NL West Recap: 7-26-10

I think we're getting to the point where we need to take a closer look at the direct competition in the NL West. You know, before they get too far out of reach.

San Diego Padres: Idle

After taking care of business in Pittsburgh, the Padres receive their second day off since the all-star break. The Rockies? Still no days off until next Tuesday. Thanks for that, Bud.

San Diego will host the Dodgers for three starting tonight. I guess we pull for the Dodgers? Or do we pull for the Padres because the Dodgers are a more direct threat in the wildcard race?

See that's the problem when you go 2-9 on a road trip and allow 3-4 teams to pass you in the standings. You have to start pulling for everyone to lose and unfortunately they all start playing each other and the scenarios start becoming impossible.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Idle

The pitching matchup tonight in San Diego is Chad Billingsly vs Jon Garland.  I think LA will take that one.

Marlins 4, Giants 3

Ricky Nolasco outloasted Barry Zito in a matchup of pitchers that absolutely dominate the Rockies. Yes, it's true there have been a ridiculous amount of pitchers that have dominated the Rockies this season, but these two have doing it for years. And doing it big.

Mike Stanton is really starting to standout for Florida. He impressed me a lot in the Rockies series down there. Last night he crushed a solo HR in the 5th inning, and then he provided some insurance with an RBI double in the 8th. Dan Uggla also hit a solo HR off Zito.

Those two teams will rematch tonight with an even better pitching matchup: Josh Johnson vs Matt Cain. I know where I'll be tuning as soon as the Rockies game concludes.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Idle

They're headed to Philadelphia. Looks like the Phillies win streak could reach at least eight, possibly more.

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.

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Rock Solid Recrap: Role Reversal

Wasn't the Arizona bullpen supposed to be the implosion waiting to happen?

Wasn't the Colorado bullpen supposed to come right in and lock things down for Aaron Cook when he exited with a three run lead?

That's not how things played out tonight, and for second time this season, Arizona steals a win from the Rockies they had no business stealing.

Diamondbacks 7, Rockies 6

Arizona Bullpen -- 3 IP, 1 BB, 6 K

Colorado Bullpen -- 3 1/3 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

That's a hideous breakdown if you're a Rockies supporter.. or their pitching coach.

The only guy who came in and did his job was Rafael Betancourt. Daley, Beimel, Belisle, Flores,and Corpas all struggled to varying degrees, with Corpas ultimately blowing the save and taking the loss.

Not. Pretty.

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Rock Solid Recap: Stack'em Up

Not only are the Rockies stacking up victories... 5 in a row

They're stacking up some long balls as well... Smith-to-CarGo-to-Spilborghs.

That makes 16 dingers in their last 9 games.

And hey, they're stacking up the whoppers and tacos for Rockies fans as well.

Rockies 8, Diamondbacks 2

Winning Player: Seth Smith

This is a retroactive Winning Player selection.  He deserved it last night for hitting two bombs with the flu.  He deserves it even more today for extending the lead from 4-2 to 6-2... while even sicker than he was last night.

I don't know where he found the strength, but I can appreciate the energy it must take just to get out of bed feeling that awful. Hopefully he feels better tomorrow night.

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Rock Solid Recap: The Little Things Add Up

Now that was a profressional baseball game that makes you proud to be a baseball fan. Very well played by both sides.

Rockies 3, Diamondbacks 2

Winning Player: Jhoulys Chacin

Anytime your 22-year-old starter gives you six innings of two run baseball, you best win the game for him. When you win the game for him, you must give him the game ball.

Chacin was fantastic in limiting a really strong Arizona lineup to just four hits and two walks. He struck out five and also induced a well timed double play ball off the bat of Chris Snyder in the second inning. That was his biggest pitch of the night.

Maybe his biggest moment of the game came in an under-the-radar AB.

His successful sacrifice bunt in the 2nd inning led directly to a stolen run. The bunt pushed runners to 2nd and 3rd with two outs. Miguel Olivo then scored from third on an Ian Kennedy wild pitch.

One simple little bit of execution leads to a stolen run. It was really was huge, because all the Rockies could muster aside from that run were solo HRs from Brad Hawpe and Troy Tulowitzki.  That's why I always stress the little things.

