Rock Solid Recrap: Here's Your Free 90 Feet, Mr. Crisp

Athletics 10, Rockies 8 (boxscore)

What Went Wrong: The Rockies hit extremely well. Got a starting effort from Josh Outman that sadly probably qualifies as a best case scenario. The bridge relievers (Adam Ottavino, Rex Brothers and Matt Belisle) weren't exactly sharp, but managed to get the ball to Rafael Betancourt with an 8-7 lead.

And then it happened. The 9th inning.

Turning Point: Coco Crisp led off that 9th inning with the most Coors Field bloop single possible (a popfly that dropped between LeMahieu, Cuddyer and Fowler), and then advanced to second on Jemile Weeks' bunt. I guess it was a sacrifice(?) but it took a great play from Betancourt and Helton to get that out.

That brings us to our big turning point here.

Crisp is an aggressive base stealer. He grabbed 49 bags last season. Had a respectable eight this year despite a DL stint. So naturally Betancourt pays him no attention and Crisp takes the 90 feet without so much as an acknowledge from Rosario, because he was already high-fiving Mike Gallego when the pitch was received.

A handful of pitches later, Crisp scored the tying run on a shallow flyball to right field. Michael Cuddyer made the play close at the plate, but Crisp expertly slid around the tag. So we had some bad luck involved here that put Crisp on base in the first place. That is what it is, and who knows how the Weeks at-bat plays out in a different scenario. But that lack of attention to detail with Crisp at second is what's mind-boggling and maddening.

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Lineup Card: Rockies vs A's 6-13-12

Tuesday's Recrap: Tape Measure Home Runs & One Really Dumb Bunt

Lineups

Colorado Rockies (24-36)

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

In case you haven't heard (if you haven't, you're the only one), Troy Tulowitzki left his first rehab game this afternoon after aggravating the left groin injury that put him on the DL.Tulo had homered and singled prior to feeling pain and asking out of the game, so it looked like he was ready to pick up where he left off, but now he's back in Denver to receive further treatment and evaluation.

(I hate this season passionately)

Oh, and Carlos Gonzalez sits tonight to make room for the hot-hitting Tyler Colvin. Colvin will likely start for Helton tomorrow, and then has an easy path to the lineup this weekend with the DH in play.

Oakland Athletics (29-35)

1. Jemile Weeks (2B)
2. Colin Cowgill (CF)
3. Seth Smith (RF)
4. Yoenis Cespedes (LF)
5. Brandon Inge (3B)
6. Josh Donaldson (C)
7. Brandon Moss (1B)
8. Cliff Pennington (SS)
9. Tommy Milone (P)

Cespedes returns to Oakland's lineup after a week plus absence. That's wonderful news for my fantasy team, and terrible news for Josh Outman and the five Rockies relievers we'll be seeing tonight.  Heads up on the concourse. 

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

Rock Solid Recrap: Tape Measure Home Runs & One Really Dumb Bunt

Athletics 8, Rockies 5 (boxscore)

What Went Wrong: Starting pitching. Jeremy Guthrie. You know the drill.

Jeremy Guthrie's Line: 5 IP, 7 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 3 HR, 102 pitches (66 strikes)

The three home runs traveled nearly 1/4th of a mile put together. Two were hit by Brandon Moss, who was in the minor leagues a few days ago and has been a journeyman pinch-hitter the past six seasons. The other was hit by light-hitting shortstop Cliff Pennington. I wish I could say I was kidding.

Turning Point: Well, Oakland's six-run 3rd inning that erased the Rockies 4-0 lead was certainly the biggest turning point, but there's only so many things I can say about our pitching without getting physically ill.

Another came when the Rockies were hitting in the 6th, trailing 7-5. Wil Nieves led off the inning with his second single. Pinch-hitter Eric Young followed that up with a walk. That brought us back to the top of the Rockies order where their hottest hitter, Tyler Colvin, was penciled in this evening. Colvin was 1-for-2 at this point with a home run (fourth in last three games) and a walk. So naturally, Jim Tracy has Colvin lay down a sacrifice bunt, which to Colvin's credit he did and did well.

