Rock Solid Recrap: Still 121 Chances To Write A Perfect Recrap

Marlins 7, Rockies 4 (boxscore)

What Went Wrong: The Rockies scored four runs in the first thanks to four consecutive hits. Jordan Pacheco and Carlos Gonzalez both singled. Michael Cuddyer cracked a two-run double off the left field wall. Troy Tulowitzki crushed a two-run homer over the left field wall.

They didn't record their next hit until the 8th inning.

It was a truly futile offensive performance that included a five-pitch 3rd inning, an eight-pitch 4th, and a nine-pitch 6th. It's like they got their hits out of the way early and then flushed the gameplan down the toilet, or they had no gameplan and got lucky in the 1st.

Just pathetic.

Turning Point: Well, aside from the offense disappearing, the game-changing moments came in the 4th inning. That's where Mark Buerhle doubled hard off the right field fence (missed a homer by three feet). Jose Reyes followed that with a single to center that Dexter Fowler overran, allowing Buehrle to score from second.

Then things completely unraveled as Moyer walked Hanley Ramirez and Austin Kearns ahead of a Giancarlo Stanton Grand Slam.

4-1 lead to game over in the a matter of six hitters.

Read more »

Lineup Card: Rockies @ Marlins 5-21-12

Sunday's Recrap: Rockies Swept For Third Straight Weekend

Note: I got so excited about by Nolasco-Nicasio line last night that I moved the pitching matchup ahead by a day. Tonight's pitching matchup is actually Jamie Moyer (2-3, 4.20) vs Mark Buehrle (3-4, 3.17). I swear I'm starting to blog like the Rockies run the bases. Unacceptable!

Lineups

Colorado Rockies (15-25)

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

So Michael Cuddyer is the Rockies new cleanup hitter (for now), with Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton each moving down one spot. I'm fine with that. They have to find offense somehow, and having Jordan Pacheco, Carlos Gonzalez and Cuddyer (three hits Sunday) hitting right together might be their best bet for the immediate future (next six hours). Now if we could only get Dexter Fowler back in that mix at the top, because love him or doubt him, he's giving the Rockies good, productive ABs. 

Miami Marlins (22-19)

1. Jose Reyes (SS)
2. Bryan Petersen (CF)
3. Hanley Ramirez (SS)
4. Austin Kearns (LF)
5. Giancarlo Stanton (RF)
6. Logan Morrison (1B)
7. John Buck (C)
8. Donnie Murphy (2B)
9. Mark Buehrle (P)

Of all of the kicks in the guts Rockies fans have received over the years, the one that still stands out to me is Donnie Murphy going opposite field on Huston Street to walk-off on the Rockies in July 2010. It's like a nightmare. And then to see his name in their lineup tonight. I can't take this. He's not supposed to be it anyone's lineup. He's awful.

But he won't be tonight. Just watch.

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

Rock Solid Recrap: Rockies Swept For Third Straight Weekend

Mariners 6, Rockies 4 (boxscore)

What Went Wrong: Coming in to Sunday, Seattle's starter Blake Beavan had never struck out more than four batters in a big league start (23 career). He struck out seven Rockies. In just five innings.

That's just one example of the crap that led to Colorado being swept for the third consecutive weekend (Braves, Dodgers, Mariners). Plenty more are on the way.

Turning Point: This isn't so much a turning point. It's actually more along the lines of one of the most poorly executed defensive plays I've ever seen. It happened in the 1st inning with the game still scoreless. Seattle had men at the corners with two outs when Kyle Seager (runner on first) takes off for second hoping to draw a throw so his team can possibly steal a run.

You've seen the play before a million times... especially if you or one of your children played youth baseball or softball. There it works pretty much all of the time. In the big leagues, you either eat the baseball or have something designed to counteract the play, usually resulting in an out. Heck, some teams even get a double play out of when they execute their plan.

The Rockies? Well, let's just say they looked like they've never seen, heard of, or prepared for the above scenario, because as soon as Seager ran, all hell immediately broke loose.

First it was Wilin Rosario's throw to second that sailed to the shortstop side of the base, almost as if he was expecting Troy Tulowitzki to take the throw. Nope, it was Marco Scutaro's play. After Scutaro lunged to make the catch, he came up firing wildly back to the plate... completely over the head of Rosario.

Watch the Rockies sad defense 

Seattle's Dustin Ackley was credited with the steal of home. Seager was able to advance all the way to third and eventually scored on Justin Smoak's single.

Brutality.

Read more »

Lineup Card: Rockies vs Mariners 5-20-12

Saturday's Recrap: I'll Have Another

Lineups

Colorado Rockies (15-24)

1. Eric Young (CF)
2. Marco Scutaro (2B)
3. Carlos Gonzalez (LF)
4. Troy Tulowitzki (SS)
5. Todd Helton (1B)
6. Michael Cuddyer (RF)
7. Wilin Rosario (C)
8. Jordan Pacheco (3B)
9. Jeremy Guthrie (P)

The power outage at the Townsend residence all morning and early afternoon was simply another reminder that the Rockies were playing this afternoon. Anyway, the power is back now. Maybe the Rockies can finally find theirs as well.

Wilin Rosario with his third straight start? Well, maybe Jim Tracy DID get fed up with Ramon Hernandez after those two absurd at-bats in Thursday's loss to Arizona. If so, good on you, Jim.

Update: Apparently the tendonitis in Ramon Hernandez's left hand has flared up again and is the reason Rosario has started all weekend. Thanks to @RockiesRoad for the heads up on that.

In another bit of news this afternoon, Rex Brothers has been optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs to work on a few things... as in everything. Adam Ottavino returns to take his roster spot. So hopefully you're a big Josh Outman fan, because the Rockies newest lefty is about to see increased work late in games. 

Seattle Mariners (18-24)

1. Dustin Ackley (2B)
2. Michael Saunders (CF)
3. Ichiro Suzuki (RF)
4. Kyle Seager (3B)
5. Jesus Montero (C)
6. Justin Smoak (1B)
7. Mike Carp (LF)
8. Brendan Ryan (SS)
9. Blake Beavan (P)

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

Rock Solid Recrap: I'll Have Another

Mariners 10, Rockies 3 (boxscore)

I'll let you decide if that was a horse racing reference or a reaction to today's Rockies game.

Hint: It's both.

What Went Wrong: I'll take the Gregg Popovich approach here.

*Non-answer because the question is repetitive and the answer is obvious*

Next question.

Christian Friedrich's Line: 5 IP, 8 ER, 9 H, 4 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 100 pitches (56 strikes)

I'm not even annoyed with Friedrich for the first walk. His 3-2 pitch to Jesus Montero was right at the knees and caught the outside corner, but Paul Schrieber plain and simply squeezed him. Of course Kyle Seager's two-run homer followed that, and things predictably unraveled from there with three more walks and some pesky Mariners hitting that saw them using the entire field to their advantage.

So yeah, this certainly was not an encouraging Coors Field debut for Friedrich, but I'm still confident his stuff is plenty good enough to succeed in Coors Field as long as the walks are limited. That's what killed him today. That's what kills everybody.

Turning Point: I'll go with the 3-2 pitch to Montero that I mentioned above. Who knows, maybe if Schrieber rings Montero up there it changes Friedrich's outlook. It really was a perfect pitcher's pitch. To not get that call had to stick with him. Not that I'm making excuses for Friedrich, but there's undoubtedly a fine mental line that young pitchers walk in Coors Field. It doesn't take much to knock them off balance.

Read more »