What began as a promising season on the brink, is fast-forwarding into an abyss that, even this early in the year, is deep, dark and bottomless. After losing 4-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, the Rockies finished their latest home stand 2-5 and sunk lower in the standings. They have lost 19 games in the month of May, they are 1-10 in one-run games, they have scored 4 or fewer runs in 17 out of 27 games and have won exactly one of those. With the season-ending injury to their best starter, Jorge De La Rosa, and ineffectiveness by Ian Stewart, Jose Lopez, Felipe Paulino, Franklin Morales and Dexter Fowler. the Rockies have shuffled their roster like Republican presidential candidates. More moves are on the way. Left-handed reliever Rex Brothers and outfielder Charlie Blackmon can't be too far away from being promoted. Aaron Cook has made what was described as his final minor league rehabilitation start, and a decision where to slot him into the rotation must be made soon. With all the shuffling, what remains constant is the Rockies' inabilities to produce key hits in close games. With nearly a third of the season in the books, I don't think that the Rockies have any walk-off wins this year. Do you remember any? I know that they have surrendered at least 5 walk-off losses. Well, anyway, the point is that nobody else but the men in that clubhouse can do anything about the sinking ship.
Jhoulis Chacin had his second consecutive ineffective outing, as he gave up 3 runs in the first inning. The inability to keep his pitches down in the strike zone, led to batting practice early on for the Cards. The Rockies scored single runs in the 3rd, 7th and 9th innings, but it was the deciding 7th inning that sunk their hopes. Steady, reliable Todd Helton led off the 7th with a double, Ty Wigginton singled him in, to make the score 4-2, no outs. Ryan Spilborghs singled and Cardinal starter Kyly Lohse was pulled in favor of reliever, Eduardo Sanchez. Chris Iannetta coaxed a walk from the Cardinal right-hander from Venezuela to load the bases, still no outs. Yesterday I scolded myself for predicting that the Rockies' usual modus operandi the last few weeks was to strike out and hit into a double play to effectively snuff out a rally. What happened yesterday was NOT a trend. Yesterday, Spillborghs drew a bases-loaded walk and Chris Iannetta followed with a two-run single, part of a six-run first inning. In the words of Chad & Jeremy in their 1964 hit, "That Was Yesterday, and Yesterday's Gone". Today's episode of Groundhog Day returned to regular channels, as Ty Wigginton struck out, and Eric Young, Jr. lined into an inning-ending, rally-killing, hope-snuffing double-play.
The slumping Rockies now depart on a 9-game, 10-day West Coast road trip. First stop Los Angeles for a three-game set with the Dodgers, a day off, three games in San Francisco against the suddenly shaky Giants, then three games in San Diego against the last-place Padres. To say that this road trip is crucial, is a gross understatement. This next 10 days could spell disaster, if the Rockies do not shake out of their collective doldrums, as these three West Division rivals must be salivating at the prospect of matching up with these anemic Rockies. The Rox need to make a statement by winning all three series. Nothing less will be acceptable. Manager Jim Tracy won't come right and say it, but it needs to be understood: win 6 games minimum on this trip, or mail it in. They're toast, trade bait before the All-Star break, hell, before Father's Day. Too critical you say? Well, have you watched all the games the last 5 weeks? I have, some of them two and three times, in an effort to be accurate in this blog. Painful. Turn back the clock to May 4, when the Rockies were 18-10, eight games over .500 and in first place by 4 games. 7 wins and 17 losses since then, 3-1/2 games behind the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks! (how strange and painful does that sound?)
On a somber note, my condolences to the family of 27-year-old Robert Seamans, who succumbed to his injuries suffered when he fell from a stair railing at Coors Field last Tuesday.
And finally, thanks and appreciation to all who have served and sacrificed for the American way of life, for the freedoms we enjoy, for the right to enjoy pasttimes such as baseball and barbecues. Memorial Day should mean so much more to all of us who enjoy such sublime pleasure and privilege without recognizing the efforts of those who made and make it possible. Thank You, and a Happy Memorial Day to you all!
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