Looking Ahead: Rockies Unprepared For Litmus Test

I hate being a pessimist, but not as much as I enjoy being a realist.

This series doesn't look good on paper.

It didn't look good on paper on Opening Day. It didn't look good on paper the second it was official Roy Halladay would make a start. It didn't look good on paper when it was official the Rockies would start Greg Smith, Aaron Cook and Jason Hammel. And amazingly, as bad as it looked at all those times, it looks a helluva lot uglier on paper now than it did 24 hours ago.

Thankfully the games aren't played on paper.

The Rockies won't make any excuses. which is good, because the Philadelphia Phillies -- far and away the best team in the National League -- come to town, and they could give crap about the Rockies problems.

Those problems, by the way, go beyond the injuries and absences.

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Looking Ahead: To Sending A Message

Not to the Dodgers.

The Rockies need to send a message to themselves. A message that includes...

• The Dodgers aren't so damn tough,
• We can win a series in LA.

Again, you know how important these getaway games are to me. This one is especially huge. A series win in LA would do wonders for the Rockies confidence. It would also be great to head into the Phillies series record with a winning record.

If you do that, and then you steal one or possibly two from Philly, you're set up pretty well as the schedule lightens up for the next two weeks. Still have to take care of business of course, but you can really get yourself into a great position. Let's hope they get it done with Ubaldo.

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Looking Ahead: Knuckle Up

Jhoulys Chacin vs. Charlie Haeger

It's been a long time since the Rockies have seen a knuckleballer.

I have no idea what to expect.

Haeger's starts have ranged from 6 IP, 3 ER, 12 K to 4 IP, 5 ER, 4 BB, 1 K. He's been skipped a couple times. Been used in relief a couple times. That's just the unpredictable nature of a knuckleballer.

My suggestion to Rockies hitters would be to take a patient approach first time around to see what kind of read they can get on the pitch.

My suggestion to Jhoulys Chacin would be to do the same thing he did in San Francisco. Pound the zone. Trust the defense to help. I understand that's a bit much to hope for these days, but you just have to have the mentality that they'll make all the plays.

My suggestion to the defense... make the ****ing plays!

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Looking Ahead: Time For Sharper Baseball

Throw the records out the window.

I don't care if the Dodgers are 20-8, 14-14, or 8-20, they're a talented team. Not only are they talented, but I think we're all aware of how well they play against Colorado.

I don't care that the Rockies are 14-14. The baseball they've played to get them that very average record simply won't cut it against this LA team. It barely cut it against San Diego, and it damn sure won't cut it in the Philadelphia series coming up next week.

But let's not get too far ahead.

Esmil Rogers vs. Hiroki Kuroda

Runs probably won't be easy to come by again for the offense. Kuroda is a solid pitcher that's off to a nice start. He's over the scary incident last season where he was struck in the head by a line drive. He's throwing the ball confidently, more confidently than anyone else on the LA staff, and will present a challenge.

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I Demand Stability

The more I think about the lineup (and the CONSTANT shuffling) the more I want stability.  For the next 500 or so words I'm going to tell Jim Tracy how to fill out his lineup card and provide his team with that stability.

My Lineup Card (tonight vs San Diego)

CF Fowler
LF Spilborghs
1B Helton
SS Tulowitzki
RF Gonzalez
C Olivo
3B Stewart
2B Barmes
P Cook

This will not just be the lineup tonight, this will be the lineup for the next several days (insert Seth Smith for Spilborghs vs.a righty).

When Brad Hawpe returns, your lineup should look like this.

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Looking Ahead: Man Up Or Shut Up

Greg Smith vs. Wade LeBlanc

It's getting to be now or never time for Greg.

Jeff Francis has a rehab start scheduled. Jason Hammel is working his way closer. Jhoulys Chacin made his presense felt over the weekend. And then there's Esmil Rogers kinda hovering around looking for opportunities.

The Rockies aren't asking Smith to be an ace, workhorse, or even a stopper, they just need him to keep them in games. That obviously didn't happen last time out, and I imagine Jim Tracy will have a quick hook for him again if things don't get off on the right track this time around.

I have a strange feeling he's going to man up and come through. There's probably a lot of false hope and confidence involved in that feeling, but I like to stick by the guys I supported all spring. Smith was pretty clearly at the top of that list.

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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.

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Looking Ahead: How To Win In San Francisco

Trips to San Francisco are death to the Colorado Rockies.

It's been that way for years.

It'll likely continue that way as long as the Giants maintain their incredible starting pitching. That is, unless the Rockies learn to change their approach.

It's a different game AT&T Park. It almost has a playoff feel to it because run scoring chances are so scarse for the Rockies (and every team that plays there), that every wasted one is costly.

It also feels like every run scoring chance the Giants get, they cash in.

Why does it feel that way?

Well, that's because they realize every single run they scratch out means a lot to their pitching staff. They value each chance, not because they fear it's their last, but because they know cashing in means their chances of winning have significantly increased.  Their pitching doesn't need much breathing room.

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Looking Ahead: TV Fail?

Sounds like the TV situation will be a friggin mess again today.

Major League Baseball should be ashamed any time fans are robbed from watching their favorite teams play. That makes no one happy. It doesn't mean people are going to watch the stupid Fox games you're shoving down our throats every week with the same teams, it just means they're going to be annoyed and find something better to do.

This is just one reason MLB is the worst at doing the right thing to make their fans happy. It's pathetic.

