Summer Vacation Is Over

Okay, it's been three weeks sinced I've spewed out any pearls, and alot has happened.  The last I wrote, the Colorado Rockies were 6-1/2 games behind the San Francisco Giants in the National League West Division, Ubaldo Jimenez had just pitched a gem for his 4th win of the season for the Rockies against the Washington Nationals, Derek Jeter had just joined the 3,000 hit club, NFL players and owners were threatening to curtail the 2011 football season, the U.S. Women's soccer team was on its way to the 2011 World Cup title and I was still the reigning Third Flight Longmont City Golf Champ.

I choked in the City Golf Championship by spraying seven drives out of bounds in three days, accounting for fourteen penalty strokes in a contest that I lost by nine strokes.  I was 24 strokes worse than last year in the three rounds, proving that success in golf is illusory and totally temporary.  Still, the game is addictive and I may never be as good as I can be, but my fear is that I'll never be as good as I was yesterday.  But there's always today and tomorrow.

The Rockies today are 10 games out of first, 5 games below .500 and Ubaldo Jimenez, the best pitcher in the 19-year history of the Colorado Rockies, is now a Cleveland Indian.  Inevitably, regretably and sadly, we say good-bye to an individual whose personality and charisma was a bright light on the Denver sports scene for the better part of 6 seasons.  Signed by the Rockies in 2001 as a 17-year-old out of the Dominican Republic, his bright smile, polite demeanor and the lightning in his right arm quickly developed him into the ace of the Colorado pitching staff.  Jimenez owns the only no-hitter in franchise history, was the starting pitcher for the National League in the 2010 All-Star Game and dominates the franchise record book for pitching statistics.  Beyond his stats, he is a genuinely beloved sports personality in the Rocky Mountain time zone, and will be missed. 

The Rockies received four minor league players from Cleveland in exchange for Ubaldo.  Three pitchers and a catcher coverted to an outfielder-first baseman.  It points out the true deficiency in the Rockies' overall talent-evaluation and player-development skills.  The cupboard in the minor league system is close to being bare of quality prospects, since most of the nearly-ready-for-prime-time prospects in the minor league system have already been forced into action this year to try and avoid where they are anyway:  mediocre and under-performing.  Juan Nicasio? Keeper, needs to improve slider and changeup command.  Rex Brothers? Great stuff, future closer, keeper.  Charlie Blackmon before the broken leg? Marginal, another Ryan Spilborghs, backup outfielder.  Eric Young, Jr.? Fast, but not proficient at any particular position, including hitter.  Chris Nelson? Probable career utility backup infielder.  Clayton Mortensen? Please, his fault CarGo crashed into the wall.  Esmil Rogers? Possible third or fourth rotation starter.  Jonathan Herrera? CarGo's best friend, good enough as a backup and a switch hitter.  Matt Reynolds? Keeper, tough lefty with good stuff.  Jhoulys Chacin? Definite keeper, might have to be Rockies ace with Ubaldo's departure.  Dexter Fowler?  In a proficient batting order, a plus, in the Rockies' batting order, a liability, but has promise, if he can cut down on strikeouts.  Great outfielder with a plus arm, a great complement to a healthy Carlos Gonzalez.  Keeper.  Jim Tracy, manager? Exactly one game over .500 since opening day 2010.

The Rox are on a three-game winning streak after beating the San Diego Padres 10-6 last night.  It was a win of a game that Ubaldo made a cameo appearance, starting and pitching  in a situation where he was basically traded before the game, but started because the trade was not consummated until just after the national anthem.  To say that he was distracted and struggled is an accurate appraisal.  It was strange, to see him smiling and hugging all his teammates in the dugout after he was informed by manager Jim Tracy that he was a Cleveland Indian.  Even weirder that he was interviewed, live, in the seventh inning, in his street clothes, bags packed, and on his way to the airport, bound for Cleveland, before the game was over.  Will Iannetta be traded today?  Wigginton?  Belisle?  Betancourt?  EY?  Spilborghs?  Who would take Ian Stewart off our hands?  The face of the Rockies is changing, and we shall see.

