Rock Solid Recrap: Don't Blame Manny

I came into today's game never once expecting to hear Manny Corpas' name. Manny had pitched the previous three days, earning saves in the first two, and then laboring badly through the third appearance. No way he could be counted on to pitch a 4th straight day unless the most extreme circumstances arose was my thinking.

Apparently 1-1 in the 9th inning qualifies as extreme circumstances.

Brewers 6, Rockies 1

Not surprisingly, Corpas had nothing in the tank. He faced five hitters. All five hitters reached. All five hitters scored. And Corpas was booed off the mound by a large number of fans that probably didn't realize the circumstances or aren't baseball educated.

It wasn't Manny's fault.

There was a lot wrong in this one, just as their usually is when the Rockies drop games to bad teams.

The offense is this team's achilles heel. Has been all season. They sucked again today. In fact, I think the season's low point came in the 8th inning today. They went down 1-2-3 to Trevor Hoffman in that 8th inning. No one goes down 1-2-3 to Trevor Hoffman in 2010.

Hell, the Rockies never used to go down 1-2-3 to Trevor Hoffman even when he was still at his peak Hall of Fame level.

The offensive fails didn't surprise this fan a whole lot, though, when he saw a lineup not including Miguel Olivo, Todd Helton or Seth Smith, in addition to CarGo still nursing the sore knee.

However, the ultimate bottom line today is Jim Tracy was going to use Corpas again if the game was close, and Corpas was still going to have nothing on the mound. To me it boils down to a manager looking at the game at hand, and making a decision that gives his team the best chance to win that game.

Jim Tracy failed. Jim Tracy failed miserably. Jim Tracy let his team down. Jim Tracy also let his pitcher down.

Go to Juan Rincon. Go to Rafael Betancourt. Go to somebody that isn't running on fumes. Someone that gives your team a chance to get a zero on the board, and then give your offense a chance to get one run.

There's no guarantee that works either, but it's the common sense factor. It's not even baseball logic, it's the logic of physics. Manny Corpas clearly needed a night off last night. He was gassed. You can't use him again today after seeing that. You can't, that is, unless your name Jim Tracy.

I'm glad that's not my name.

But hey, the Rockies do win a series this weekend. That's a positive.

Aaron Cook pitched a GREAT game today. He deserved a better result than a no decision.

Jonathan Herrera has shown to be a little more than servicable.

Meanwhile, Dexter Fowler hit for the cycle today at Colorado Springs... by the 5th inning. He might be nearing a return.

Can't let the one bad inning damper a good weekend of baseball. And above all that, can't let anything related to baseball put a damper on Father's Day. Hope you all have or had a good one.

Be on the look for updated Rockies player rankings sometime tomorrow.

Lineup Card: Rockies vs Brewers

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there.

Rockies Lineup (6-2)

• 2B Herrera
• LF Mora
• CF Spilborghs
• 1B Giambi
• RF Hawpe
• C   Iannetta
• 3B Stewart
• 2B Barmes
• P   Cook

Tracy didn't like my idea of Herrera at third I guess.  We'll wait at least two more days before Chris Nelson gets start #1.

Once again Aaron Cook gets Jason Giambi behind him defensively.  If you recall Aaron's first start of the season in Milwaukee, Giambi's defense cost him a win.  We'll hope this goes better.  

Brewers Lineup (28-40)

• 2B Weeks
• RF Hart
• 1B Fielder 
• LF Braun
• 3B Counsell
• CF Gomez
• C   Kottaras
• SS Escobar
• P   Wolf

Craig Counsell must have insane numbers against Cook to be hitting 5th.

We saw how quick the offense can strike for the Brew Crew late last night.  Cook and what's available of the pen today have their work cut out for them.  

Read more »