Tracy, Tulowitzki, Apodaca

Question:  What are three good reasons why the Rockies are mediocre?

In Little League, High School and even American Legion Baseball, a good, hard thrower can navigate through an opposing batting order fairly well.  Note to Tracy and Apodaca:  the Yankees are better than a good Legion squad.  Okay, rookie right-hander Juan Nicasio mowed down the first 13 Yankee batters by throwing his 94-97 mph fastball exclusively.  Then, in an instant, the Nicasio fastball became batting practice.  Robinson Cano breaks up the no-hitter with one out in the fifth inning with a solid single to left-center on, a 95 mph fastball.  Nick Swisher watched three fastballs out of the strike zone for a 3-0 count, fouled off a 94 mph fastball, then parked a 95 mph fastball over the right field fence.  Nicasio then attempted a couple of sliders to Jorge Posada, out of the strike zone, then a 94 mph fastball, you guessed it, home run over the centerfield fence at Yankee Stadium, v2.

That the Rockies had built a 3-0 lead on the strength of the first of two Ty Wigginton home runs (solo), a home run by Chris Iannetta (solo) and a sacrifice fly from Todd Helton, raised the hopes of Rockie rooters.  After the Yankees tied the score in the fifth, Wigginton stroked his second tater of the game to give the Rox a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth.  Not enough.  Over-worked Rockie reliever, Matt Belisle relieved Nicasio after the rookie from the Dominican Republic allowed the first two batters to reach in the sixth.  After a near-double play, the Yankees had runners on first and third, one out.  Alex Rodriguez stroked a single to left to drive in Brett Gardner with the tying run.  A double play from Tulo and Helton stopped the bleeding, but just for a little while.

In the Rockie seventh, Iannetta led off with a single, and Carlos Gonzalez, not bunting, struck out.  Chris Iannetta stole second and made it to third when Yankee catcher Russell Martin's throw went into centerfield.  Neither Herrera nor Helton could drive in Iannetta, and that was all she wrote.  The Yanks scratched out a run in the seventh off Belisle, now 5-3 after the blown save and loss.  Matt Reynolds surrendered a home run to Mark Teixeira in the eighth to increase New York's lead to two runs, more than enough for Mariano Rivera, who struck out the side in the ninth, for his 20th save of the season, and the 579th of his career. 

The Yankees illustrate to the Rockies what they aspire to be, a perrenial contender, with pieces in place and the ability to overcome injuries and roster uncertainties.  Tentative in the pinch, clutch hitting absent when sorely needed, pitchers not able to hold leads.  Those are the things that are defining the Rockies currently.  With the San Francisco Giants on the verge of beating Cleveland, the Rockies go into Chicago 5-1/2 games behind, and hope fading.  I know, I know, true blue die-hard Rockies fans see the rest of the season through purple colored sunglasses, but the fact remains:  Jim Tracy, Troy Tulowitzki and Bob Apodaca need to elevate their gamesmanship, or the Giants will be too far away to catch, even for another Miracle Rocktober Dream.