Lineup Card: Rockies vs Braves 5-5-12

Friday's Recrap: Colorado Springs Shuttle Gaining Occupants

Rockies Roster Moves

Recalled: INF/C Jordan Pacheco and RHP Adam Ottavino (to occupy a spot in the bullpen for a couple days)

Optioned: RHP Guillermo Moscoso (Because duh)

Bereavement List: OF Eric Young Jr. (We send our best wishes to EY at this time) 

Lineups 

Colorado Rockies (12-13)

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. Wilin Rosario (C)
8. Chris Nelson (3B)
9. Jamie Moyer (P)

Wilin Rosario and Chris Nelson get starts tonight against left-hander Mike Minor. That means Dexter Fowler moves back up to the second spot in the order.

Atlanta Braves (16-11)

1. Michael Bourn (CF)
2. Chipper Jones (3B)
3. Freddie Freeman (1B)
4. Brian McCann (C)
5. Dan Uggla (2B)
6. Matt Diaz (RF)
7. Jason Heyward (RF)
8. Tyler Pastornicky (SS)
9. Mike Minor (P)

This is an even tougher lineup tonight for Jamie Moyer to deal with after the additions of Matt Diaz and impressive rookie Tyler Pastornicky.

After last night's miserable outing from Guillermo Moscoso, coupled with the game going a couple extra frames, there's pressure on Moyer to again to go at least six innings against this starting nine. If I were a betting man, I'd unfortunately have to take the under. 

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

Rock Solid Recrap: Colorado Springs Shuttle Gaining Occupants

Braves 9, Rockies 8 in 11 innings (boxscore) 

What Went Wrong: Staked to a 5-0 lead in the 1st inning, Guillermo Moscoso managed to give it all back, plus one, in less than five innings of work.

Guillermo Moscoso's Line: 4 1/3, 6 ER, 7 H, 3 BB (felt like 30), 5 K, 1 HR, 83 pitches (43 strikes)

Needless to say he did not take advantage of his second start with this awful line, and will soon be heading south to Colorado Springs to join Jhoulys Chacin. Not a lot more needs to be said about it. Thanks for playing, Guillermo. 

Oh, wait, don't leave just yet. Make some room for Edgmer Escalona on the Colorado Springs Shuttle. The Rockies right-handed reliever — who always seems to find himself pitching in a critical situation —took his first official loss of the year after allowing the game-winning two-run homer to Eric Hinske in the 11th. He now sports a 10.13 ERA in six appearances.

Matt Reynolds (he can stay) was also less than stellar in relief of Moscoso (1 2/3, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K). Had he been able to shut down Atlanta's rally in the 5th, or even just pitched a clean 6th, it could have been the turning point the Rockies needed to get this win.

Instead...

Turning Point #1: Trailing 5-2, Michael Bourn lays down a bunt with one out in the 5th inning. Originally it's ruled fair, with Ramon Hernandez picking the ball up and tagging Bourn out. After a discussion with the rest of his umpiring crew (or maybe it just took three minutes to register), Tim McClelland then changes his call to a foul ball. Bourn's at-bat continues, he singles, Moscoso, who was walking the razor's edge without any assistance, promptly implodes. Braves leave the inning leading 6-5. 


Good call or not, which I think it was, you just can't let an inning get away like that. 

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Lineup Card: Rockies vs Braves 5-4-12

Lineups

Colorado Rockies (12-12)

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

I honestly think Dexter Fowler has done enough of late to earn staying at the top of the order. Apparently Jim Tracy disagrees, as he appears locked in to having Herrera hitting first or second whenever he starts.

Roster Note: Reliever Carlos Torres was recalled this afternoon to take the roster spot of Jhoulys Chacin. His stay is likely to be a brief one as the Rockies need to bring up a starter for Monday night's game in San Diego. 

Atlanta Braves (15-11)

1. Michael Bourn (CF)
2. Chipper Jones (3B)
3. Freddie Freeman (1B)
4. Brian McCann (C)
5. Dan Uggla (2B)
6. Jason Heyward (RF)
7. Eric Hinske (LF)
8. Jack Wilson (SS)
9. Tim Hudson (P)

This is a damn good Braves team that presents just as big a challenge to the Rockies as I felt Los Angeles did earlier in the week. And that might be really good news considering the Rockies have stepped up and played well against their more difficult opponents this season, while too often giving games away to the lesser competition.

We'll see how it plays out tonight. It's also a big night for Guillermo Moscoso. There may be a temporary rotation slot there for his taking if he impresses against a strong lineup. 

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

What They're Saying About Jhoulys Chacin's Demotion

In case you haven't heard (or couldn't watch), yesterday's game was pretty fun. Heaven & Helton

Of course the big story after yesterday's game was the demotion of right-hander Jhoulys Chacin to Triple A - Colorado Springs. It certainly wasn't an unexpected piece of news after his rough outing on Tuesday night capped a brutal first month to his season. And if you back to 2011 you'll find his stretch of hot garbage actually extends all the way back to last June. 

If those painful visuals and numbers still left some doubt in your mind that Chacin needed physical and mental maintenance away from Coors Field, I'm sure the stinging words from manager Jim Tracy after the game made it clear it was only a matter of time... 

"Our starting pitching tonight was awful."

"I need to sleep on it, but you just can't go out and pitch like that. You just can't"

So there you go.  

I'm not sure anyone has a firm understanding or explanation as to what exactly is wrong with Chacin. Who knows, there may be a lot of somethings wrong that will take weeks, if not months, to iron out. The answers just aren't there, but the bloggers and writers have jobs to do and several of them have been weighing in over the past 24 hours.

Here's a quick rundown.

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Rock Solid Recap: Flawed, Frustrating and Fun. Our 2012 Rockies!

It's May 2nd and I'm already worried about making it through this season alive. The 2012 Rockies simply won't quit, but they refuse to make it easy, and because of that it looks like we as fans will be put through the wringer day in and day out. 

They're going to drive us crazy. They're going to give us headaches. But what makes it all OK at the end day is that they're going to entertain us. And for that, I think it's time we all embrace them for what they are and see how long can hold up.

I'm giving myself until the 4th of July.

Rockies 8, Dodgers 5 (boxscore)

Winning Player: Oh, let's see here, how about Carlos Gonzalez?

Gonzalez added two more big bombs to his total today — off the defending Cy Young who's also left-handed — giving him seven homers in his last nine games. Over that same stretch CarGo is 16-for-34 with 16 RBI and 5 BB. He's absolutely sizzling right now and there should be no end in sight as long as he remains selective (aka swings at strikes).

Watch CarGo's first bomb

Watch CarGo's second bomb

Wilin Rosario also added a home run off Kershaw, making this the first three home run game he's allowed according to Dodgers Thoughts.

Turning Point: Great starting pitching meant it was the bullpens turn to stink today, and that's what they — Rex Brothers and Rafael Betancourt — did, blowing 2-1 and 5-3 leads respectively in the 8th and 9th innings.

But it was after that Dodgers rally in the 8th — Damn Hairstons! — that the Rockies immediately went to work themselves against Kershaw. Marco Scutaro led if off with a single. Jonathan Herrera bunted him over. Then Dexter Fowler got Scutaro home with his own single to center. Those three hitters set the stage for CarGo's second blast and that sequence is what set the Rockies up to win this baseball game.

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