Oh, NFL action is hot and heavy, the owners and players kissed and made up, training camps start today, free agents and draft picks signing and trades happening.  Tebow or Orton or, gasp, Brady Quinn?  Will the Broncos start Tebow all year, thereby guaranteeing a terrible season and put themselves in a position to draft Andrew Luck out of Stanford?  Can they gracefully pull off a 3-13 season, enabling them to lock down the first overall draft pick?  Or will they wallow in mediocrity year after year, like our vanilla Rockies?

And the Japanese Women beat the favored USA Women's soccer team for the World Cup, and left their shirts on.

All Star Break

The only two days that there are absolutely zero scheduled major sports contests?  The day before, and the day after the annual Mid-Summer Classic.  This year's 82nd All Star Game will be played in Phoenix, Arizona at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.  This is not the 82nd annual All Star Game.  The first All Star Game was played at Comiskey Park in Chicago, as part of the 1933 World's Fair.  It was originally intended to be a one-time event, but its immense popularity prompted Major League Baseball to make it an annual event.  The first contest was the idea of Chicago Tribune sports editor, Arch Ward.  In recognition of his contributions to sports in general, and Major League Baseball in particular, the game's Most Valuable Player is awarded the Arch Ward trophy each year.

The reason that there have been 81 previous All Star games before this year's, is that there were two games played each year from 1959 to 1961, and the game scheduled for Fenway Park in Boston in 1945 was cancelled.  (Insert your Red Sox joke here.)  There was an all-star roster chosen, but the game was postponed due to World War II wartime travel restrictions.  The series resumed in 1946, at Fenway.  Yankee Stadium and Cleveland Municipal Stadium are the only two venues to have hosted four mid-summer classic games.  Until this year, only three franchises had not hosted an All Star Game:  the Diamondbacks, the Florida Marlins and the Tampa Bay Rays.  The Marlins were initially awarded the 2000 game, but NL President, Len Coleman, took it away and awarded it to Atlanta and the Braves, saying that the league wanted the game to be played in "newer ballparks."  The 2012 game is scheduled to be hosted by the Kansas City Royals at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium, known as "The K", which opened in 1973 and underwent an extensive remodeling, which was finished in 2009.

Originally, managers and fans selected the players, at least for the first two contests, in 1933 and 1934.  Then, managers alone chose the players, from 1935 to 1946.  From 1947 to 1957, the fans voted who started, and managers chose pitchers and backups.  From 1958 to 1969, players, managers and coaches selected all players.  From 1970 to the present day, fans select starters and the manager and his advisors select the rest of the roster.  The managers for each league is traditionally the managers that faced each other in the previous World Series.  Jim Leyland and Tony LaRussa have managed both sides during their careers.

The All Star Game record book is dominated by Willie Mays.  Twenty-four games (tied with Stan Musial), 75 at-bats, 8 extra-base hits (also tied with Musial), 23 total hits, 20 runs scored, 6 stolen bases, 3 triples and 40 total bases (amazingly, also tied with Musial).  Stan "The Man" Musial also holds the records for home runs (6) and pinch hits (3).  Mickey Mantle struck out 17 times in 16 All Star games.  There has been only one inside-the-park home run in 81 games, off the bat of Ichiro Suzuki in 2007, at AT&T Park in San Francisco.  The only grand slam in All Star Game history was struck by Boston's Fred Lynn in 1983 at Comiskey Park in Chicago, courtesy of Atlee Hammaker of the Giants.

