Rock Solid Record-Breaking Recrap

Dodgers 3, Rockies 0 (boxscore)

What Went Wrong: It's official, the 2012 Colorado Rockies are the worst we've seen in their two decade long existence, surpassing the 95-loss team from their inaugural season in 1993.

(Please, hold your applause. There are still four (road) games remaining on the schedule and this record in futility could still grow all the way into the triple digits.)

So it's not really about what went wrong tonight. It's about what has been going wrong for essentially three years, leading us to this dreadful season that will mercifully end in four days. 

Turning Point: Matt Kemp cracked a really long two-run homer in the 4th. He then added a completely unnecessary solo homer in the 8th, because the Rockies had already resigned to their fate and checked out after the first one. Typical road Rockies. Typical September Rockies under Jim Tracy. You know all the cliches and hashtags.

Tyler Chatwood's Line: 4 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 74 pitches (46 strikes)

Nothing to see here. Standard Rockies four-inning outing that was neither excellent nor disastrous. It was just kind of there, which is a fitting ending to Chatwood's season.

That said, I still have a decent feeling about Chatwood long term, but odds are he'll never ever sniff his potential with the Rockies.

Bullpen's Line: 4 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR

Jim Tracy was in heaven tonight utilizing six different relievers to navigate the final four innings. Of course three of those relievers (Rex Brothers, Josh Roenicke and Matt Reynolds) faced a grand total of four hitters, retiring only one of them. But by golly, our manager was out there managing and pushing buttons and making all kinds of things happen! Shake his hand and give him another lifetime deal.

Read more »

Rock Solid September Recap: These Are Rare

Rockies 4, Diamondbacks 2 (boxscore)

Since starting this blog in 2010, the Colorado Rockies record in games from Sept. 15 on is 9-33. That's including Monday's win over Arizona, which broke a nine-game losing streak.

That bad. That real bad.

But Monday was good... so let's talk why they finally won one.

Winning Player: Andrew Brown

Was leaning towards Tyler Chatwood here but Andrew Brown's late home run changed my mind. It was a solo shot in the 8th, but that insurance run was a big one to get for Rafael Betancourt. Brown also had a double earlier in the game and a run-scoring groundout. Productive night all around offensively, and the adventurous catch out in right field was a highlight too.

Watch Andrew Brown's opposite field homer

Watch Andrew Brown's nice catch

Honorable Mentions: Chatwood (more shortly), the bullpen (more shortly), along with Charlie Blackmon and Tyler Colvin who each contributed two hits.

Turning Point: After Arizona scored two in the 4th to take a 2-1 lead, the Rockies battled right back with two of their own in the bottom half (Brown's RBI and a D.J. LeMahieu RBI single). Chatwood then put up a big 0 in the 5th to stabilize things, which allowed the bullpen to bring it home.

Read more »

Rock Solid Recrap: Cained Again In San Francisco

Giants 7, Rockies 1 (boxscore)

What Went Wrong: The Rockies were playing the Giants in San Francisco. The Giants starting pitcher was Matt Cain. The odds of anything going right were slim and none, and slim left the building about three batters into the Giants half of the 1st. Clearly he or she had more important things to do.

Tyler Chatwood's Line: 4 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 84 pitches (56 strikes)

Coming into this game Tyler Chatwood's 1st inning ERA was an even 9.00 over his first nine starts. That number actually goes up after Pablo Sandoval's three-run homer. From there Chatwood had to work very hard and deal with constant traffic to limit the overall damage and keep the game close. To his credit, he accomplished that (and didn't walk anyone), but it's clear he has to do a better job coming out of the gate sharper and more focused so the team isn't always in comeback mode immediately and so he can finally start working deeper into games.

Bullpen's Line: 4 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 K

Rough go again for Adam Ottavino as San Francisco touched him up for three runs in the 5th. That means he's now allowed 10 earned runs over his last 1 2/3 innings, raising his ERA from a very respectable 3.56 to 4.68. It's a damn shame, too, because along with Josh Roenicke and Matt Belisle he's been about as reliable as one can expect for a middle or setup reliever. He's just plain out of gas right now and his numbers are going to suffer for it.