Save: Ian Stewart/Clint Barmes

Listen, the bullpen did great once again tonight backing up Chacin. The usual trio -- Belisle, Bemiel and Corpas -- got the nine outs and sealed the deal once again. Credit to them.

But that play Clint Barmes made in the 9th inning was huge. Not only to knock the ball down, preventing a 1st and 3rd situation, he actually got an out of the play. We all know how precious and elusive outs 25, 26 and 27 can be. Barmes secured 26 right there.

That's why he plays.

And the two plays Ian Stewart made in the late innings. Incredible. Diving and throwing from his backside, and then leaning over the rail in the D-Backs dugout for out 25. When the Rockies flash leather, they win baseball games. They win them inspite of whatever offensive struggles they're going through.

It's a defense first team.

Stewart's swing also looked good. Two knocks the opposite way plus a walk. Todd Helton chipped in with three hits.

Eat that, Mark Kiszla.

Ubaldo takes the ball tomorrow. Let's hope for a Stress Free Wednesday against former Rockie Rodrigo Lopez and the rest of the D-Backs.

Rock Solid Recrap: Nauseated

Diamondbacks 12, Rockies 11 (10 innings)

What can you say after a game like that? Probably not a whole lot more than I said while the game was going on. Feel free to go back and read that again if your stomach can handle it.

Losing Player: Greg Smith

It all boils down to how AWFUL Greg Smith was today. Absolutely brutal.

I have defended this guy all spring. I've been in his corner despite his early season troubles. There's nothing I can say anymore to defend him. I still do like this talent, but talent doesn't equal a whole lot when you have no confidence in your best pitches or your ability to retire big leaguers.

It's a mnetal hurdle he has to overcome every time out there, and you can just tell how his day is going to go with the first batter. It happened in Miwaukee. He was up 0-2 on Rickie Weeks and ended up walking him. He was up 1-2 today on Kelly Johnson... walked him.

And then it spiraled. Rockies can't afford anymore of this. Not with the circumstances having changed to tremendously in a short time.

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Running Thoughts: Smith. vs Benson

Miguel Olivo played just hours after passing two kidney stones?  That dude really does have stones!

How about this lineup... EY Jr. starting again, leading off again... and playing LF.  Alright.  Let's see how this goes.

Fowler, Helton, Tulowitzki, Gonzalez, Olivo, Stewart.  No surprises there.

Melvin Mora gets the nod over Barmes at second.  Could be an interesting defense day again as we've seen a few when Mora plays.

Only notable resting for Arizona is SS Stephen Drew.  That makes sense against the lefty Smith.

Alright... time to take another series.

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Looking Ahead: But Not Too Far Ahead

Have to focus on this big game at home before the big trip to San Francisco and beyond.

Greg Smith vs. Kris Benson

Hello, Greg Smith, you're now the #3 starter. That happened fast, didn't it? No pressure or anything, you just might need to go more than 5-6 innings these next few starts while we wait for everyone to get well again, or at least until we know what Rogers and Chacin are capable of.

It's possible they settle right in quickly, taking a lot of the pressure off you, but, for now, let's try to target that 7th inning.

Kris Benson on the mound for Arizona.

He's no Dan Haren. Heck, he's no Edwin Jackson, either. I would be extremely shocked if the Rockies don't pound him into the ground by the 4th inning. And even more so disappointed if they don't find a way to win the game. Gotta have it!

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Rock Solid Recap: Everybody Hits!

Rockies 12, Diamondbacks 1

The Rockies made Edwin Jackson pay for not being Dan Haren.

That's pretty much what it comes down to. This lineup was so frustrated last night by Haren that I don't think any pitcher they faced tonight would have stood a chance. Just as any pitcher after the Nolasco gem wouldn't stand a chance either.

Well, maybe Tim Lincecum... or Roy Halladay... or Ubaldo... would have, but not many others.

The point is when this lineup has a rough game this season they always seem to bounce back in a big way. Tonight was no exception.

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Running Thoughts: Jimenez vs. E. Jackson

Ian Stewart was interviewed by the folks over at MLB Trade Rumors.

Quite the interesting lineup tonight for the Rockies.  Eric Young Jr. does get a start at second base... and he's leading off.  Fowler hits second.  The speed there is off the charts with those two.  Helton and Tulowitzki hit in their customary 3 and 4 spots.