Pitching records are less distinctive in ASG history.  Vernon Louis "Lefty" Gomez, Yankees ace from 1930 to 1942, won three times.  Seven different pitchers have been saddled with two losses:  Mort Cooper, Whitey Ford, Dwight Gooden, Catfish Hunter, Claude Passeau, John Smoltz and Luis Tiant.  Vida Blue and Hunter gave up the most home runs (4).  Goose Gossage finished the most games (6), but Mariano Rivera has the most saves (4).  Roger Clemens made the most appearances (10 All Star, three Congressional Sub-Commitees).  Don Drysdale had the most innings logged at 19-2/3 and the most strikeouts at 19.

The Home Run Derby has been a part of the All Star festivities since 1985.  From 1985 to 1990, the National League and American League put up anywhere from two to six players each and the players each had two innings, represented by 5 outs per inning.  In 1991, the number of participants was increased to 8 or 10, and the rounds were increased to three, with 10 outs per round.  In 25 years of competition, the American League hit more homers in 15 contests, the National League in 10.  The only player to have won the Home Run Derby more than once, is Ken Griffey, Jr., who won in 1994 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, 1998 at Coors Field in Denver, and 1999 at Fenway Park in Boston.  The greatest home run show, ever, in a non-winning performance:  Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers in 2008 in the final season at the old Yankee Stadium.  Who can forget?  He chose his old (70+ years old) American Legion coach Clay Counsil to pitch to him in the Derby.  Counsil's previous and only other visit to Yankee Stadium was on October 8, 1956.  Remember that day?  Don Larsen, perfect game, World Series.  Josh Hamilton, back in the big leagues after a much-publicized battle with substance abuse and a feel-good story of second chances with the Texas Rangers, blasted 28 homers into the night in a frenzied Yankee Stadium atmosphere, in the first round.  That he finished second to Justin Morneau in the final round, will never be remembered.

This year, at the annual All Star break, my Yankees are 1 game behind the Boston Red Sox in the American League East, with Alex Rodriguez now on the shelf for at least 6 weeks.  (Ian Stewart in a Yankee uniform?)  The Rockies are 8-1/2 games behind the San Francisco Giants, and truth be told, will probably finish the year farther back than that.  The Rockies, due to a variety of factors, are not much more than a glorified Triple A squad, with the exception of  Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez (when healthy), Ubaldo Jimenez, Seth Smith and Jhoulys Chacin.  The relief pitching, a supposed strength coming out of spring training, has faltered, at inopportune times.  The starters beyond the current Jimenez and Chacin, have been woefully inconsistent, rarely getting past the 5th inning, thereby putting more strain on an inadequate bullpen.  Except for Todd Helton and Seth Smith, the Rockies hitters have been underachieving.  And, to me, the worst part of the Rockies disappointing season, is manager Jim Tracy and his coaching staff.  Absolutely no fire and toughness.  Too soft, too little accountability up and down the staff and roster.  The success of Kirk Gibson in Arizona and Clint Hurdle in Pittsburgh showcase what this Colorado Rockie club lacks.  Heart, and balls.

I predict that the Red Sox, Rangers and Tigers will win their divisions in the AL, with the Yankees claiming the Wild Card.  In the National League, I predict the Phillies, Giants and Brewers will win their divisions, and the Braves will claim the Wild Card.  A healthy Yankee squad will prevail in the American League and the Phillies will cruise to the National League pennant.  Then, with the American League winning this year's All Star game, the Yankees will enjoy home-field advantage in the Series, and they will prevail, 4 games to three, to put the frosting on their 28th World Championship. 