Matt Cain's Line: 8 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 8 K, 116 pitches (74 strikes)

Even on a night when he doesn't have good command, Cain makes the Rockies lineup like they belong in Modesto. Dominant to the point where it's unfair and slightly embarrassing.

Turning Point: Sandoval's three-run homer was the point of no return, but the Rockies did mount a little rally against Cain in the 5th when they scored the lone run and then loaded the bases with two outs. They even had the ideal man at the plate in the returning Carlos Gonzalez, but after a good battle he rolled over a grounder to second base and then Ottavino's rough 5th finished the game off.

Highlight of the Night: I didn't know what to expect from Carlos Goznalez tonight but he looked pretty healthy while making this fantastic running catch.

Watch CarGo's Catch & Flip

What's Next: Finally a game to look forward to! The return of Jorge De La Rosa will finally happen Thursday afternoon at 1:45 at AT&T Park. According to Troy Renck and others it will be the first of at least two starts for Jorge, which likely depends on how good he looks here. But here's to hoping he just looks healthy. Good pitching results would also be nice, but good health and clear confidence in his stuff outweighs that in my eyes.

Oh... yeah... he'll be opposed by Barry Zito (12-8, 4.21)

Final Thoughts: It was my duty once again this season to write the Rockies eulogy for Big League Stew. This year our theme was concession speeches, so for the first time ever I dabbled in something political and hopefully came up with something you'll enjoy and maybe even agree with while fitting within the guidelines.

Concession Speech: 2012 Colorado Rockies

More Rockies thoughts await you if you follow me on Twitter: @Townie813 & @HeavenHelton

Rock Solid Recap: Rockies Settle In After Wild 1st To Beat Padres

Rockies 7, Padres 4 (boxscore)

Winning Players: Carlos Gonzalez & Chris Nelson

The Rockies got a monster performance from their lone all-star in this one. Gonzalez finished the night 4-for-5 (all 4 singles) at the plate and two stolen bases, which makes him the first Rockie ever to have three consecutive 20-20 (home run-stolen bases) seasons. That's kind of a big deal.

Nelson also had a spectacular offensive night, including a home run, double, single, two RBIs and one run scored. And then he flashed a little leather later on to rob Alexi Amarista of a sure hit. Big, big night for Nelly.

Watch Nelson's big blast

Honorable Mentions: Wilin Rosario (two-run 1st inning double) and Jordan Pacheco (two-run 1st inning double). Obviously both played a huge role in the five-run 1st inning that held up as the difference in the game.

Turning Point: I think I'm going to go back to Nelson's home run here. Yes, the Rockies scored five in the first, which ended up being enough, but the Padres did respond to that with four of their own in the bottom half. I think it was important after that for the Rockies to be the next team to score, and thanks to Nelson's home run in the 3rd, they were.

Also in consideration was Tyler Chatwood and Matt Reynolds stranding Cameron Maybin after his lead-off triple in the 4th.

Tyler Chatwood's Line: 3 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 72 pitches (44 strikes)

I don't care what the pitch limit might be at this time, when your offense gives you five runs in the 1st inning, you better find a way to last five and get a win. What a lost opportunity for to Chatwood to do not only that, but find a little more confidence and consistency as well. Disappointing outing.

Read more »

A Double Rock Solid Recrap With Errors... Lots Of Errors

Game 1: Phillies 3, Rockies 2 (boxscore)

What Went Wrong: I think we saw this game before. Oh yes, it was Friday when the Rockies also scored two runs early, stopped scoring, blew the 2-0 lead, and then lost 3-2 in the 9th to the Phillies. Mhm. Same script. Same result. Including two wins for Jonathan Papelbon. Bleh.

Turning Point: 9th inning with Philadelphia hitting. The Rockies had just elected to intentionally walk Chase Utley to put runners at 1st and 2nd with two outs. Acceptable strategy implemented there by Mr. Tracy to give his team more options to record the third out. Problem is, with Ryan Howard hitting, Wilin Rosario wiped that strategy out by committing yet another passed ball (I've lost count of the official number - it's too damn high). That put the winning runner (Nate Schierholtz, of course) at third. Howard is intentionally walked to load the bases to again give them more options defensively, but also zero margin for error.

