.

“That’s an unbelievable feeling, having your teammates enjoying the time with you and just hugging you, admiring everything we did,” Jimenez said. “Not only I did it. It was the whole team. Every single guy was pulling for me. You can see it in their faces.”

One guy who was laying it all out was center fielder Dexter Fowler who made a diving backhanded snag of a line drive late in the game.

Jimenez from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic is the first pitcher to no-hit the Braves since Randy Johnson did the deed while pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 18, 2004. Johnson actually one-upped Jimenez, his was a perfect game.

Jimenez improved his season record to 3-0 and 1.29 ERA.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax™