Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort: 'Maybe Denver doesn't deserve' team

Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort told a fan in an email that perhaps Denver doesn't deserve a franchise, reports local television station CBS4.

Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort told a fan in an email that perhaps Denver doesn't deserve a franchise, reports local television station CBS4.

Monfort's full quote, according to the report: “By the way you talk maybe Denver doesn’t deserve a franchise, maybe time for it to find a new home. Thanks.”

The statement came in response to an email to the team's fan feedback line from the fan, a longtime Rockies season ticket-holder. The fan, who asked the station not to be identified, criticized Monfort and his brother and co-owner, Charlie, for ruining professional baseball in the area through hiring "good old boys" in management and front office positions.

Monfort told CBS4 that he does remember writing the email, which came from his iPad, but that he didn't mean to write what was said in the message.

“I don’t even have an idea what I meant to say,”

said Monfort

. He went on to explain that, “What I meant to say was maybe we, the owners, don’t deserve a franchise.”

Monfort was adamant that despite what he wrote, he was not threatening to move the team and did not mean to write, “Denver doesn’t deserve a franchise.” “That’s not what I meant,” repeated Monfort.

Earlier this week, after a separate fan complained about the team, Monfort told the fan in an email not to come to games if he didn't like the product on the field.

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The Monforts have been primary owners of the Rockies since 2005. Under their watch, Colorado has gone 665-724, a stretch including a World Series berth in 2007 and a 39-53 record this season.

h/t Hardball Talk

- Ben Estes