Then this happened.

Watch the Rockies lose on Mayberry's walk-off single

Phenomenal effort there by Carlos Gonzalez, it just wasn't in the script for him to make that catch.

Tyler Chatwood's Pitching Line: 5 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 2 K, 76 pitches (41 strikes)

Poor command and walks aside, Chatwood was pretty effective this afternoon. And that's pretty much him in a nutshell this season. He'll flash some promise but it's always marred by inconsistency and inability to throws strikes. He, like the other young Rockies starters, needs to clean that up before he can take the next step forward.

Tyler Chatwood's Batting Line: 2-for-2, RBI

Well, there's no doubt Chatwood had confidence at the plate today, raising his season average to .300 with these two hits. The RBI was the first of his career.

Read more »

Rock Solid Recrap: Labor Day Circus

Braves 6, Rockies 1 (boxscore)

What Went Wrong: Geez, I know it was a quick turn around and all but did the Rockies not get any sleep on the plane or at the hotel overnight? Just take a look at some of the crap they served up this afternoon

Michael Bourn scores on a wild pitch

Freddie Freeman scores on two errors

That was just the 1st inning. How about the 3rd?

Dexter Fowler's misread lead to two more

Been awhile (couple weeks anyway) since I've had full blown circus music playing in my head while watching the Rockies. As catchy as that can be, I'd much rather have a Justin Bieber song in my head.

Turning Point: The Rockies - a professional baseball team - didn't show up ready to play. No turning point, just several embarrassing ones.

Tyler Chatwood's Line: 3 IP, 6 R (5 ER), 2 H, 5 BB, 2 K, 74 pitches (41 strikes)

Walks, wild pitches, errors and other defensive miscues defined Chatwood's outing today. I mean just look at the run column and then look at the hit column. I haven't seen anything like that since high school. Or maybe it was Little League. Regardless of the embarrassing defense behind him, Chatwood beat himself today, plain and simple, and needs to start throw strikes consistently, not three out of every five starts.

Read more »

Rock Solid Recap: Obviously The Dodgers Need More Help

That, or the Rockies are inexplicably locked in right now or the Dodgers have terrible timing. These first two games have not even been close.

Rockies 8, Dodgers 4 (boxscore)

Winning Player: Wilin Rosario (3-for-4, 22nd home run., three RBI)

He's officially no longer a rookie hitter. He's a professional hitter and he's getting better all the time. Exciting!

Watch Rosario unload in the 3rd

Andrew Brown also contributed three hits for the Rockies, which establishes a new career-high for him. Josh Rutledge, Jordan Pacheco and Charlie Blackmon each had two hits in the attack.

Turning Point: The Rockies jumped out 4-0 and never looked back in this game. However, the Dodgers did have one opportunity in the 4th where they loaded the bases with no outs against Tyler Chatwood. Chatwood responded by getting a double play ball off the bat of Adam Kennedy. Then, after an intentional walk to A.J. Ellis, Chatwood blew away Chris Capuano to kill the rally. That's how you prevent a turning point!

Tyler Chatwood's Line: 5 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 80 pitches (51 strikes)

Chatwood worked in the strike zone frequently and again found success because of it. His work in the Kennedy at-bat mentioned above was especially impressive, and the young righty appears to be getting more comfortable dealing with traffic (Miami start aside) and confident in his ability to pitch around it. I remain convinced he'll be a solid contributor in 2013.

Read more »

Rock Solid Recap: Rockies Complete The Sweep In New York

Rockies 1, Mets 0 (boxscore)

For some reason Citi Field in New York has become a nice home away from home for the Colorado Rockies (eight straight wins there over the past two seasons). And if you're asking for my best guess as to what that reason is... I'll say it's probably because the Mets play there, and the Mets are kind of a mess.

But hey, I'm not giving back any of those wins. I just wish they could stay longer.

