Looking Ahead: Rockies Unprepared For Litmus Test

I hate being a pessimist, but not as much as I enjoy being a realist.

This series doesn't look good on paper.

It didn't look good on paper on Opening Day. It didn't look good on paper the second it was official Roy Halladay would make a start. It didn't look good on paper when it was official the Rockies would start Greg Smith, Aaron Cook and Jason Hammel. And amazingly, as bad as it looked at all those times, it looks a helluva lot uglier on paper now than it did 24 hours ago.

Thankfully the games aren't played on paper.

The Rockies won't make any excuses. which is good, because the Philadelphia Phillies -- far and away the best team in the National League -- come to town, and they could give crap about the Rockies problems.

Those problems, by the way, go beyond the injuries and absences.

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Rock Solid Recrap: Rox Mail It In

Dodgers 2, Rockies 0

Very dosappointing game today on so many levels.

The only thing that went well was, well, Ubaldo Jimenez. He's the tough luck loser after allowing 1 ER in 7 innings. He falls to 6-1 with a 0.93 ERA.

The Offense

Made Kershaw work in the first inning. They loaded the bases behind two walks and a bunt single. In total, Kershaw threw 30 pitches. Despite not scoring, I thought that was a terrific start, and that Kershaw was on his way to another 5th inning exit.

Wrong.

It was his best start... probably of his big league career.

Or at least his most efficient.  He never threw more than 15 pitches in his remaining seven innings. The Rockies only hit one baseball out of the infield the entire game... an 8th flyout by Clint Barmes.

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Running Thoughts: Jimenez vs. Kershaw

Preview

Lineup

Vin Scully -- "Ubaldo Jimenez is 6-0.  His ERA is 1.00.  He pitched a no-hitter.  Otherwise he hasn't done a darn thing."

I love Vin.

1st Inning

• Rockies load the bases and then Ian Stewart is called out on strikes on a pitch that was high and inside.  
• Jimenez's strike zone better be that big!  
• Jimenez retires Martin, Kemp and Ethier in order.  
• Back to work on Kershaw's pitch count.  

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Lineup Card Game 3 @ Los Angeles

Rockies Lineup

• LF Young
• CF Fowler
• 1B Helton
• SS Tulowitzki
• RF Spilborghs
• 3B Stewart
• C  Olivo
• 2B Barmes
• P   Jimenez

My condolences to Carlos Gonzalez and his family for their loss.  

Dodgers Lineup

• C  Martin
• CF Kemp
• RF Ethier
• LF Manny
• 1B Loney
• 3B Blake
• 2B DeWitt
• SS Carroll
• P   Kershaw

No getaway breaks for Dodgers regulars.  They send the entire A lineup out there to face Ubaldo.  Could be his toughest challenge to date.  

Looking Ahead: To Sending A Message

Not to the Dodgers.

The Rockies need to send a message to themselves. A message that includes...

• The Dodgers aren't so damn tough,
• We can win a series in LA.

Again, you know how important these getaway games are to me. This one is especially huge. A series win in LA would do wonders for the Rockies confidence. It would also be great to head into the Phillies series record with a winning record.

If you do that, and then you steal one or possibly two from Philly, you're set up pretty well as the schedule lightens up for the next two weeks. Still have to take care of business of course, but you can really get yourself into a great position. Let's hope they get it done with Ubaldo.

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