Unfortunately, like everybody following along on Twitter (and not following along on Twitter) predicted, the bunt killed the potential rally. Four pitches later (Scutaro groundout, CarGo strikeout), the inning was dead, and Jim Tracy sat alone in the dugout figuring out which player he wanted to bus toss for his own ignorant decision.

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Lineup Card: Rockies vs A's 6-12-12

Sunday's Recrap: Rockies Take Weekend Off, Swept By Angels

Lineups

Colorado Rockies (24-35)

1. Tyler Colvin (CF)
2. Marco Scutaro (SS)
3. Carlos Gonzalez (LF)
4. Michael Cuddyer (RF)
5. Todd Helton (1B)
6. Jordan Pacheco (3B)
7. Chris Nelson (2B)
8. Wil Nieves (C)
9. Jeremy Guthrie (P)

So many things here... like Tyler Colvin starting again in CF. I'm as big a Colvin supporter as you'll find, but Dexter Fowler has been the Rockies second best player for around six weeks. Seriously, I'm all for finding Colvin at-bats, but Fowler should never be out of the lineup for more than one game. And Colvin should be down the lineup a bit hitting 6th or 7th where he can inflict more damage. . 

It would really help if Cuddyer was able to play second or third like he has in the past for Minnesota (at least until Tulo comes back). That would open up right for Colvin, which he'd be better suited for than center and lengthens the lineup. But we'll have to settle for Chris Nelson tonight... and Wil Nieves. 

Also, Jeremy Guthrie is pitching. Buckle your seat belts. 

Oakland Athletics (28-35)

1. Jemile Weeks (2B)
2. Coco Crisp (CF)
3. Josh Reddick (RF)
4. Seth Smtih (LF)
5. Brandon Inge (3B)
6. Brandon Moss (1B)
7. Kurt Suzuki (C)
8. Cliff Pennington (SS)
9. Bartolo Colon (P)

No Yoenis Cespedes (hamstring) today, so Guthrie may be spared from a 500 foot homer. That said, I'm penciling in Seth Smith for three hits with at least one home run in his return to Denver. I think Josh Reddick will hit the longest home run for Oakland. 

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

Rock Solid Recrap: Rockies Take Another Weekend Off, Swept By Angels

Angels 10, Rockies 8 (boxscore)

What Went Wrong: Lousy starting pitching was the biggest problem... again.

The umpires didn't help much, either.

With Carlos Gonzalez representing the tying run in the 9th, the soon to be all-star hit a line drive (not just any line drive, a CarGo line drive) back to Angels' closer Scott Downs that the lefty miraculously snagged cleanly out of the air, and then lost on the exchange from glove to hand as he attempted to double off Marco Scutaro. Only the four-man umpiring crew led by NBA official Joey Crawford and three direct descendants of the Three Stooges ruled that Downs didn't catch the ball.

(OK, the crew was actually Greg Gibson, Gerry Davis, Phil Cuzzi and Manny Gonzalez, but you could have fooled me.)

Gonzalez, who had the best view of Downs making the catch, never took off for first. Marco Scutaro apparently had the second best view, because he retreated to first base. That led to one of the most awkward looking and slowest developing 1-6-3 double plays you'll ever see. And it also led to an animated Jim Tracy outburst that earned him his first ejection of the season.

Watch the madness

It's always rough when a blown call takes an opportunity away from your offense, especially when it's at that point in the game. But again, starting pitching was the real problem today. The offense hit well enough that it should have never come down to the incompetent men in blue. Unfortunately, things aren't about to get better in that regard. By the same token, things aren't about to get better with these umpires either until MLB gets serious about expanded replay.

Fails galore.

PS: This in the fourth weekend the Rockies have been swept in the last six. They're 3-15 over that stretch.

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