Winning Players: The Bullpen 6 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 5 K

With 150 friends and family members in attendance on Wednesday night to see Adam Ottavino's scheduled piggyback outing, manager Jim Tracy elected to push him back until Thursday, which was kind of a dick move if you ask me. I mean, yes, this is professional baseball. There are no promises and you just have do your job when you're told and hopefully do it to the best of your abilities. That said, the Rockies have been dipping their toes in some Little League waters with his pitching system, so why not just pitch the guy when you said you would so he can have that night in front of his family.

That bugged me more than it should have, but it worked out well for the Rockies on Thursday as Ottavino was able to give them a couple scoreless innings out of the bullpen. He was followed by Rex Brothers, who also tossed two scoreless innings and ended up getting the win (8-2). Then it was Will Harris (he's turning out to be a nice find, huh?) with an overpowering 8th inning in the setup role to Matt Belisle, who earned the save in place of the resting Rafael Betancourt.

Amazing work by the bullpen the entire series.

Turning Point: The Mets have a lot of things that look and feel out of place. Among the most noticeable would be their decision to play Jordany Valdespin, an infielder by trade, playing center field in Thursday's game. That misguided strategy led directly to the only run of the game as Valdespin misplayed Tyler Colvin's flyball leading off the 8th into a triple. One batter later, Chris Nelson rolled one through the infield for the game winner.

Watch Tyler Colvin's Triple

Watch Chris Nelson's RBI single

Read more »

Rock Solid Recrap: Tyler Chatwood's Rough Start Too Much To Overcome

Marlins 6, Rockies 5 (boxscore)

What Went Wrong: Well, getting behind 6-0 in the first two innings is never a good recipe for success.

Also, they should probably consider pitching around Giancarlo Stanton when there's a base open (homered in his 6th straight at Coors Field - a three-run shot), or at the very least do something to back him off the plate. That won't happen, of course, because there's a real fear among Rockies pitchers about leaving one hanging middle in.

That might be a leftover nugget from the Bob Apodaca era, but I can't prove that to be true.

Tuning Point: Stanton's three-run homer capped a four-run 1st inning. That was a crusher. But so was the Jose Reyes two-out, two-run triple in the 2nd inning that made it 6-0. Despite their best efforts against Miami's bullpen, that's the hit Colorado couldn't overcome.

Tyler Chatwood's Line: 4 IP, 6 ER, 9 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 71 pitches (48 strikes)

Chatwood fooled no one in the first two innings. That's bound to happen at the big league level, especially when you're talking about a 22-year-old pitcher still finding his way. What I liked is that Chatwood continued throwing strikes despite the rough start and finished the outing strong with two scoreless innings. That's always good to see (and something I value greatly), but obviously we need to see a lot more improvement and more consistency from Chatwood going forward.

He still has plenty of time.

Read more »

Rock Solid Recap: Early Offense Carries Rockies Again

Rockies 8, Brewers 6 (boxscore)

This should not be newsworthy, but since we're grasping for positives this season, I'll proclaim it loud and proud anyway.

The Rockies have won back-to-back games TWO weeks in a row!

Absorb that for a moment...

Good? Now absorb this tweet from Purple Row's Andrew Fisher.

That's obviously not Reynolds' fault... but wow.

Winning Players: Eric Young Jr. & Carlos Gonzalez

For the second straight night, EY2 got the offense started with a lead-off double and scored the first run... this time on a Carlos Gonzalez single. Young would go on to produce a three-hit night that included his second home run (this time over the fence and off the facing of the second deck) in less than a week. As for Gonzalez, he would go to on have a 4-for-4 night at the plate with two RBI, a run scored, and a couple caught stealings (the aggressiveness is appreciated).

Great production from two guys at the top order, with Dexter Fowler (two hits), Wilin Rosario (two hits, home run) and Jordan Pacheco (two hits, two RBI) providing enough support to earn Rockies fans tacos and the team a victory.