3,000......Hail Derek Jeter

The Colorado Rockies won yesterday 2-1, on the road, in a one run game, with Ubaldo Jimenez throwing eight strong innings.  Huston Street allowed runners to 1st and 3rd with only one out in the ninth inning.  Nothing new there.  Jayson Werth, the Washington National $126-million man, grounded into a game-ending double play.  It was the 96th double play accomplished by the Rockies, leading the National League, topped only by the Rangers and Royals in MLB.  Jimenez threw 112 pitches in his eight innings, struck out eight, walked only one and allowed only one run, in an outing that reminded me of last year's All-Star Game starter.  His record improved to 4-8, and he is 3-1 in his last 5 starts, with a 3.06 ERA, 33 Ks, 10 walks, 27 hits in 33-1/3 innings.  Since he surrendered 3 home runs in one game, June 12 to the Dodgers at Coors Field, only one ball has left the yard in these most recent 5 starts.  All-Star-snubbed Todd Helton drove in both Colorado runs with his 10th homer in the 4th and a ground-out in the 5th.  Helton now has 41 RBIs and is hitting .318, on pace to equal or best his superb 2009 season, when he batted .325 with 15 HRs, 86 RBIs and an OPS of .904.  Todd's OPS is now at .893.

OPS is the combined aggregate of on-base-percentage and slugging.  On-base is figured by adding hits, walks, hit-by-pitch, fielder's choice and reached-on-error, and divided by plate appearances.  When calculating a batter's batting average, walks, hit-by-pitch and sacrifices do not count as an official at-bat, but as a plate appearance.  A slugging percentage is calculated by adding the total bases credited from hits, divided by official at-bats.  So, a home run in one at-bat gives you a slugging percentage of 4.000.  A single in 4 at-bats makes it .250.  A high on-base statistic indicates a good batting eye with great strike zone discipline and/or a slap hitter who walks a lot (Juan Pierre).  Rockies' best on-base batter?  Todd Helton at .399.  Rockies' best slugger?  New addition, pitcher Eric Stults, 2 at-bats, one double, slugging 1.000.  Among the regulars, Mark Ellis is slugging at .639, but Jason Giambi is the real leader at .635, with more at-bats and 9 home runs with 22 RBIs in only 85 at-bats.

The Nationals scored their only run in the home half of the 6th when lead-off hitter Roger Bernadina led off with a triple and scored on pinch-hitter Rich Ankiel's ground ball to second baseman, Mark Ellis, with the Rockies' infield playing back.  That was the final tally in the game, and now the Rockies have a two-game winning streak, hoping to sweep the Nationals today, giving them some much-needed momentum going in to the All Star break.  At best, the Rockies will still be 6-1/2 games behind the Giants, 3 games under .500, with only 71 games remaining in the season.  Tall order, slim chance.

Nothing can detract from Derek Jeter's accomplishments in his unparalleled career.  Yes, I am a die-hard Yankee fan, and, yes, I am a proud to point to the Yankee pinstripes and to the conjoined N-Y on my hat.  No organization in sports history has represented as much class as the Yankees.  Argue with me that they "spend so much money", that they "buy pennants", that they represent all that you hate about baseball.  Go ahead, argue.  Then, go watch your NASCAR or your heavyweight boxing, or the latest Angelina Jolie movie, or Three and A Half Men episode.  You cannot be a true baseball fan if you are just a Yankee hater.  You probably are not a true baseball fan if you can't appreciate greatness in all its forms, ensconced in any uniform.  Only 28 men have reached 3,000 hits in a Major League uniform.  Derek Jeter has gotten every one of his hits in a Yankee uniform.  His is a very storied and already legendary career.  And without a hint of controversy, without a single blemish on his resume.  Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Reggie Jackson, Ron Guidry, Roger Maris, Billy Martin, Elston Howard, Goose Gossage.  Name after name evoking memory after memory in a history rich in character and accomplishment. 

Hail To Derek Jeter!  Not only reaching 3,000........ but doing it with a home run!  Not just getting to 3,000........ but getting 5 hits in 5 at-bats, with the fifth hit driving in the winning run?  Come on, dramatic moments seem to follow #2 in the pinstripes, his whole career.  First hit, May 30, 1995 in a season that saw him make appearances in only 15 games getting 15 hits that first year.  He was the Opening Day shortstop in 1996, when he hit his first Major League home run, also Joe Torre's first game as Yankee manager.  The Jeffrey Maier interference over Oriole right fielder Tony Tarasco's waiting glove in the 1996 ALCS on Jeter's fly ball that was ruled a tying home run.  The dive into the third base seats after catching a foul fly against Boston.  The first Major League home run ever hit in the Month of November, 2001 World Series delayed by the 9/11 atrocities, with the tattered World Trade Center American flag proudly flying over Yankee Stadium.  The backhand, underhand flip of the ball to Jorge Posada to nip Jeremy Giambi at home plate in the ALDS in 2001.  Saturday Night Live in drag, also in 2001.  On and on, Google "Derek Jeter Wiki" and check out his resume.

