Opportunities Lost

Hammel gives up ZERO Earned Runs...Jimenez throws a complete game two-hitter...Rockies get 16 hits in one game and twice take the lead in extra innings...De La Rosa throws a complete game giving up one earned run...

These are but a few examples of the bizarre way the Rockies are losing games this season. 7-17 for May is not a pretty sight. It wouldn't be so bad if they were getting beat, but they are throwing way too many games away. In Hammel's game Wednesday, Amezaga's error led to both D-Backs runs scoring. Granted it took a great catch by Chris Young to steal a tying home run from Ty Wiggington, but the fielding has really gone askew this month. So has the base running. So has the bullpen. And it goes without saying that the hitting hasn't been there all season.

The Rockies are taking steps to fix the problems--Morales, Paulino, and Lopez are now gone, so far with nothing in return. More shake-ups may be coming. I won't try to manage by blog, but I do see some possibilities:

1. Put Lindstrom in as the closer for awhile, until Street stops serving up home runs. Maybe even alternate them the rest of the season as setup and closer.

2. End the Giambi experiment. I like him a lot, and his presence has had a positive affect on the younger players, but the guy is taking up a spot that someone from Triple-A could use to help this team in the field or late inning hits, someone like the 2007 version of Seth Smith. Giambi has 6 Home Runs and 3 singles along with 12 K's in 40 AB's. He single-handedly won the game against the Phillies last week, but beyond that he's always up in a situation where you expect a Dinger, and that is just the wrong attitude for a team like this. Look where 12 solo home runs in a row got us. Last night a base hit would have been a big blow in that game.

3. Figure out what you want to do with Fowler. Make him a right-handed hitter, move him down in the line-up, send him back to the minors. Decide and stick to it. He's an enigma, horrible average, good OBP, horrible strikeout count, best hitter with RISP. I want to see him succeed, but it may not be with the Rockies.

The Rockies are quickly approaching a key stretch of the season where they will play 16 straight against the west including a 9 game road trip to California. If they snap out of their funk they could do some damage in the race. If they continue the slide they could be buried. They don't get another shot at the West after June 15th until Late July--but it's another 9 game road trip.