Rock Solid Recap: Two Days Late

I'm almost caught up!

Rockies 5, Dodgers 3

Check out the grapefruits on Jhoulys Chacin.

Important game against a hated division that the Rockies can never seem to beat? Chacin says no problem, I got this one. And he did get it. Despite walking four, allowing four hits, and striking out seven over seven innings, Chacin still managed to throw an efficient 102 pitches.

That's outstanding.

He also got a little run support from the likes of Troy Tulowitzki (highlight), Todd Helton (highlight) and Carlos Gonzalez (highlight). Especially enjoyed watching Todd Helton unload. I just wish his bombs weren't always solo shots.

Another productive day at the plate for Melvin Mora (highlight). He had an ugly base running blunder mixed in there (apparently forgot how many out there were), but made up for that with some solid defense over at 3B (highlight).

I can only imagine the unnecessary panic that followed the home run allowed by Huston Street in the 9th inning. Very glad I wasn't around to listen to or read about that. It is what it is, he made a mistake and Rod Barajas hit it a long way. Street is still solid and the only option you can use in the 9th inning.

That's the bottom line on that one.

And that's a wrap on this one. Plain and simple, a solid, much needed win. A monster effort by a 22-year-old pitcher with one helluva nice future.

One more condensed game to watch and boxscore to study.

Rock Solid Recrap: Three Days Late

This will be Friday's game.  

Dodgers 6, Rockies 2 

I'm guessing there was a ton of frustration over Jim Tracy allowing Ubaldo Jimenez to begin that game-deciding 8th inning.  Looking at Ubaldo's pitch count after his removal (126), any and all frustration would be justified.

It is a tough spot for a manager, but Jim Tracy has proven time and time again (for 10 years) that he's just not a good in-game manager.  No feel for anything.  Acts desperate at all the wrong times.  Remains patient at all the wrong times.  It's annoying, and once again, it's why he's been fired two different times in the last 10 years.

Another reason would be strategy like this in the second inning.

Why intentionally walk Rod Barajas?  It's the 2nd inning!  You honestly don't believe your Cy Young candidate can't retire Rod Barajas?  Alright then.

What ends up happening?  Clayton Kershaw shows some patience, runs Ubaldo full, makes him throw seven pitches before flying out harmlessly.  Did you get through the inning?  Yes.  Were you smart of efficient.  I'd go with a big no.  I don't really need to see Ubaldo intentionally walking anybody.

And then it was another intentional walk setting up the Casey Blake Grand Slam.  That one you can understand under the circumstances, but I just hating giving aways and giving the opponent more runners.  It's a tight rope worth staying off of most times.

I'll insert this paragraph from Rox Girl's recap over at Purple Row.

Okay, let me get this out there before anybody gets too far into a Jim Tracy bashfest. This loss wasn't completely on his shoulders. Once again, for what feels like the billionth time this season, there were large portions of the offense that were exposed by Dodgers pitching, and the two runs the Rockies scored might not have cut it regardless off which Rockies pitcher started the eighth inning.

It's true.  There's always more to it than one decision.  That said, the evidence against Jim Tracy has been mounting all season.  The frustration is warranted.

I'm sure the frustration hit an entirely different level when Franklin Morales was summoned from the bullpen.

In this case, I would have said give the kid a chance.  I know he was God awful for so long this season, but my thinking would be who's to say he can't resume being the guy who REALLY helped this team make the playoffs in 2007 and 2009.

But the facts are the facts.  He clearly isn't that guy anymore.  Odds of him being that guy drop significantly every time he walks or balks.  He's a headcase with a wonderful arm and so much untapped potential.

Headcase > Potential

Highlights

How great is it to see Todd Helton go opposite field on a long ball?  (Highlight)

Will there be a portion of CarGo's body not wrapped by the time this season ends?  My God this kid gives it everything on the field.  So does Dexter Fowler.  In a lot of ways that's awesome, in so many other ways it remind me of Jim Edmonds and how he never lived up to his potential becasue was always injured playing defense.

Catch 22, but we'll take the outs.  (Highlight)

Rock Solid Recap: Speechless

Well, almost. I have to say something.

I don't know what today's amazing victory will mean in the grand scheme of the 2010 season. It may mean nothing. It may mean everything. The bottom line is, there is nothing more exhilarating than watching your favorite team never give up, and then complete a mission that seemed impossible.

Nothing.

