| Posted
7-2-08
Rockies Have Nothing to Worry About, Yet
Rockies Team Report
By Shawn Clarke
MLB Contributing Editor
(Sports Network) - There hasn't been much to smile about these days for the defending NL champion Colorado Rockies. Poor pitching, injuries and having a less attractive record than yearly doormats Pittsburgh and Kansas City would put a frown on anyone's face.
So now is a perfect time to hop off the Colorado bandwagon, right?
Well, maybe, but not yet at least.
Colorado, which is currently 18 games under .500 at 33-51, owned a 39-43 mark at this time last year before eventually pulling off an improbable run to the Fall Classic. In case you were hibernating in a cave the past year or so, the Rockies won 14 of their last 15 games in 2007, including a win over San Diego in a one-game playoff, then later lost to Boston in the World Series.
The ballclub was literally hitting on all cylinders back then, but now the Rockies are sputtering worse than my 2001 Chevy Cavalier. And that's almost an impossible task since I have more than 206,000 miles on my navy coupe. Hurdle's bunch, however, finally ended an eight-game losing streak and won for just the second time in 11 tries behind the strong arm of starting pitcher Aaron Cook. While starter Jeff Francis was the hero last year, Cook has taken over as staff ace in the rotation.
Francis was nearly unstoppable in 2007, going 17-9 with a 4.22 ERA in 34 starts. But this season has been a complete aberration, as the lefty sports a lowly 3-7 record and a 5.67 earned run average through 17 outings. Perhaps now that the Rockies ended their recent slide, Francis will wake up and quit putting his pitching skills on snooze.
Cook, though, has been a breath of fresh air for Hurdle. The right-hander is currently 11-5 with two complete games, including a shutout, and a 3.38 ERA in 18 trips to the mound this season. He ended a personal two-game slide by going the distance in a win over the Padres on Tuesday night. Cook allowed five hits and struck out four batters to back a 4-0 triumph. He also matched Shawn Chacon's 2003 team record for wins (11) before the All-Star break.
Hurdle could use more consistency from starters Ubaldo Jimenez and Greg Reynolds too, but it takes time to build on success. Perhaps Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland said it best in the song Creep, 'Take time with a wounded hand cause it likes to heal'. And this team will eventually heal in the weak National League West division because even the front-running Arizona Diamondbacks have belted out their cries of woe in 2008.
Rox stud left fielder Matt Holliday is starting to come around after a brief battle with the injury bug. Holliday finished the month of June with a .360 batting average (27-for-75), two homers and 13 RBI. He then opened July by going 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and a two-base hit in a win over San Diego. Holliday still has a shot at making the NL roster and play under Hurdle for the upcoming All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium on July 15.
Right fielder Brad Hawpe also spent time on the disabled list this season and was activated on June 6. Since then, though, Hawpe owns eight homers and 18 RBI.
If Hurdle can get his usual hitting suspects back to form (i.e. Holliday, Hawpe, Atkins and Tulowitzki), then the Rockies should have enough firepower to pass the Dodgers, Giants and D'Backs in the division standings. It wouldn't hurt either to get some pitching help from Francis, Jimenez and Reynolds because Cook can only pitch every five days.
SPEEDSTER TAVERAS GOES DOWN
Rockies speedy center fielder Willy Taveras left Tuesday's win in the fifth inning because of a sore left quadriceps. Taveras was 1-for-3 with a run scored and stole stolen bases before exiting the contest.
Taveras, who is listed as day-to-day, leads majors with 38 stolen bases this season. He is batting .252 with a homer and 18 RBI.
"It was just a little sore," Taveras said Tuesday. "I didn't want to push it. I'll see how it feels [Wednesday]."
The 6-0, 160-pound Taveras has swiped two or more bases in eight games this season, but may take a rest with his sore leg.
WHO'S HOT
Rockies third baseman Garrett Atkins enjoys the friendly confines of Coors Field this season. He is hitting .342 (52-for-152) at home this season.
Atkins batted .370 (20-for-54) in 14 home tilts in June.
WHO'S NOT
Former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback and current Rockies first baseman Todd Helton is slumping as of late. Helton is 14-for-75 over his last 21 contests, good enough for a .187 batting average.
ON DECK
The Rockies will resume a seven-game homestand on Wednesday with the finale of a three-game series versus the San Diego Padres. They are 21-20 at Coors Field this season, and will also host the Florida Marlins for four games.
With a victory over the Padres tonight, the Rockies can capture their first series win since sweeping the Cleveland Indians from June 17-19. |