Watch EY2's highlight reel

Read more »

Lineup Card: Rockies vs Brewers 8-14-12

Monday's Recap: D.J. LeMahieu's Career Night Paces Rockies Attacks

Lineups

Colorado Rockies (42-71)

1. Eric Young Jr. (RF)
2. Josh Rutledge (SS)
3. Dexter Fowler (CF)
4. Carlos Gonzalez (LF)
5. Wilin Rosario (C)
6. Jordan Pacheco (1B)
7. Chris Nelson (3B)
8. D.J. LeMahieu (2B)
9. Tyler Chatwood (P)

Milwaukee Brewers (52-62)

1. Norichika Aoki (RF)
2. Rickie Weeks (2B)
3. Ryan Braun (LF)
4. Aramis Ramirez (3B)
5. Corey Hart (1B)
6. Martin Maldonado (C)
7. Carlos Gomez (CF)
8. Jean Seguar (SS)
9. Randy Wolf (P)

More Rockies thoughts await you if you follow me on Twitter: @Townie813 & @HeavenHelton

Rock Solid Recap: Encouraging Roadie Continues With Second Shutout

Rockies 3, Giants 0 (boxscore)

The Good News: The Rockies won another division road game with excellent pitching.

The Bad News: The Rockies won another division road game with excellent pitching, likely giving the brain surgeons in charge more motivation to keep the paired pitching system in place.

We can't win for losing around here... or something to that effect.

Winning players: Wilin Rosario, Tyler Colvin and Tyler Chatwood

It was difficult to pick one above the others, so we'll go with three tonight.

First of all, Wilin Rosario doubled twice off Tim Lincecum and had really strong at-bats all night long. But just as important to his cause were the two base runners he threw out at critical times in the game. The first came in the 1st inning after Tyler Chatwood walked Angel Pagan leading off, which really seemed to help Chatwood calm down and settle in. A big time throw and an odd decision by San Francisco.

The second came in the fifth with runners on first and third. Bruce Bochy again made an odd decision here, putting the runner in motion with Tim Lincecum at the plate. Lincecum swung-and-missed. Rosario made the strong throw to retire Brandon Crawford, ending the threat. We'll go ahead and call that the turning point as well, even with the Rockies holding a 2-0 lead, because they seemed destined to be San Francisco's inning.

Watch the big strike'em out throw'em out double play

Tyler Colvin had a two-hit night at the plate as well. The first was an 0-2, two-out hit that plated Wilin Rosario in the 4th. After the second hit, Colvin stole second and eventually scored on Chris Nelson's sacrifice fly. Another productive game for Mr. Colvin.

Read more »

Rock Solid Recrap: How About That For A 1-8 Homestand?

We knew it could ugly. Some even predicted an 0-for-the homestand before it began. 

It certainly lived up to the hype, didn't it?

Swept by Cincinnati.

Steal one from St. Louis.

Swept and completely embarrassed by San Francisco.

1-8.

Giants 8, Rockies 3 (boxscore)

Turning Point: Jordan Pacheco made a 1st inning error that got the ball rolling for San Francisco. However, it was Wilin Rosario's passed ball with the bases loaded that killed Tyler Chatwood and the Rockies. Not only did the game's first run score on the whiffed catch, one pitch later Hunter Pence grounded one to second for what could have been an inning double play, but instead was an RBI groundout.

Obviously that outcome wouldn't be guaranteed had Rosario handled the pitch, but the simple fact he couldn't handle it is a problem. That it resulted in a run is a bigger problem. That it took the double play out of order is the biggest problem yet.

Rosario had two chances to make up for the miscue at the plate. Both times he made the final out of inning and left the bases loaded. Rough, rough game for the rookie, but hopefully one that continues driving him to improve, while also reeling in those who have been pining for his Rookie of the Year candidacy. I'd love to see a Rockie win it. Don't me wrong. But they have to earn it.

Read more »

Rock Solid Recrap: Outman? More Like Out Of The Rotation.

Cardinals 9, Rockies 3 (boxscore)

Josh Outman's Line: 3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 5 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 70 pitches (34 strikes)

Stick a fork in Outman, he's done as a starter in the Rockies paired pitching system.

