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.
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