Thursday, June 10, 2010

Lineup Card: Rockies vs. Astros 6-10-10

Win....

Please?

Rockies Lineup (30-29)

  • CF Gonzalez
  • 1B Helton
  • SS Tulowitzki
  • RF Hawpe
  • LF Smith
  • C   Olivo
  • 3B Stewart
  • 2B Barmes
  • P   Chacin
Jim Tracy moved Helton up to the 2 spot?  OK... that leaves no doubt he reads the blog (still not really, but maybe someone reads it to him?)

Astros Lineup (24-36)
  • CF Bourn
  • 2B Keppinger
  • 1B Berkman
  • LF Lee
  • RF Pence
  • 3B Feliz
  • C  Quintero
  • SS Manzella
  • P  Oswalt
Houston's getaway day lineup looks an awful lot like their every day lineup.  Maybe that's because they only have one lineup.   And they're bad.  And they're one win today from winning the season series 4-2.  

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Rock Solid Recrap: The Beat Goes On

La de da de de, la de da de this offense blows.   


The on air frustrations of Drew Goodman and Jeff Huson tell me one thing.  The time for overreaction has passed.  Seriously, when the announcers are audibly irritated, that's a great indication things aren't good. They're like the last line of defense for the club.  Usually they're the ones trying to calm everyone down, subtly telling us we're overreacting to everything.  

That's not happening anymore.  They're pissed.  They aren't as quick to defend players. They realize things need to start changing soon, or this season will go the way of 2008.... a complete waste.  

That sense of urgency is apparent everywhere right now except where it matters... in the front office, clubhouse and dugout.  

Like I said, the time for overreaction has passed.   It's no longer an overreaction to suggest Don Baylor be fired.  You can't bench your entire underperforming lineup... so we all know what needs to be done.  If anything, the time for the team to stop underreacting (new word) has arrived.  

The time for excuse making has also passed.  The injuries have died down.  This is pretty much our team.  Huston Street and Jorge De La Rosa returning would be shots in the arm if the pitching were struggling, but it's not.  This entire thing is on the offense.  Has been the last 4-6 weeks.  


Losing Player(s):  The Entire Offense (again)

Yes, they looked completely lost in the box for the most part, but the base running was a whole other level of WTF tonight.  

Seth Smith caught completely asleep at second.  Next inning, Herrera was nearly caught the same way.  If he had been the Rockies would have never scored their second run.  And then Ian Stewart was picked off at first, the call was just totally missed by another blind umpire.  

To me that exposes a team that isn't focused on winning baseball.  I don't know what the heck else they'd be focused on, but to be caught completely off guard the same way three different times... inexcusable.  Also... pathetic.  

One Positive

Aaron Cook was excellent tonight.  Had a battle with his comment in the first inning but bounced back with a better sinker and a lot of groundballs.  First time all season he got in rhythm and sustained it for an entire outing.  At least we can take that away from this game.  

Tomorrow it's Roy Oswalt vs. Jhoulys Chacin

How you feeling about that one Rockies fans?  And how you feeling about Toronto, Minnesota and Boston coming up?  Three teams that will absolutely wipe the floor with this Rockies team if things don't turn around starting tomorrow.  

Does the beat continue on?  Or does this team reach down and find something it's lacked all year?  Answers coming soon.  I hope we like what we see.  

Lineup Card: Rockies vs. Astros 6-9-10

Pretty interesting lineup tonight.

Rockies Lineup (30-28)

  • CF Gonzalez
  • 2B Herrera
  • SS Tulowitzki
  • RF Hawpe
  • 1B Mora
  • LF Smith
  • C   Iannetta
  • 3B Stewart
  • P   Cook
I wouldn't necessarily call this a shakeup because you're taking two of your better run producers (Olivo and Barmes) out of the lineup, but it's certainly a new, interesting dynamic with Herrera at the top, Smith further down, Mora at first, and Stewart hitting 8th.  

I really like that Tracy is finding more starts for Mora.  It almost makes me feel like he reads the blog (not really).  Now I just wish he could find a way to get CarGo is a run producing spot.  I hate that so many of his longballs are solo shots when he could be doing so much more damage down the lineup.  And probably seeing better pitches too.  

Astros Lineup (23-36)
  • CF Bourn
  • 2B Keppinger
  • 1B Berkman 
  • LF Lee
  • RF Pence
  • 3B Feliz
  • C  Quintero
  • SS Manzella
  • P   Paulino

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Rock Solid Recrap: Bad Losses Piling Up

If the Rockies were an NCAA basketball team trying to get in the Big Dance, they would be firmly planted on the outside. They wouldn't even be on the bubble. Not when the number of terrible losses outnumber the quality wins by so much.

File tonight under the terrible loss column.

The team is going to play better as the seaon moves along. I truly believe the offense will improve and those badly needed clutch hits will start coming. I'm hopeful the pitching can continue being awesome.

The problem: You can't take back these losses to teams you have to beat. Once you lose to them it's on your record... and they're still going to be on your record when August and September come around.

Another problem: The three teams you're chasing -- San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles -- are all winning the games they should win. Help isn't coming from the outside. That means the Rockies have to start helping themselves more, and there's more pressure on them to win the majority of their games against those three teams.

Lineup Card: Rockies vs. Astros 6-8-10

Strasburg Free Baseball tonight in Denver!

Thanks to fantastic pitching performances from Ubaldo Jimenez and Jason Hammel, the Rockies have a chance to reverse the three-game losing streak suffered last week.  In order for that to happen though, they'll need Jeff Francis to be better than he has been his last two outings.

Here's how they're lining up back behind Jeff.

Rockies Lineup (30-27)

  • CF Gonzalez
  • LF Smith
  • SS Tulowitzki
  • RF Hawpe
  • C   Olivo
  • 1B Helton
  • 3B Mora
  • 2B Barmes
  • P   Francis
Two starts in a row for Mora.  The Rockies are saying there's a minor ankle issue with Ian Stewart.  Probably for the best right now anyway.  Mora is playing well, Stewart needed some time to clear his head.  

Astros Lineup (22-36)
  • 2B Keppinger
  • SS Manzella
  • 1B Berkman
  • LF Lee
  • RF Pence
  • 3B Feliz
  • CF Michaels
  • C   Cash
  • P   Moehler