Rock Solid Recap: I Like Angry Rockies

I wonder what that bag of wind Jon Miller thinks of the Rockies offense so far in Florida.

Rockies 10, Marlins 0

But the bigger story tonight is Jeff Francis.

I've been on Francis a lot after his past three starts. Let's be honest... they weren't good. They weren't average. They weren't even bad. They were just plain awful, bordering on disastrous.

I thought the matchup tonight against Florida wasn't going to provide the right opportunity for him to right the ship. No way. Way too much right-handed power for him to handle.

Wrong.

Francis not only handled those fish, he handled them with relative ease. He was confident. He was in command from beginning to end. He was in attack mode with no lead and carried that on with a 10 run lead. It really was a masterpiece we're used to seeing with Jeff when he's on his game.

The Rockies needed a great effort from him. He provided the effort, while sending a clear cut message that he's not done just yet.

Message received... but I'm still filing in my yellow folder for caution. Once the innings start piling up again without an all-star break in the middle, will he be able to sustain the effectiveness? That's the next bridge he'll need to cross when it comes.

Offense

Crredit to Jim Tracy when it's due. He put the right lineup together tonight.

I'll never complain when Melvin Mora is in the lineup... unless he's at second base. The guy is a professional hitter and he once again proved that tonight (3-for-5, HR, 2B, 5 RBI).

We know his defensive skills are pretty much limited to 3B, but he did have a good showing for himself in LF tonight. Let's keep one thing in mind on that though. LF in Sunlife Stadium is one of the easier outfield positions to play in the league. Not a whole lot of ground out there to cover.

Everyone else: Amazingly, despite the 10 runs, no other Rockie collected a multi-hit game tonight. That means the offense featured balance, timely hitting, and a willingness to take a walk. The Rockies collected six of those.

Now if we can only see more of all the above on a consistent basis going forward, the offense won't be an issue.

Of course they won't face Nate Robertson again either... dammit.

Chris Iannetta

Another right button pushed by Tracy was starting Chris Iannetta. Iannetta caught his second shutout in three days. Think about that.  A month ago he couldn't get out of his own way behind the plate, now he's about to seriously challenge Miguel Olivo for playing time.

Good for Chris Iannetta.

I've always felt very strongly about his talent, much the same way I feel about Franklin Morales' talent.  It's just a matter of keeping his head on straight. Not allowing the mental grind to get the best of him.  It's clearly not right now.   Time will now tell if he's able to keep the focus and the confidence going.  I'm definitely pulling for him.

Tomorrow

Jason Hammel vs Ricky Nolasco

A couple of pretty similar pitches on the hill in that one.  I'll take my chances with Jason the way he's throwing the ball lately.  Get him 5-6 runs and you should feel pretty good.

Lineup Card: Rockies @ Marlins

Is the wind blowing out to right again?  If so, give me a bat.  I think I could park one about 5-10 row ups those bleachers myself.

Rockies Lineup (50-42)

• CF  Fowler
• 2B  Herrera
• LF  Mora
• RF  Spilborghs
• C    Iannetta
• 1B  Eldred
• 3B  Stewart
• SS  Barmes
• P    Francis

Gonzalez sits with a bruised finger.  He needs to catch his breath and slow his heart rate down anyway.  Good day for that against a lefty.  

Mora in LF shouldn't cause too much harm defensively.  LF in Florida doesn't seem like too difficult a task. (Now watch him make three errors)   It'll put a little more pressure on Fowler to cover ground though.  That's not easy because there is more ground in the right-center field area.  

Marlins Lineup (45-47)

• LF  Bonafacio
• 3B  Helms
• SS  Ramirez
• 2B  Uggla
• 1B  Cantu
• CF  Ross
• RF  Stanton
• C    Paulino
• P    Robertson

Lots of luck to Jeff Francis maneuvering himself around this lineup 2-8.

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Rock Solid Recrap: Donnie Who?

Marlins 9, Rockies 8

Here are the five things you need to know about tonight's game.

1. Sloppy

The Rockies defense once again opened doors for the opposing offense. Doors that, at least early in the game, the Marlins offense couldn't have opened themselves against Jimenez. He had things going very well.

By the way, those errors include one by Jimenez, and another by Herrera which was pretty ugly on a sure DP ball.

The errors don't include a Hanley Ramirez RBI bunt single that I thought Jimenez should have handled cleanly. So it kinda boils down to...

2. Ubaldo Falters

He couldn't pitch around the 3rd inning miscues once they started piling up. The extra pitches needed to get through that inning then caught up to him in the 6th.

A knock, a walk.  Next thing you know Mike Stanton (who had Ubaldo's number all night and looks like a keeper in their OF) launches an offspeed delivery into the second deck for three runs.

A lot of that goes on Ubaldo for not battling through traffic (It'll all show up on his ERA), but it kinda leads in to the my next point as well.

3. Where's Miguel Olivo?

Ick. Aside from the HR in Cincy, he looks completely lost in the box. Seriously. I don't know why a pitcher would throw a fastball at this point. Nothing but ugly offerings on offspeed crap.