And finally, best wishes to Zach and Nicole Davis, married yesterday.  Daughter of my good friends, Dave and Kris Adair.  I met Dave on the night that Nicole was born, then discovered that he grew up in the same town as my wife, Kathy.  Then connected that Kathy's father and Dave's father were partners in a two-man medical practice back in Michigan.  We've been fast friends ever since, and I hope for all the best as Zach and Nicole embark on their lives together.  Godspeed.

Fading Hope

The biggest problem with following a team like this year's edition of the Colorado Rockies, is that the more you watch, the less hope you have that this team has what it takes to compete for the ultimate prize, a World Series Championship, or at least a playoff spot.  The recent injuries to Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki notwithstanding, this roster does not, and has not, fired on all cylinders yet this year.  Oh, for sure, there have been flashes of hope, the rare game when a starting pitcher effectively neutralizes the opposing batting lineup, the Rockies hitters produce timely hits driving in runs, Rafael Betancourt pitches a 1-2-3 eighth inning and Huston Street comes in and wraps up an uneventful ninth inning for a save.  How many times has that happened this year?  Obviously, not nearly enough.

Tonight's 5-3 loss at Turner Field to the Atlanta Braves was just another log in the fire.  The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Milwaukee Brewers tonight, and the San Francisco Giants are ahead of the San Diego Padres, which means that the Rockies may well be 7-1/2 games out of first and definitely 5-1/2 games behind the second-place D-Backs in the National League West Division.  Put into perspective, the Rockies with their disappointing 41-45 record, have to go 52-24 the rest of this season to get to 93 wins.  That's a .684 winning percentage.  93 wins will probably win the NL West.  Without another miraculous finish like they pulled off in 2007, this team is destined to finish below .500 and out of the post-season.  By the way, in 2009, after he took over the reins, when the Rockies started out the season 18-28, manager Jim Tracy's record after the May 29th sacking of Clint Hurdle, was 74-42, a .638 winning percentage.  Coincidentally, Hurdle's Pittsburgh Pirates are currently 45-41 and in second place, just 1-1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central Division.

One statistic encapsulates the stamp of frustration that defines this team:  16 runners left on base.  Throw in the 11 strikeouts and the general lack-of-energy feel to the game, this team is dead, stick a fork in 'em.  The sad thing is, is that the pieces that Dan O'Dowd and his staff have assembled all seem to be just not quite ready-for-prime-time. 

As the end of July approaches, and therefore the trade deadline, the Rockies seem poised to be in a position to be sellers, instead of buyers.  What this means, is that teams in possible contention for late-season playoff aspirations will be poring over rosters of teams that are out of contention to try and make deals for players that could help fill holes in their lineups or pitching staffs.  Teams that are on the outside looking in, can take advantage of this opportunity (yes, being out of contention can be an opportunity) to stock up their farm system by trading veteran players (and their often higher salaries) for prospects or lesser-experienced, cheaper players with potential.  The problem I see with these Rockies, and the player-development staff, is that what we are seeing is a problem of either under-performance by players and coaches, or over-valuing player potential by O'Dowd, manager Jim Tracy and their staffs.  Or both.  Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki are signed for the next 7 and 10 years, respectively, so it is vital to Rockie future success that the surrounding roster complement the superstars' skill sets to ensure ongoing effectiveness as a team, in Tracy's words, "going forward."

