Lineup Card: Rockies vs D-Backs 4-15-12

Last night's crazy Recap: The Toddfather Saves The Day... Again

Lineups

Colorado Rockies (4-4)

1. Eric Young (CF)
2. Tyler Colvin (LF)
3. Troy Tulowitzki (SS)
4. Jason Giambi (1B)
5. Michael Cuddyer (RF)
6. Wilin Rosario (C)
7. Chris Nelson (3B)
8. Jonathan Herrera (2B)
9. Drew Pomeranz (P)

I'm not around Twitter right now but I can imagine there's a lot of talk about Jim Tracy putting his Sunday lineup behind Drew Pomeranz. I'm sure Jim would have done it anyway, but at least it makes some sense after last night's starting, stopping, and the late night at the yard. No formal complaints from me.

Note: Jordan Pacheco was the player optioned down to Triple A to make room for Drew Pomeranz. His struggles at third base (especially last night) are what synched this move, and unfortunately he may have a difficult time getting back up with Eric Young playing so well, Charlie Blackmon getting healthy and Nolan Arenado's arrival possibly coming in the next 6-8 weeks. 

Arizona Diamondbacks (5-3)

1. Ryan Roberts (3B)
2. Gerardo Parra (LF)
3. Justin Upton (RF)
4. Chris Young (CF)
5. Paul Goldschmidt (1B)
6. Aaron Hill (2B)
7. John McDonald (SS)
8. Henry Blanco (C)
9. Trevor Cahill (P)

Any time there's no Miguel Montero in Arizona's lineup, it's a good day for Rockies pitching. Let's finish this sweep! 

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

Rock Solid Recap: The Toddfather Saves The Day... Again

Rockies 8, Diamondbacks 7 (Boxscore)

Unreal. 

Un-freaking-real. 

On another crazy, bizarre, cold (and this time rain soaked) night at Coors Field that saw the Rockies struggle (understatement) to battle the elements defensively and ultimately blow a 5-1 lead, Todd Helton came to the rescue again with a breathtakingly dramatic, bordering on Rocktoberish two-out, two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Rockies an exhilarating win over the Diamondbacks. 

How exhilarating? My heart is still thumping about an hour later and I don't think I'm having a heart attack. 

Todd Helton, ladies and gentlemen. I have a feeling he's won himself a Hall of Fame vote or two over these past 24 hours. If not, the voters can... 

Winning Player: Todd Helton. 

There are other good choices, like Tyler Colvin, Michael Cuddyer and Eric Young Jr. for example, but there's only one correct choice: Todd Helton. 

Watch Helton's walk-off home run.. now! 

Turning Point: Several in this back-and-forth beautiful mess of a baseball game. I felt like Jhoulys Chacin picking off Gerardo Parra in the first inning to end that potentially big rally was a huge play that held it's importance right until the end.

Matt Belisle limiting the damage around Troy Tulowitzki's two throwing errors in the sixth was also important.

But the turning point that directly positioned the Rockies for this win was Eric Young's two-out RBI double in the eighth that pulled the Rockies within one. That hit and that run cut off Arizona's string of six unanswered runs, and made everything in the ninth inning possible.

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Lineup Card: Rockies vs D-Backs 4-14-12

Colorado Rockies (3-4)

1. Marco Scutaro (2B)
2. Dexter Fowler (CF)
3. Troy Tulowitzki (SS)
4. Todd Helton (1B)
5. Michael Cuddyer (RF)
6. Tyler Colvin (LF)
7. Ramon Hernandez (C)
8. Jordan Pacheco (3B)
9. Jhoulys Chacin (P)

Wouldn't it be nice if the Rockies could build off yesterday's win, lock this series up early, start their first winning streak of the year, get back to .500 and allow Rockies fans to be to be happy campers for longer than 24 hours?

Yes, yes it would.

But they'll have to do it without Carlos Gonzalez, who sits with what we can now confirm as strep throat. He's unlikely to be available as a pinch-hitter this evening, and his availability going forward will be determined on a day-to-day basis. Chris Nelson also sits tonight for just the second time this season. Tyler Colvin and Jordan Pacheco are the additions.

— The Rockies reinstated Charlie Blackmon from the DL and then immediately optioned him to Colorado Springs where he'll work to get back in shape and then wait for a roster spot to open up. If the first seven games are any indication, however, he may be waiting awhile.