In the 1st inning, Outman walked two and threw two wild pitches. That led to one run. In the 2nd, he walked the opposing pitcher, Kyle Lohse, after a 12-pitch plate appearance. In the 3rd, something reasonable actually happened - he allowed a solo home run to Matt Holliday.

And then he was done, because all of that took 70 pitches.

There's no way Jim Tracy could justify starting Outman again this weekend in Washington after this miserably inefficient, all-around dreadful performance.

Well, I take that back, there are ways Tracy could justify it in his OWN mind, we'd just all lose OUR minds trying to sort through the rambling explanation.

Anyway, the Rockies will have to figure out if they like Outman in the bullpen or if he needs mechanical (more like mental) tuneup at Colorado Springs. I'm guessing it'll be the former, but I'm not sure there's much to be gained from him throwing 3-4 innings at the beginning, to likely throwing 2-3 innings in the middle.

What. A. Mess.

Tyler Chatwood's Piggyback Line: 2 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 1 BB, 1 K, 63 pitches (30 strikes)

Two pitchers from the same team in the same game throwing at least 60 pitches, and neither can crack 50% on strikes thrown.

I bet that doesn't happen very often.

Read more »

Rock Solid Recap: Road To 100 Detours Through San Diego

Rockies 10, Padres 2 (boxscore) 

If there's a reason or two to believe the Colorado Rockies will avoid triple digit losses for the first time in franchise history, it's that they still have 11 games remaining with the San Diego Padres (not to mention another 6 with the Chicago Cubs). My God are they awful.

Winning Player: Jeff Francis - 6 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 K, 82 pitches (49 strikes)

Beautiful performance by Francis. And no, I do not care who it came against, it was beautiful and should be recognized as such.

It's also the first win by a Rockies starting pitcher since Christian Friedrich on June 4.

Honorable Mention: The offense was again very productive, backing up an 11-run outburst on Thursday with 10 more against Jason Marquis and others. Marco Scutaro, Michael Cuddyer and Wilin Rosario led the way with two hits each, with Cuddyer and Rosario both hitting their 12th home run.

Highlight of the Night: Rosario's home run was an absolute BOMB. You should definitely watch it again.

Watch Wilin Rosario's two-run BOMB

Read more »

Lineup Card: Rockies vs Padres 6-29-12

Thursday's Recap: Josh Outman Starts Are Fun!

Lineups

Colorado Rockies (29-46)

1. Dexter Fowler (CF)
2. Marco Scutaro (SS)
3. Carlos Gonzalez (LF)
4. Michael Cuddyer (1B)
5. Tyler Colvin (RF)
6. Jordan Pacheco (3B)
7. Chris Nelson (2B)
8. Wilin Rosario (C)
9. Jeff Francis (P)

A couple things of note today.

1. Todd Helton sits for that second time in three days to accommodate the Rockies need to keep Dexter Fowler and Tyler Colvin on the field together. I suspect this is something we'll start to see more often, and honestly, it works for me because Fowler and Colvin do need to play, and a fresher Helton likely makes him more effective as well. Those incredibly long innings standing around in the field have to be taking their toll on some level.

2. Tyler Chatwood has been recalled and will piggyback Jeff Francis tonight. I imagine he'll eventually replace Josh Outman as a front end man in the paired pitching system. Edwar Cabrera was shipped out to make room for Chatwood to wrap up his (sarcasm) overwhelmingly positive first experience at the big league level (/sarcasm). 

San Diego Padres (28-49)

1. Chris Denorfia (RF)
2. Logan Forsythe (2B)
3. Chase Headley (3B)
4. Carlos Quentin (LF)
5. Yonder Alonso (1B)
6. Cameron Maybin (CF)
7. Everth Cabrera (SS)
8. John Baker (C)
9. Jason Marquis (P)

More Rockies thoughts await you if you follow me on Twitter: @Townie813 & @HeavenHelton

Spring Training Hits & Misses: Game 33 vs. Seattle

With the opening day roster set, there really isn't a need a for hits and misses this afternoon. Instead, we'll just looking at the guys who indeed "got their work in".

