The Rockies began their 10-day, 9-game road trip in Los Angeles by pounding out 14 hits, with a leadoff batter reaching base in 7 out of 9 innings.  Good, right?  Well, 13 of the hits were singles, not one bunt was attempted, the Rockies were 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position, and the one hit they did get ended up getting the runner (Carlos Gonzalez) thrown out at home.  Just when I thought the Rockies couldn't get any worse, well, they are at least full of surprises.  Surprising in the extent of their futility.  Surprising that manager Jim Tracy is getting a pass from the media and fans.  Surprising that our resident superstar, Troy Tulowitzki came to bat 4 times with runners in scoring position, and ended the inning 4 times.  Surprised to see 18 base runners in a 9 inning game and only one crossing the plate?  That was because he drove himself in!  Ty Wigginton homered to account for all the Colorado scoring.  Not that he was so special, he was replaced after striking out twice, looking at the third strikes, bat calmly resting on his broad shoulders. 

The defense. normally a strong point, was shaky.  CarGo and Dexter Fowler bumped into each other on a lazy fly to left-center by Matt Kemp in the Dodgers' 4-run third.  The ball glanced off both outfielders' gloves and fell to the turf.  No error was awarded on the play because Andre Ethier assumed the ball would be caught and got a late break to second base, and was called out on the relay by Dexter Fowler.  In the first inning, Eric Young, Jr. fielded a routine ground ball by former Rockie Jamey Carroll, and threw a cotton ball that forced Todd Helton to utilize every bit of his 6-inch vertical to haul in the high throw.  Unfortunately, Carroll reached first before Helton could land on the bag.  E-4.  In the 5th, Jamey Carroll lined a ball into the right field corner, and as Seth Smith corralled Carroll's carom, and relayed the ball to EY-J, EY turned and spiked the ball into the Dodger Stadium turf like he was bent on killing those pesky night crawlers.  Luckily, Carroll was tired after hauling ass all the way to third base, and was apparently laughing too hard to run home as Helton fielded the EY relay, as it pathetically dribbled into the infield.  After Young's adventures in centerfield the other night, and his obvious discomfort at second tonight, he will need to score at least three times per game to end up with a positive plus-minus.  If only.  If only we could cram Dexter's defense and EY's hitting and base running into one body.  As it is, we are burdened with two quality AAA players sharing the bench.

I shall not include any more details about the game, too pissed.  The final score was LA 7, Colorado 1.  I will probably watch tomorrow night's game against the Dodgers.  I hope against hope that tonight's debacle is as bad as it gets, and that this Colorado Rockies team can get up off the canvas and begin playing with some heart and balls.  Or I shall begin the campaign to bring back Buddy Bell, at least he had some fire in his demeanor.