Rockies 12, Braves 10 

When you break this thing down and start handing out individual accolades, the only place you can start is with lefty sensation Matt Reynolds.

The kid has pitched his ass off all season, beginning in spring training, continuing through a dominant campaign at Colorado Springs, and he's now showing us firsthand that the hype was legit. Sometimes a guy has the ability, you hear the hype, he shows up and then promptly wets the bed.

Not Matt Reynolds.

The importance of his three shutout innings, on so many levels, simply cannont be measured. There's no stat that can be created that measures what a single performance like this means to a baseball team. Not to mention his patience AB that resulted in a walk and led to three run 5th inning rally. Reynolds did it all on a Wednesday afternoon.

The same praise can be heaped on Joe Beimel and Matt Belisle. That's nothing new for them, though. That's why they have routiniely ranked in the top 5-6 when I do Rockies player rankings.

The Offense?

So many clutch hits.

Dexter Fowler's Little League home run... (Highlight)

Ryan Spilborghs' pinch-hit 2-run double... (Highlight)

Carlos Gonzalez ties the game... (Highlight)

Troy Tulowitzki with another game-winning RBI... (Highlight)

Todd Helton provides the insurance... (Highlight)

And how about CarGo's web gem to end it?  Solid.  (Highlight)

Amazing display by the Rockies. I definitely feel better about this team now than I did a week ago, but that's always the case when they're at home. I need to see this team win a road series before I get too excited about a playoff run.

Or a series win over the Dodgers would be a start as well.

Tomorrow

Rockies get to spend the day with the family.

Friday

Ubaldo Jimenez vs Clayton Kershaw

I'll be back with you on Monday after a nice weekend away from the homestead.

Lineup Card: Rockies vs Braves

Rockies Lineup (55-50)

1. 2B  Young
2. CF  Fowler
3. LF  Gonzalez
4. SS  Tulowitzki
5. 1B  Helton
6. 3B  Stewart
7. RF  Smith
8. C    Iannetta
9. P    Rogers

It's really nice to see Jim Tracy stick with a consistent lineup... but, umm, aren't we supposed to be guarding against Todd Helton wearing down?  

Probably not.  After all, he used Huston Street again for a three straight game.  I'm sure if the Rockies lead late again today we'll see him again.  Conventional wisdom be damned, one of these times Huston Street will fight through the fatigue and throw seven days in a row without losing effectiveness.  

Braves Lineup (73-53)

1. 2B  Infante
2. RF  Heyward
3. 3B  Prado
4. C   McCann
5. 1B  Lee
6. LF  Cabrera
7. SS  Gonzalez
8. CF Ankiel
9. P    Jurrjens 

Rock Solid Recap: Of Rock Solid Baseball

Isn't this the type of baseball we saw consistently from the Rockies (home or road) over the last four months of last season?

Why haven't we seen more of it in 2010?

Rockies 5, Braves 2 

Starting Pitching -- Check

Jorge De La Rosa strikes out seven over seven extremely efficient, often dominating innings.  That continued a very impressive string of very impressive starting pitching.

Defense -- Check

Four double plays.

Here's one started by Tulo... (Highlight) and another off the glove of DLR, right to Tulo... (Highlight).

The recap wouldn't be complete without something special from Todd Helton... (Highlight)

Going Yard -- Check

Carlos Gonzalez hits #26 (Highlight)

Seth Smith hits #15 (Highlight)

Timely Hitting/Insurance Runs -- Check

Dexter Fowler delivers in the 8th inning.  (Highlight)

That may have been Fowler's best looking swing of the season.  Bottle that one up and use it over and over.

Closer -- Check

Huston Street sets them down 1-2-3 for the third straight day. Now give him a day off before we enter another vicious cycle of fatigue and lost confidence.

I love these types of games. It makes writing a recap so much easier because I really don't have to write anything. Just pat a few guys on the seat, throw in some highlights, and talk about tomorrow's game.

Tomorrow

Esmil Rogers vs Jair Jurrjens

A little day time action in Denver as the Rockies look for a sweep. It won't be easy against a tough tough customer in Jair Jurrgens. Really like his game and his arm. His numbers are a little off this season due to injury problems, but if he shows up on his game, Esmil Rogers will need to channel his inner Jhoulys Chacin (from Sunday) to keep the Rockies in the game.

I think that's exactly what we'll see. Another hard fought, low scoring affair.