Running Thoughts: Jimenez vs. Correia

Rockies Lineup

• LF Smith
• CF Fowler
• 1B Helton
• SS Tulowitzki
• RF Gonzalez 
• C  Olivo
• 3B Stewart
• 2B Barmes
• P   Jimenez

Two things of note here.  

1) Eric Young sits for the second straight day, which leads me to believe his leadoff stint is over and he'll end up being the obvious choice back to the minors when Hawpe returns.  

2) The Helton/Gonzalez switch has concluded.  Fine.  I just hope Tracy actually settles on something soon, because I remember how frustrating the constant Clint Hurdle lineup changes became for all involved.

Troy Renck provided a lot of good info on Rockies injuries today on his Twitter feed.  Be sure to check that out and get up to date.

And before we get to the game action in San Diego, I'd like to offer my congratulations to Ubaldo Jimenez for being named NL Pitcher of the Month.  May tonight be the beginning of his run at back-to-back award winning months!

Looking Ahead: The One-Legged Fathers

Hello, first place San Diego Padres.

Might as well say that while I can.

Yeah, I realize they're playing well... very well actually. I even know some people that are on the bandwagon and think this team has a leg to stand on in the NL West.

I agree with you, they do have ONE very strong leg (named Adrian Gonzalez) to stand on, but a one-legged man isn't going to win an ass kicking contest... or survive a 162 game marathon for that matter. EVEN if all the other runners give him a one month head start.

By the way... remember when San Diego won 10 in a row last May?

They still finished 20 games back.

Leadership Is Not Overstated

It matters.  That's why the Rockies are lucky to have a couple guys like Troy Tulowitzki and Jason Giambi on their roster.

They are clearly the two loudest voices, aside from Jim Tracy's, in the Rockies clubhouse. If you don't believe that, just read the quotes they offered MLB Fanhouse's Jeff Fletcher (Rockies Feeling Sense of Urgency).

Lord knows I love Todd Helton (I think naming my blog after him might have given that away), but he's not a strong voice. He's more of a lead by onfield example type of guy, which I admire and respect just as much as anything, but that only goes so far when no one else on the team is capable of playing on your level.

That was the case for the Rockies throughout Helton's prime years. I'm not saying Todd's lack of vocal leadership is why the Rockies sucked all those seasons, I'm just saying it's nice to have guys that are willing to speak up to get a message across.

This Rockies team qualified as one that needed a message delivered to them.