Rock Solid Recap: Without Visual Aids

I saw nothing of today's Rockies game. 

You didn't either.

It sucked.

But given the results, I wouldn't change a thing!

Rockies 12, Dodgers 2

I can't wait to see where Troy Tulowitzki's two home runs landed. Yes, the big man launched two more this afternoon off of Dodgers starter John Ely. That raised Troy September numbers from ridiculous to other worldly. Hell, just in his last three games he has totaled 5 homers and 13 RBI.

That sick enough for you?

If not, just imagine how the numbers would have looked had he connected with the bases loaded in the 8th inning. Oh well, can't hit'em all out. And that's okay when you have Todd Helton and Melvin Mora (4 hits, 5 RBI) behind you cleaning up.

Jhoulys Chacin threw a career high eight innings today. All eight of them were goose eggs. He did only strike out two while allowing nine hits, but again, goose eggs in the run column. Well done by the ace-in-training.

Well, without having seen the game I can't go into too much more detail about things I liked. I do like looking at the boxscore and seeing two walks next to CarGo's name though. Especially now that Tulo is hitting everything in sight out of sight.

Hell yeah CarGo, if they aren't challenging you, let the big man do his thing. Your runs scored will start adding as quickly your RBI total.

Tomorrow

Jason Hammel vs Clayton Kershaw

Rockies are long overdue to knock Kershaw upside the head. Yeah, he's currently pitching maybe the best he ever has in his career, but the Rockies have seen him so much it only seems logical that they would figure something out and put a few dents in his ERA.

That, or Jason Hammel pitches the game of his life. I would accept either or both.

Lineup Card Rockies @ Dodgers

As I said last night, the Dodgers need a lot of help from the Rockies just to be competitive in this series.  Today, let's give them nothing.  Make them earn every damn thing they get, because I don't think they're good enough to  take what they need.  

Rockies Lineup (81-66)

1. 2B  Young
2. CF  Fowler
3. RF  Gonzalez
4. SS  Tulowitzki
5. 1B  Helton
6. 3B  Mora
7. LF  Spilborghs
8. C    Olivo
9. P    Chacin

Dodgers Lineup (72-76) (via @truebluela)

1. SS  Carroll 
2. 2B  Theriot
3. RF  Ethier
4. 1B  Loney
5. LF  Gibbons
6. CF  Kemp
7. 3B  Mitchell
8. C    Ellis
9. P    Ely

Rock Solid Recap: Talent & Guts

The Rockies have both in abundance.

They just have to make sure they back those up with intelligence. They have to play smart, or those traits will be offset.

Tonight the Rockies came dangerously close to allowing something silly to wipe away all the good they had done in other portions of the game. A key base running error by Eric Young stands out. Jim Tracy pushing Ubaldo Jimenez seemingly past his limits would be another.

These are the type of things that have cost the Rockies several winnable games in 2010, but thankfully they ran into a Dodgers team that needs a lot more help than the Rockies were willing to give.

Rockies 7, Dodgers 5

@RockiesReview Honestly, I hate when Ubaldo pitches. I get so nervous. He's the best the #Rockies have, but I feel like getting wins is crucial with him.

Tonight was as nerve-wracking as it gets. Ubaldo didn't have anything close to his best stuff again. But somehow, some way, with his back against the wall, and with his intestinal fortitude being continuously challenged by a very loyal and trusting manager, Ubaldo Jimenez found a way to get six more outs than I honestly believed he had in him.

If Tracy had pulled him in the 5th, I wouldn't have complained. In the 6th, wouldn't have complained again. Especially since Tracy allowed him bat with two on and two outs in that inning. I don't like giving away scoring chances. Not on the road. And especially not when the pitcher you're allowing to bat for himself is battling for every pitch.

It worked out in the end. It worked out because Ubaldo Jimenez has talent and guts.

Does any one professional baseball player symbolize talent and guts better than Todd Helton? (Highlight)

He's not the baseball player he used to be, but he's still the man he always was. You just can't write him off. The second anyone tries to, he fires back. The second Mark Kiszla writes nonsense about him, he collects three or four hits.

He's a winner. He knows how close this team is to getting over the hump. If there's even just an ounce of gas left in his tank (I assure there's more than that), you can bet he's going to get the most out of it, because he knows how much his team needs it.

If I had to single out one more player tonight not named Troy Tulowitzki (Highlight), I would think long and hard about selecting Melvin Mora (Highlight), but in the end would have to select Matt Belisle.

What onions it takes to come in to a bases loaded situation to face two hitters that have taken you deep in that situation before, and to retire each without any damage being done.

The Rockies owe so much of where they currently sit to Matt. They simply wouldn't be here without him. That's not hyperbole, that's fact. He has been the glue that has held everything together, when it so easily could have fallen at any point during the last three months.

Dump truck.

Tomorrow

Jhoulys Chacin vs John Ely

I'll just say this...

The Dodgers showed tonight that they need a lot of things to go their way just to compete. Show up tomorrow and give them nothing.

Lineup Card: Rockies @ Dodgers

The Rockies are fighting to survive in 2010.  

The Dodgers are already looking ahead to 2011 (Joe Torre out, Don Mattingly in).

The Rockies have to take advantage of this dead team walking.  Get them down early and hope they fold like they did last night against Jonathan Sanchez and the Giants.  I'm serious, those hitters looked like they wanted nothing to do with standing in there against a hard throwing lefty.  I doubt they would look anymore forward to taking ABs against Ubaldo down by 3-4 runs.

Gets on these guys.  Stay on them.

Rockies Lineup (80-66)

1. 2B  Young
2. CF  Fowler
3. RF  Gonzalez
4. SS  Tulowitzki
5. 1B  Helton
6. 3B  Mora
7. LF  Smith
8. C    Olivo
9. P    Jimenez

Dodgers Lineup (72-75)

1. SS  Furcal
2. 2B  Theriot
3. RF  Ethier
4. 1B  Loney
5. LF  Gibbons
6. 3B  Blake
7. CF  Kemp
8. C    Ellis
9. P    Kuroda

If Jeter's A Cheater, Then So Is Clint Barmes

Lots of people on their high horse today over the Derek Jeter HBP that wasn't really a HBP. All of the venom is directed at Jeter, who acted as if he was struck in the arm by a pitch when replays clearly showed it hit his bat, while almost no one is pointing out another moment of incompetence by an umpiring crew.

It's all on Jeter. Derek Jeter is just so evil for doing something each and every quick thinking athlete would have done in the same situation.

Heck, even the Rockies Clint Barmes would "cheat" to get an edge for the Rockies. I don't recall any Rockies fans being angry over this play that stole a victory over St. Louis last September.

There are four umpires out there. It's on them when these calls are missed. No baseball player is going to make a call easy for them if there's a way to gain an advantage for his team. For people to act like what Jeter was some sinful act that ruins the integrity of the game... it's just stupid.

I'm sure the majority of it has to do with Jeter being Jeter, and Jeter being the captain of the Yankees, but seriously, the Rockies aren't above doing the same thing. No team in Major League Baseball is above doing the same. Players don't tell an umpire they were out when they know a call was missed.

It's just the way it goes. Play on.

And you know what? The Rays did play on. They bounced back and found a way to win the game. That's how you play the damn game.