Carlos Gonzalez slides down to 5th.  I like it.  I've been very anxious to see CarGo moved to an RBI position in the order.  I think he'll thrive there now, and I think he'd thrive there if the Rockies elect to trade Brad Hawpe at some point in the near future.

Olivo hits 6th, Stewart 7th, and there's Seth Smith hitting 8th.  That's one damn good #8 hitter.  Very excited to see how this lineup performs tonight.

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Looking Ahead: It's Ubaldo Night

Having witnessed Roy Halladay lose his perfect 4-0 record last night in San Francisco doesn't concern me about Ubaldo Jimenez tonight. We all knew these guys were human.

The 250 total pitches he's thrown in his last two starts DO have me concerned about Ubaldo Jimenez, not only tonight, but going forward. Like I said, we all know they're human.

Concerned is the word... not worried or panicked. You know what I mean? Just slightly uncomfortable.

I'm less concerned about the injuries to Jason Hammel and Jorge De La Rosa. Yes, this team can't afford another injury right now, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't just a little excited to see what Jhoulys Chacin and Esmil Rogers have in them.

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Rock Solid Recrap: Who's Left?

Diamondbacks 5, Rockies 3

Dan Haren did what Dan Haren does best... pitch a baseball. He made it look way too easy.

By my count the Rockies only hit the ball hard twice. Carlos Gonzalez led off the first with a clothesline HR to straight away center. In the 8th, Eric Young Jr. tagged a double to right. I mean he really tagged it. I'm impressed with what I'm seeing from him since his recall.

Losing Player: Jason Hammel

Bad.

And now hurt.

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Running Thoughts: Hammel vs. Haren

It's Dante Bichette Night at Coors Field!  Let's win one for Dante!  Or just win one because winning is better than losing!

Hey look... that's Larry Walker!  Nice surprise for all the folks out at the ballpark tonight.

Rockies go with the same lineup as yesterday.  No arguments there.

Arizona will have Justin Upton despite his fouling a ball off his leg last night.  Dammit.

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Looking Ahead: To The Slugging Snakes

The Diamondbacks outsmarted the entire baseball world when they brought in Kelly Johnson to play second base. Dude has 7 HRs already and is hitting .322 at the top of their order, and he really could have been had by anybody for next to nothing after a brutal 2009 in Atlanta. The D-Backs had the foresight to make the move knowing a bounce back was very likely.

Nice job by them.

Of course I don't think they saw this type of bounce back (he's already halfway to career high in HR) but it was a low-risk/high-reward move that's paying off.

If only they could have made a signing in the bullpen that made the same impact for them.

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NL West Recap: What Was Joe Torre Thinking?

Pirates 11, Dodgers 5

A couple things about this game.

-- The Dodgers got what they deserved for naming Vicente Padilla their Opening Day starter. What the hell did Joe Torre expect to happen? When you have a Clayton Kershaw and a Chad Billingsley at your disposal, I don't know why you'd ever pass them for Padilla. Weird decision.

-- The Pirates can really rake. It's far from a complete, all-star filled lineup, but there aren't many holes here. Garrett Jones is a nice anchor in the #3 spot. He has power to all fields, as he proudly displayed in the opener. Obviously Andrew McCutchen is a special type player, and Jeff Clement should be good, too.

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Hits & Misses: Spring Training Game 30

Rockies 4, D-Backs 3 (Boxscore)

Hits

Ubaldo Jimenez

The only person more ready for opening day than you or me is Ubaldo.

Jason Giambi

His first inning two-run single was a 390 foot job off the top of the right field wall. What a rocket. He also drew a bases loaded walk that shows the type of patience the veteran slugger has. I think we're pretty lucky to still have him around.

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Hits & Misses: Spring Training Game 13

Diamondbacks 8, Rockies 7 (Boxscore)

From Hermosillo, Mexico

Hits

Ian Stewart

Ian is smoking hot this spring (.474)... which you all know means he'll start the regular season in a 1-for-21 funk with 13 strikeouts.  If Ian can push that average to the .260-.270 range when it counts... look out.  Could be a monster season.

Jeff Kindel

Kindel gets a mention for his two hit afternoon.  He's hitting .400 on the spring and is making a nice accounting for himself.  Not that it matters a single bit in the big picture.

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