Also, the pitch selection a couple times allowed Ubaldo to get beat with his secondary pitches. Not really sure what the thought process was behind those, but yeah, not good.

It should also be noted he's had a couple passed balls and his throws haven't been on the mark much either. Could the career long platoon/backup catcher's extensive playing time be catching up to him? Just reality of who he is in the long run? Simple slump after inactivity for 4 days?

Time will tell.

4. Johnny Herrera hits his first career HR.

It's only fitting that Herrera would hit his first HR at a moment like that. The kid is clutch and the kid is pretty special when it comes to finding a way (small or large) to win or get in position to win a game.

Granted, his error in the third basically gave away two runs. That was a big part of the problem there. But in yesterday's 1-0 game win, he saved at least one run with a diving play up the middle. A suicide squeeze or whatever you need, Johnny gets it done.

His impact on this team is nothing but positive in every fashion.

5. Donnie Murphy hits a walk-off HR.

I don't know who the hell Donnie Murphy is.

Check that.

I didn't know who he was. Now I'll never forget him.

That's a little disrepectful to say about a guy who's achieved even one degree of success at the ML level, but for crying out loud, he just walked off on Huston Street! That doesn't compute with me.

In fact, I think I need to go back and make sure that really happened. While I do that, here's tomorrow's starting pitching matchup.

Jeff Francis vs. Nate Robertson

We've seen Aaron Cook step up at a time the Rockies desperately needed him to. Can Francis follow suit?

I must admit I'm not optimisitc based on his recent showings, in addition to a Marlins lineup that is strictly right-handed power. If they can get a few of Jeff's soft fastballs away up in the RF jet stream, look out.

And yes, I rewatched it

And yes, it still sucks.

Lineup Card: Rockies @ Marlins

Rockies Lineup (50-41)

• LF  Smith
• 2B  Herrera
• CF  Gonzalez
• 1B  Giambi
• C    Olivo
• RF  Hawpe
• 3B  Stewart
• SS  Barmes
• P    Jimenez

Marlins Lineup (44-47)

• LF  Bonafacio
• 1B  Sanchez
• SS  Ramierez
• 2B  Uggla
• 3B  Cantu
• CF  Ross
• RF  Stanton
• C    Paulino
• P    Sanchez

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Rock Solid Recap: Halfway to 100 Wins

Of course they won't get there, but 50 is still half of 100.

Rockies 1, Reds 0

Staying positive while attempting to provide a realistic persepctive isn't always easy.

Aaron Cook, Chris Iannetta, and Huston Street made it a little easier today.

Aaron Cook

The Rockies desperately needed the Ohio native's best today.

• 7 IP
• 6 H (scattered just enough)
• 0 R
• 1 BB
• 5 K (tied season high and a couple were very well timed). 
• 82 pitches -- 58 strikes
• 12 groundouts -- 4 flyouts.

Those ratios and things all qualify in the good-to-great range. Add them all together and they equal Cook's first road win of the season.

Highlight: Cook's 7 Shutout Innings

Chris Iannetta

Fantastic game by Chris. The HR will get most of the pub -- it's a worthy highlight to be sure -- but the job he did behind the plate with Cook and the bullpen is what really sealed this win.

He asserted himself several different times with trips to the mound. I don't keep track of stuff like that, but it seemed to me that each visit was well timed and meaningful.  That's a sign his comfort and confidence as a catcher are rising with each start.

Dare we give Miguel Olivo any credit for that?

If Iannetta continues moving the direction he's going now, the Rockies will be employing the most valuable backup backstop in the league. That's a far cry from where they were a month ago.

Highlight: Chris Iannetta's Solo HR

Huston Street

Were you a little worried?

I wouldn't blame you.

For me, though, Huston Street is the truest definition of a closer you can find. I watch him. I see the opponent bloop a hit in here and there. First and third, one out, no outs. I don't get worried.

Heart rate accerlates a couple beats a minute, but it's not the overwhelming feeling of dread I've had with the other 900 closers we've seen in the Rockies history.

Maybe I'll get uneasy when Tracy uses him four days in a row, or the first couple appearances off the DL, but my general feeling with Street is this guy in a Top 5 closer in baseball. If healthy, the Rockies have a bargain on their hands -- and will also soon have a brand new all-time saves leader.

Highlight: Street Closes The Door

Jonathan Herrera

Lost the hitting streak, but provided two superb Web Gems.

Highlights: Diving Stop, Great Throw

Travis Wood

He's going to be really good. He's already more than good enough to fill a 4th-5th rotation spot. He may never reach Volquez territory (ace stature) in their organization, but the Reds don't need him to either.  Their rotation depth will make the Reds very dangerous in 2010 and well beyond.

Wood gets the majority of the credit for holding the Rockies offense in check today. That said, they still need to find ways to scratch together an extra run here and there. Their inability to do so has been the difference between wins and losses on several occasions already.  That won't change in Florida and Philadelphia.

Tomorrow

It's Ubaldo day.  Which means scratching and clawing for the extra run or two will definitely be the difference in a win or a heart-breaking, low-scoring loss.