Jim Tracy joined this organization as a bench coach on Clint Hurdle's staff in the off-season after the 2008 season, when the Rockies finished the season in third place in the West behind the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.  He had spent many years in several organizations managing in the minor leagues.  He returned to the Major Leagues as a bench coach, first under Felipe Alou (Montreal Expos), then with the Dodgers, under Davey Johnson.  The Dodgers suffered through two difficult seasons in 1999 and 2000,  Johnson was fired and replaced by Tracy, who managed the Dodgers for 5 seasons, from 2001 through 2005, compiling a 427-383 (.527) record, winning a West Division title in 2004.  The Dodgers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 playoffs, 3 games to 1.  Tracy's team suffered through a 71-91 record in 2005 and was fired on October 3 immediately after the end of the season.  On October 11, he was named as the skipper of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The Pirates, as usual, stunk, so Tracy compiled a 135-189 (.417) record in two years at the helm of the Pirates.  He was fired at the end of the 2007 season.  So far with the Rockies, Tracy's regular season record is 198-166 (.544), with a 1-3 playoff record after being defeated by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2009 Disivision Series.

Have the Rockies reached a dead-end with their current roster?  That question will be answered by the end of July, maybe sooner.  Even with a healthy Tulo and a 100% CarGo, the Rockies need Aaron Cook, Ubaldo Jimenez, Jason Hammel, Jhoulys Chacin, Rafael Betancourt and Huston Street to pick up their games, substantially.  They need Todd Helton to remain healthy and relevant and productive, even IF (and probably not) he gets voted into this year's All-Star Game.  We need to see major improvement in the consistency of Ty Wigginton's at-bats and defense.  It's crucial that Chris Iannetta elevate his offensive and defensive profile.  It'd be really great if newcomer Mark Ellis could ignore his lifetime American League career batting average of .265 (1,056 games over 9 seasons) and maintain his National League average of .444 (4 games).  You see where we're heading? 

Hope is fading.

(Update:  the Padres rallied to beat the Giants, 5-3.  Rox are only 6-1/2 games out!)

Mark Ellis For Resident !

Okay, it's been a couple of days since I have vented and postulated about baseball.  I have watched the games from a distance, listened to them with one ear.  I have read articles and accounts of the post mortems.  When faced with the choice of playing golf, or watching the Rockies, I have opted for the golf, lately.  This is not because I have abandoned hope, or lost interest.  I would rather be frustrated chasing that little white Titleist around Sunset than resisting the urge to throw a shoe at my TV whilst watching the Rockies blow another lead, or waste another opportunity to creep closer to the San Francisco Giants in the standings.

That being said, in the two games since a certain Mark Ellis has joined the ranks of the Colorado Rockies, the local ballteam has seemed to find a spark.  The fact that this spark coincides with the annual fireworks celebrations at Coors Field, is just the type of positive irony that may well serve to propel the Rockies on an upward spiral as we pass the half-way point in the 2011 baseball season.  Don't get me wrong, I am still skeptical about the Rockies' chances of catching, or passing, the Giants.  It's just that the shaking up of the roster by adding one player has infused a needed ingredient missing this season:  true grit.

Lost in all the celebration and satisfaction in the Rockies' two-game winning streak is one glaring statistic.  Thirty-four runners left on base.  I know, nit-picking to be sure, as the Rocks won both games, handily, and not every base runner can score in any Major League baseball game.  Only in tee-ball can that happen.  But, as the undefeated-in-July-so-far Rockies go forward, they must win close games, when there is less traffic on the bases.  That is one area where they have failed consistently and confoundingly this season.  So far this season, the Rockies are 9-32 when scoring three runs or less (5-14 at home, 4-18 on the road).  They are 32-10 when scoring four runs or more (17-6 and 15-4).  Much has been made of the Rockies and their losing record in games decided by one run, but a more telling trend is how important that fourth run is, in games that are close.  Watch the rest of the year when the Rockies score over three runs, they'll continue to have a winning record.

