Rock Solid Recap: Rockies finish strong, win third in last 14

It doesn't matter how awful, disappointing or discouraging a season has been, it's always nice to win games. That's especially true on the final day of the season... against the team you dislike the most.

Rockies 6, Giants 3 (boxscore)

So what if the Giants won the six matchups before the last one? Big deal! We got the last one! And really, so what if the Rockies won 3 of their last 14? They still take more momentum into this offseason than last year!

Anyway, pointless bragging aside, it sure was nice watching Drew Pomeranz finish his season strongly.

His line: 5 2/3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR, 72 pitches (49 strikes)

The three earned runs easily could have been one, but Matt Lindstrom allowed two of his inherited runners to score. But the big numbers to look at once again are the 0 walks and the 0 home runs. It's not impossible, but it's MUCH more difficult for any opposing offense to beat you with 0's in both of those columns.

Right now, I'll project Pomernanz as at worst the Rockies #3 starter to start 2012, depending on who they add, but could work his way to #1 very quickly. He's a really special talent. He seems to have a head on his shoulders. That really showed in how well he bounced back from the ugly outing in Houston.

Well done, Drew.

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Lackluster Recrap: If it's broke, why fix it?

Isn't that the saying? Or did Jim Tracy get it all ass backwards again by not firing a single member of his coaching staff in response to the most disappointing season in Rockies history?

Yes, you heard me, given a reprieve by Dan O'Dowd and the sole power to retool his coaching staff, Tracy elected to fire no one. In other words, the Titanic already hit the iceberg, and now he's not letting anyone leave. You're all going down with him.

Overall, this is a pretty embarrassing and discouraging piece of news. No one is being held accountable for again, the most disappointing season in Rockies history, but not only that -- this team is fundamentally pathetic, players are out of position all the time, players are regressing, pitchers are regressing, others aren't developing.

It's a cesspool, and there's no leadership in the organization beginning at the top with ownership, continuing down through front office, coaches, players and beyond. This decision just reaffirms that, and it guarantees nothing will be different next season either. Seriously, if you have expectations at all for next season, can them. Make them prove it first, and then make them continue to prove it.

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Lackluster Recrap: Chacin shines again in another undeserved loss

Giants 3, Rockies 1 (boxscore)

Ubaldo Jimenez could have been a 23-24 game winner in 2010 with a little help from his friends.

I don't know how many more wins Jhoulys Chacin could have realistically had in 2011 with a little help from his friends, but I assure you he doesn't deserve 14 losses. Sure, he's had his games that disappointed me and discouraged me, but not that many. Not nearly that many.

Disclaimer: I know, I know. Wins and losses aren't the end all be all for determining a starting pitcher's success. What I wrote above lends further evidence to that. But you can't discard what goes on a player's record. Until they stop keeping track, it's fine to be annoyed when a pitcher's record doesn't look as pretty as it should.

Anyway, Chacin was really good on this particular night.

His line: 7 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Not at all discouraged by the lower strikeout total, but definitely encouraged by only one walk. Save the strikeouts for when you really need them, but consistently throwing more strikes early in counts to get quicker outs is exactly what Chacin needs to do to get on those higher levels that await him.

Of course one of those next levels would be throwing 200 innings on a yearly basis. He ended up at 194 this season. Just think of where that number could go with even a little bit more efficiency.

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Rock Solid Recap: Rockies use the force to crush Astros

Rockies 19, Astros 3 (boxscore)

Remember when we made fun of the Rockies on Sundays?

Not this time.

As @Rockieswoman1 pointed in her postgame game, the Rockies outscored the Tennessee Titans, Denver Bronces, as well 16 other NFL teams on Sunday. SIXTEEN. 1-6.

This after scoring a grand total of... wait for it....19 on their entire final seven-game home stand. This team. Seriously. I don't even know what to tell you, so I'll just give you two basic pieces of information.

1. The Rockies 19 runs were a season high. Duh!
2. The 25 hits were a franchise record.

Who got those hits? I'll break those down into clubs.

4-Hit Club

• Jordan Pacheco 
• Ty Wigginton 
• Tommy Field (3 RBI, walk)

3-Hit Club

• Mark Ellis 
• Seth Smith (2 walks) 
• Kevin Kouzmanoff (2 homeruns, 5 RBI)

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Rock Solid RECAP: Don't call it a turnaround!

No, really, don't call it that. 

Rockies 4, Astros 2 (13) (boxscore)

But do call it a victory!

Wait, that's what it's called when you score more than your opponent, right?

Or a win. That's fine.

Here's what you need to know about how the Rockies snapped their embarrassing nine-game losing streak.

-- Jason Hammel pitched VERY well in his return to the rotation. 7 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. That's encouraging for a couple reasons.

#1 - There's a really good chance we're going to need him in that rotation to start next season. Unless the Rockies sign or trade for a couple starters, or Jorge De La Rosa and Juan Nicasio not only recover ahead of schedule, but also prove themselves to be effective, Hammel will have to start games in April.

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