Ho hum, Groundhog Day at Coors Field. I'd start by saying that this is getting old, but it was old 3 fucking weeks ago. The difference between Bill Murray and Jim Tracy, is that Murray's character, Phil Connors, makes small adjustments to the daily routine, and gradually improves his outlook and attitude, and gets the girl in the end. It doesn't seem to matter what Tracy does, he keeps stepping into that same goddamn puddle, day after day after day.
Jason Hammel pitched well enough to win, as in zero earned runs, but Tracy's move to give SS Troy Tulowitzki a day off, came back to bite the Rockies right on their groundhog ass. D-Backs' 3B Ryan Roberts grounded a routine three-hopper to shortstop (where Tulo is mostly automatic), substitute SS Alfredo Amezaga fields it cleanly and throws a lollipop that Todd Helton could not bring down in time to tag out the sliding Roberts. Then, the Diamondbacks accomplished what the Rockies cannot seem to: key hits and productive at-bats to score two runs. First after Roberts reached on Amezaga's error, 2B Kelly Johnson doubles to right, giving Arizona runners at 2nd and 3rd, no outs. A ground ball by RF Justin Upton drives in Roberts, Johnson holds at 2nd. SS Stephen Drew flies out deep to left, Johnson tags and advances to 3rd, one out. CF Chris Young bloops a single to left and Johnson scores with the second run, enough, as it turns out, to beat the anemic Rockies.
Arizona pitcher, Ian Kennedy, has started three games vs the Rockies this season, and the D-Backs have won all three. Last season the Rox were 2-2 in games that Kennedy started. The Rockies, for what passes as their definition of aggressive, made 11 outs on first pitches in their languid at-bats. Only one first pitch hit, which means that they are anxious to produce, but they are over-anxious and undisciplined at the plate. Also thus far, three games into the four game series with the Diamondbacks, Arizona has 7 stolen bases (8 attempts), and the Rockies have zero!!
During Spring Training, Jim Tracy continually stressed that a major area of emphasis was the Rockies' 2010 record in games decided by one run. They were horrible, worst in the National League West. After beginning this season winning 5 out of 7 contests decided by a single run in April, the Rockies, in May, have lost 9 out of 10 one-run decisions. That, is the definition of a deep friggin' mud puddle.
The players and fans still spew optimism and hope: there's still alot of baseball yet to be played, every team goes through tough stretches, we're just a few breaks from running off a winning streak, we're still only 3 games out of first, the breaks will start going our way, we have to focus on one game at a time, blah blah fucking blah. The fact is, this team, not just Tulowitzki, needs to face up to the facts. The facts show, that this team is in 3rd place in the West, and sinking. When will the enormous promise and potential of this team begin showing up in the WIN column? Will these Rockies be buyers or sellers by the time that the July 31st trade deadline approaches? It's high time to start checking the ammunition, because the bullets they're using lately, are not potent enough to accomplish playing any meaningful games in September.
By the way, the Yankees are back in first. Mariano Rivera became the first pitcher in Major League history to appear in 1,000 games with just one team. Derek Jeter is at 2,975 hits. If the Rockies don't improve soon, this blog will be primarily a New York Yankee diary. It's less frustrating, less Groundhoggy.
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