Mark Ellis can help, as a two-hole hitter that is experienced and comfortable at producing professional at-bats, taking pitches when Carlos Gonzalez is on base and Todd Helton is in the on-deck circle.  Hitting or bunting as the case may be, he can succeed where Jonathan Herrera (6 for 44 in June, all singles), Chris Nelson (2 for 26, .077 since June 19th), Dexter Fowler (working on cutting down his strike outs in Colorado Springs) and Jose Lopez (.208 with the Rockies, released, picked up by the Marlins, .103, released) all failed.  Granted, it's only two games into the Mark Ellis Era here in Denver, so I shall strive to be realistic in my optimism.  The next 8 games will tell whether or not my sense of encouragement is well-founded, or unjustified.  Six for ten with 5 extra-base hits (4 doubles, 1 HR), four runs scored, five runs batted in, slugging percentage of 1.200 and OPS of 1.800 is what I'd characterize as a very good start in the purple pinstripes.  Especially in front of two sellout, enthusiastic crowds of over 49,000 appreciative fans.  Mark Ellis has great expectations to fill and satisfy.  Let's see if he can produce, where Lopez and Nelson and Herrera and Young and Fowler have failed.

Lost in the euphoria of Ellis' monster start and the Rockies offense awakening, were two pitching performances that were well-received.  No, I am not referring to Huston Street's one-pitch save last night (about his safe-limit).  More on that in another column.  No, I'm talking about rookie Juan Nicasio's stellar 8-inning, three-hit shutout effort Friday night.  Sporting a fastball that reached 95 mph consistently, with enough curves, sliders and changeups to confound Kansas City hitters, Nicasio took advantage of an early lead to cruise to his third victory of his young career, against just one loss.  Then, on Saturday night, Greg Reynolds, who was called up from Colorado Springs as an emergency starter for sore-armed Jhoulys Chacin (who's scheduled to start Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves), also took advantage of early-offense from the Rockies, lasting 5 innings and surrendering 5 runs to get the win.  A 7-0 lead after two innings allows a pitcher to throw strikes and eat up innings and that's what Reynolds accomplished.  He has spot-started 4 games for the Rockies this season, and the team has won all four.  His reward?  Back to the Springs after the game Saturday.

The Rockies are riding a two-game winning streak, only the fourth time since April 27th that they have won successive contests.  They are one game under .500 at 41-42, six and a half games behind the San Francisco Giants.  After today's game with Kansas City, which concludes this year's inter-league schedule, the Rockies have 16 games on the road and only 8 at home for the rest of July.  With the All-Star break about a week away, the 8 games before the break, and the next two weeks will determine whether or not the Rockies can contend for a playoff spot.  The National League Wild Card will probably be coming from the competitive Central Division, so the Rockies have to win the West.  They do not meet the Giants until September 15th, so they have to catch 'em the old fashioned way:  keep winning and hope they lose.  Note:  the two hottest teams in all of baseball?  San Francisco Giants (8-2 last ten games), and the New York Yankees, also 8-2 with a 7-game winning streak, ahead of the Red Sox by 2-1/2 games.  The Braves and Padres are also 8-2 in the last ten.  Our Rockies?  4-6.  That will not cut it. 

Today's starter, Jason Hammel, and the Rockies' revival on offense, need to extend the streak to three wins as they proceed to Atlanta and Washington, DC before the All-Star break.  Congratulations to Troy Tulowitzki, who is narrowly leading the Mets' Jose Reyes in the voting for the starting National League shortstop in this year's fann balloting.  Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin should also be selected for this year's festivities. (Update:  Tulo lost out to Reyes.  A real black-eye for Rockies fans, it's fan votes that determine starters, and Rockies voters got schooled by NY Mets voters.  Shame on us.)

The Kansas City Royals are in town at a very opportune time.  Now the Rockies have to the work, sweep the Royals and win at least 4 out of 7 in Atlanta and Wash, DC.