Juan Nicasio

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

This wasn't a pretty conclusion to Nicasio's spring, but aside from Drew Pomeranz he was the Rockies most consistent and impressive starting pitcher in Arizona. He'll start the Sunday game in Houston, and I'd be willing to bet someone's money that he'll be much better in that one.

Tyler Chatwood 

1 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 2 K

This outing didn't exactly solidify Chatwood's somewhat surprising inclusion on the opening day roster. Like I said yesterday though, he'll likely be the first guy to go down, and he does provide value as a long reliever. That's ultra important over the first 10 days or so.

Bullpen 

Rafael Betancourt and Matt Belisle were on point with 1-2-3 innings today. Meanwhile, Rex Brothers allowed one hit but rallied to collect his second save of the spring. All three will be bringing their A games on Friday.

Offense 

Just about everyone provided a hit today. Even Dexter Fowler had an extra base hit. Jonathan Herrera had a double of his own and knocked in three. Michael Cuddyer (in his returned from being plunked by Yu Darvish) doubled, walked and scored twice. Contributions up and down the lineup. Good balance. Oh, and Seattle's five errors didn't hurt either.

Read more »

Spring Training Hits & Misses: Game 32 vs. Seattle

The 25-man roster is now set (via Thomas Harding).  

In addition to holding Drew Pomeranz off the roster until he's needed on April 15, the Rockies will also hold Jamie Moyer off the opening day roster but will activate him prior to Saturday's game in Houston. That affords Jim Tracy some position player depth in case the opener goes extras and even if Troy Tulowitzki's elbow is still barking.

Most surprising name on the roster: Tyler Chatwood

I didn't see this coming, but it actually makes sense to have Chatwood around early in the season when the starters may not go as deep into the game. He's the type of guy that can give 2-3 innings at a moment's notice, so that's a nice option for Jim Tracy. That said, he'll probably be the pitcher that goes down once Moyer and Pomeranz come up and the roster is set because he needs the most seasoning and doesn't project as a reliever.

Most surprising name missing: Edgmer Escalona

The only thing Escalona had going against him this spring was the option remaining on his contract. Well, that, and a rough outing today that included beaning Jesus Montero (awful timing). Yeah, overall it was a tough day for Edgmer, but he'll be back in the big leagues soon enough you can bet on that.

Read more »

Spring Training Hits & Misses: Game 22 vs. Chicago

Hits

Carlos Gonzalez

Five RBI (four with two outs). Diving catch to rob a hit. Just another ho-hum highlight filled day at the office for the Rockies superstar outfielder.

Tyler Colvin

Another multi-hit game for Colvin as he continues to build momentum in his quest for a bench role. Hitting coach Carney Lansford seems to think Colvin has cleaned up whatever was ailing his swing last season and early in this year's camp, so Charlie Blackmon's once thought to be secure spot could be in real jeopardy. Especially if his toe problem lingers another handful of days.

Misses

Tyler Chatwood

Jamie Moyer had another really good day today...because his current #1 nemesis in the battle for the fifth rotation spot had a really bad day. Yes, Chatwood was slaughtered by a red hot Chicago Cubs offense, allowing nine earned runs on nine hits over four plus innings. His biggest problem? His inability to keep Geovany Soto in the ballpark (two home runs, five RBI), but a couple mental gaffes and general inexperience were also issues for the 22-year-old.

Read more »

Spring Training Hits & Misses: Game 17 vs. Seattle

Hits

Jordan Pacheco

With only four innings of play in the books, Pacheco's two walk day was easily the best among Rockies players offensively. He also gunned out an attempted base stealer named Chone Figgins (fast), so he definitely made the most of the limited action.

Misses

Mother Nature

The people of Arizona may disagree with me because they obviously needed the rain, but come on, it's a rare chance to watch some spring training action live and she ruined it. She could have waited at least another two hours!

Got Their Work In

Tyler Chatwood

Chatwood's outing highlighted why the Rockies like him — three scoreless innings to start — while also reminding them why the 22-year-old will need some extra minor league seasoning before contributing. His fourth inning was little rough around the edges, and not exactly smooth on the inside either.

Read more »