Blackouts suck!

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Looking Ahead: Pitch It To Win It

The Rockies open a three game series in San Francisco tonight. In case you haven't heard, the Giants have the best pitching in baseball.

By a mile.

So basically the Rockies are going to have to pitch the baseball with great success themselves if they plan on leaving the bay area with a victory or two.

Aaron Cook vs. Barry Zito

And it starts right off with a bad matchup for the offense. Barry Zito was murder on them in all four starst last season (2-0, 0.95). That's pretty ridiculous.

Speaking of ridiculous... Zito is 3-0 this season with a 1.32 ERA.

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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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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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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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Looking Ahead: Rubber Match

Jorge De La Rosa vs. Chris Volstad

A similar matchup to Smith vs. Nolasco, only De La Rosa is a more refined, more talented, better equipped to handle power right-handed hitters version of a left-hander than Smith is at this point. DLR can get swings and misses when he's ahead or behind in the count, and he can change speeds effectively enough to keep them off balance.

Volstad is a power right-handed arm like Nolasco, but he's not nearly as talented or effective. He's capable of having a Nolasco type day, but I don't one will come at the expense of the Rockies. That's more likely to happen to a Houston or San Diego.

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Looking Ahead: Double Dipping

I previewed Game 1 yesterday. Nothing has changed in my opinion on that.

Game 2: Aaron Cook vs. Nate Robertson

Game 2 should be more of an advantage to the Rockies because of their clear depth/talent advantage over the Marlins. The Rockies can run an entirely different lineup out there in two games and you feel like both lineups can hang with anybody.  That's a nice attribute.

Of course there's always the concerns over Giambi's defense, but let's just hope he's not needed too often with the glove.  

Aaron Cook needs to be good today. I'm expecting the bullpen to pick 3-4 innings in Game 1, so Cook has to get into the 7th or 8th to keep things from getting crazy. The Marlins lineup matches up much better for him than it does for Smith. plus Cook just seems due for a Cookmanlike outing, doesn't he?

Let's cross our fingers.

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Looking Ahead: To A Bad Matchup

Greg Smith vs. Ricky Nolasco

Tonight's pitching matchup has the potential for very ugly results.

I say that not because I don't believe in Greg Smith -- because you all know I do if you've been reading since Spring Training -- it's just a very difficult matchup for a lefty with his type of stuff. Extremely difficult.

The Marlins lineup will be loaded with potent and powerful right-handed bats -- Hanley Ramirez, Jorge Cantu, Dan Uggla, Cody Ross, Cameron Maybin, Ronny Paulino -- that are capable of putting up runs in a hurrry.

Remember this day? Rockies 18, Marlins 17

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Looking Ahead: To Ubaldo's Encore

Actually, I don't think any of us will be too picky about Ubaldo's encore performance as long as it results in a victory for the ballclub.

Am I right?

Old friend Livan Hernandez takes the mound for Washington. Folks, Livan hasn't allowed a run yet this season in two starts. His ERA currently sits at freaking 0.00.

I'm going to go on out on a limb here and guarantee that changes today. Livan Hernandez will allow a run. In fact, Livan will allow about 4-5 runs.

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Looking Ahead: To A Winning Streak

Let's rattle off a few wins here shall we?

Won't be easy with Washington's clear cut ace, John Lannan, on the mound. Lannan is far from what you'd call a dominant ace, but has his nights where he's on and can shut down anyone. Hopefully this won't be one of those nights.

I believe the Rockies come in with a little edge as they saw a similar, though far less talented, version of Lannan last night in Scott Olsen. I'm sure Lannan will make some adjustments from the gameplan Olsen used, but the Rockies should probably stick to theirs. I wouldn't even be opposed to them using the same lineup.

We know that won't happen.

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Looking Ahead: To A Worse Today

Because let's face it, Greg Smith is going to give up a hit, maybe even a run or two.

Smith vs. Jurrjens

Following a no-hitter has to be about the least enviable task a starting pitcher could face. Then again, in the case of Greg Smith, who's coming off maybe the best start of his ML career, the pressure must feel pretty low, and the confidence has to be at an all-time high.

The adjustments he made between starts one and two were exactly what I'd hoped they would be. He was aggressive. He approached the ABs like he was in control. Most importantly, he trusted his stuff could get ML hitters out, and his stuff did just that. Now I'm really looking to how he backs up that start.

I might suggest Jason Hammel take a close at how Smith fares as well. It's early yet, not sure when Francis will return, but you have to figure Smith COULD earn his way into the rotation one way or another. And even if that's not a possibility, I wouldn't mind Smith and Hammel thinking it was.

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Looking Ahead: To A Better Today

Because yesterday sucked. And so did the day before that.

Jimenez vs. Kawakami

When times are rough, who's the person you always turn to? Your ace in the hole, right? Well, thank God the Rockies actually have one of those, and they're going to need him to live up to the billing in full for the third straight outing.

The Braves counter with Kenshin Kawakami. Kawakami is a very much underrated right-hander who came over to MLB last season from Japan. I suppose it's easy to understand why he would be underrated or overlooked when you look at the quality arms Atlanta has in their rotation.

At 34, he's also not a young prospect with endless amounts of hype surrounding him. He's just a solid, veteran arm that knows how to get hitters out without being overpowering. Josh Fogg might be a decent comparison to make, though I'd consider Kenshin to be more polished and talented.

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