Arizona Diamondbacks (5-2)

1. Ryan Roberts (3B)
2. Gerardo Parra (LF)
3. Justin Upton (RF)
4. Miguel Montero (C)
5. Chris Young (CF)
6. Lyle Overbay (1B)
7. Aaron Hill (2B)
8. John McDonald (SS)
9. Josh Collmenter (P)

This is Arizona's eighth different lineup in eight games, so apparently Kirk Gibson doesn't mind tinkering. And for that matter his players don't mind it either.

  Links

— Last Night's Recap: Rockies Resilience On Display In Comeback Win Heaven & Helton

Rock Solid Recap: Rockies Resilience On Display In Comeback Win

Rockies 7, Diamondbacks 6 (boxscore)

I have to say, as encouraging and fun as Wednesday night's hit parade against Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants bullpen was, this performance and result tonight actually made a bigger impact with me.

It's one thing to have a night where everything just clicks offensively and the stats quickly become inflated. It's quite another to scratch, claw and battle all the way back from a 6-2 deficit against a quality opponent — team and pitcher — and then never give it back once you've taken it.

I loved this win. The team owed it to Juan Nicasio after last Sunday. Everybody contributed to the comeback one way or another. No at-bats were given away... especially with two outs. The bullpen was simply lights out.

Bottom line: Resilient effort. Quality win.

Winning Player(s): The Bullpen

Esmil Rogers has been outstanding (damn near perfect) so far in his relief role and that definitely includes tonight's CLUTCH two and a third scoreless. Rogers took over for a scuffling Juan Nicasio in the third, cutting off what had already been a four-run inning. He then ran into trouble of his own  — 2nd and 3rd, no outs — in the fourth, but showed poise and maturity well beyond what we've seen from him in the past by getting through it unharmed with a groundout and two strikeouts.

Rogers then gave way to Matt Belisle, who pitched a clean sixth and then dealt with a two-base Michael Cuddyer error starting the seventh. Yes, all three Rockies outfielders have dropped a flyball within the first seven games, although this one was by far the furthest away from being routine. Anyway, Belisle was unfazed by the situation and left Miguel Montero standing right there.

Rex Brothers would then pitch a rocky but scoreless eighth, ultimately earning the victory. Which leads to...

Betanclock: 8 minutes, 58 seconds was all Raffy needed to convert this tight, one-run save. He's now 2-for-2 on the season.

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Lineup Card: Rockies vs D-Backs 4-13-12

Colorado Rockies (2-4)

1. Marco Scutaro (2B)
2. Dexter Fowler (CF)
3. Carlos Gonzalez (LF)
4. Troy Tulowitzki (SS)
5. Todd Helton (1B)
6. Michael Cuddyer (RF)
7. Ramon Hernandez (C)
8. Chris Nelson (3B)
9. Juan Nicasio (P)

Fifth time we've seen this lineup is seven games, so the pre-written complaints about Jim Tracy tinkering with the lineup remain on hold. Though I obviously wouldn't have minded some tinkering at the expense of Dexter Fowler after yesterday's defensive display, but I certainly didn't expect Tracy to hold him accountable, either, so it's business as usual here. 

Arizona Diamondbacks (5-1)

1. Willie Bloomquist (SS)
2. Jason Kubel (LF)
3. Justin Upton (RF)
4. Miguel Montero (C)
5. Chris Young (CF)
6. Paul Goldschmidt (1B)
7. Geoff Blum (3B)
8. Ryan Roberts (2B)
9. Daniel Hudson (P)

This Arizona squad was relentless in 2011 and is starting off the same way here in 2012. What that means for the Rockies is that they will need to put NINE solid innings together if they hope to start this weekend off on the right note. I'd hate to go as far as to say nine innings or no chance, but if less than nine wasn't good enough to beat Houston or San Francisco, I doubt it'll be enough to beat Arizona.

Links

— Andrew Fisher put together an extensive and well organized preview of the Rockies minor league system over at Purple Row this week. If you have a few moments to check that out by all means get on it. Purple Row

— Delmon Young had a difficult time dealing with the swirling winds at U.S. Cellular Field this afternoon. A really difficult time. MockSession

— Yesterday's Recrap: Heaven & Helton