Sunday, June 6, 2010

Rock Solid Recap: Exhale

Rockies 3, Diamondbacks 2

I didn't go in to today with the usual good feeling I have on Ubaldo days. That feeling certainly wasn't due to a lack of belief in the Chief, it was more a feeling of anxiety over the way Arizona had battled the first two games.

If you haven't noticed, I have a ton of respect for the position players on their roster. Just three years ago a lot of these same players were battling Colorado in the NLCS. In 2008, these same players finished two games back of LA in the NL West.

They can play. They can hit. They can run. They can field.

They just can't pitch.

That's the only thing keeping them from making the West a five team race. But they have been pitching better recently (that continued today with Rodrigo Lopez), so knowing that, and knowing what their offense is capable of -- yes, I was quite nervous about today's result.

Lineup Card: Rockies vs Diamondbacks

A sweep today would be bad.  Not just because being swept by Arizona is bad, but because being swept by anyone is bad.

Also, losing Ubaldo Jimenez starts isn't the best idea either.  It's kinda sad the Rockies have to rely on him so heavily to stop a losing streak, stop a sweep, eat up innings, save the bullpen, be superman every time he takes ball,  But it's pretty special how he just shrugs his shoulders, takes the ball, and continues performing at the level he has.

Let's see what he has in store for us in this slightly less publicized matchup with Rodrigo Lopez.

Rockies Lineup (28-27)

  • CF Gonzalez
  • LF Smith
  • SS Tulowitzki
  • RF Hawpe
  • C  Olivo
  • 1B Helton
  • 3B Stewart
  • 2B Barmes
  • P   Jimenez
Diamondbacks Lineup (22-34)
  • 2B Johnson
  • LF Jackson
  • 1B LaRoche
  • 3B Reynolds
  • CF Young
  • RF Parra
  • C   Snyder
  • SS Ojeda
  • P   Lopez
If Arizona keeps the game close they'll have Stephen Drew, Justin Upton and Ryan Roberts (newest Rockie killer) available to hit late in the game.