The one good thing about the Colorado Rockies right now, is that we are getting a glimpse of the future. No, it's not all bad. The failings of Dexter Fowler, Ian Stewart, Alfredo Amezaga, Jose Lopez and Felipe Paulino, coupled with injuries to Aaron Cook and Jorge De LaRosa, have necessitated the callups of Juan Nicasio, Chris Nelson, Rex Brothers and Charlie Blackmon. To a lesser extent, Clayton Mortensen and Eric Young, Jr. have also participated in the caravan up from Colorado Springs. I hate to say it, but the Dexter Fowler Experience is just about to fold up its tent.
Fowler was drafted in the 14th round of the 2004 draft by the Rockies out of Milton High School in Alpharetta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. He started his professional career in rookie league with Rockies' affiliate Casper in 2005. He rose up through the farm system in 2006 (A/Asheville with the Tourists), 2007 with the A/Modesto Nuts and 2008 with the AA/Tulsa Drillers. In Tulsa is where he began to show the promise that the Rockies had their centerfielder of the future. He was batting .337 when he was selected to represent the United States in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics (bronze Medalist). Upon his return to Tulsa, his average stood at .335, when on September 2, he got the call from the Rockies to pack up and head to Denver. That day, the Rockies and Giants were in an extra-inning affair as it reached the 10th inning, tied 5-5. Brad Hawpe singled with one out, and Dexter Fowler made his Major League debut as a pinch runner. Willie Taveras then fouled out. With C Chris Iannetta at bat, poor Dex, took off for second on a poor read of the pitcher, got into a rundown, and was thrown out. It served as a cautionary omen, as Dexter, with all his boundless athleticism and raw speed, can't, to this day, figure out how to read pitchers and get a decent jump off first base. In his entire minor league career (parts of 6 seasons), he had 103 stolen bases, but was caught stealing 48 times. In his Major League career, spanning 4 seasons, he has only 42 stolen bases, while being thrown out 24 times! The other disturbingly portentious statistic, is that in those 6 minor league campaigns, in 364 games, he struck out 335 times. The Rockies centerfielders in 2008 were Scott Podsednik and Willie Taveras. Now, for some reason, the Rockies brass fell in love with Dexter, and by 2009 Podsednik and Taveras were gone. For the record, Taveras had 68 stolen bases in 2008 for the Rockies, and was thrown out only 7 times. But his on-base-percentage was only .308 and he struck out and flied out too much, so said the brains at 20th and Blake. Present day, the injury that has kept him sidelined and now on the DL, it seems his tenure with the Rockies may be soon over, as Charlie Blackmon could be Dan O'Dowd's and Jim Tracy's next new answer to the Rockies offensive dilemma.
The Rockies' loss Monday night, 3-1 to the last-place (not for long) San Diego Padres, showcased their season-long futility. When they hit, they can't catch. When they get get good starting pitching, the bats grow silent, or the bullpen implodes. Last night the Blake Street Bunglers left 15 men on base! Aaron Cook got out of a bases-loaded, nobody out jam in the first inning by inducing a ground ball double play, limiting the damage to a single run. Conversely, the Rox blew their first inning opportunity with two on, one out, as Tulo and Seth Smith came up empty. Colorado scored in the 4th, as Ty Wigginton, goat of the last two Rockies losses due to his granite glove, singled with two outs, stole second and rode home on Charlie Blackmon's single. Blackmon then stole second, which forced San Diego manager Bud Black to intentionally walk Chris Iannetta to face pitcher Aaron Cook. Cookie put the ball in play, but on the ground, in the infield, and Iannetta was easily retired at second on the force out.
In the 5th, leadoff singles to CarGo and Chris Nelson. Manager Jim Tracy eschewed the sacrifice bunt with Todd Helton at the plate, but it ended up the same anyway. Helton flew out to deep centerfield and both Gonzalez and Nelson moved up to third and second. Great. 2nd and 3rd, only one out, with our cleanup hitter, All-Star-vote-leading shortstop Troy Tulowitzki at the plate. Oh no, the dreaded contact play, again, and, again, a Rockie is thrown out at home, as CarGo started, then stopped, then calmly trotted into the arms of Padres catcher Nick Hundley for out #2. The Rox still had a chance, as Tulo stole second and Seth Smith walked to load the bases. Ty Wigginton grounded sharply into the hole between first and second. 2B Alberto Gonzalez made a diving stop on the outfield grass and threw out Wiggy at first, rally snuffed. That was critical because San Diego scored in the top of the 6th to take a 2-1 lead.
The Rockies were mowed down by the Padres bullpen in the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th as closer Heath Bell recorded his 18th save by striking out Carlos Gonzalez to end the game, on a pitch, in the dirt, where the Rockies hopes are residing.
The third-place Rockies are now six games behind the West Division leaders, San Francisco. Three games under .500 at home. It seems weird to say it, but there are only 96 games left in the regular season. IF the Giants only play .500 ball the rest of the way, the Rockies have to play at a .551 pace, or 12 games over .500 (54 wins, 42 losses).......JUST TO CATCH THE GIANTS!!! Wildcard? Forget it. There are 10 teams in the National League with better records than the Rockies.
Please, please, please invite Bill Murray to come thrown out a first pitch at Coors Field. At an 8:25 PM start-time night game, so that there are no shadows to contend with.
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