Baseball is a long season. 162 games played over 6 months is the longest season in American Pro Sports. Baseball still has the shortest post season, as the entire playoffs will take place over 29 days in October and possibly November 1st.
Let's admit it--after the first 2.5 months, we didn't think it would come down to the last weekend for the last Wild Card position, if anything we were hoping for a chance to clinch the West Division. But the past 3.5 months have told a different story.
Going into the weekend, FiveThirtyEight.com gives the Rockies a 94% chance to make the playoffs and Milwaukee only has 6% chance. But remember 2007 where San Diego went into Milwaukee needing 3 wins and/or Rockies losses to get the Wild Card Spot with 3 games to play. On Friday, the Padres won while the Rockies lost to the D-Backs ending the 11 game winning streak and putting the Magic Number of 1 which meant they would have to lose 3 in a row including a Tie Breaker game, while the Rockies would have to win all 3 (which meant the Rockies magic number was essentially 6.)
Everything broke the Rockies way in their improbable win to the 2007 World Series, so don't start the celebration yet. The Rockies also have made the playoffs 3 times as a Wild Card entry and all three times they have clinched the Wild Card on October 1st. Expect this to go down to Sunday. In 2018 the season ends on September 30th, but we will deal with that later.
It should be a fun weekend, just like this has been a fun season.
Friday, September 29, 2017
Saturday, September 16, 2017
I Gotta Feeling That Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Night
Today is the 10th Anniversary of the start of THE greatest run in Rockies History and one of the greatest runs in MLB history, the 2007 drive to Rocktober.
The Rockies had just returned from a split of a four game series in Philadelphia, and promptly lost the first two games to the Marlins 7-6 and 10-2, and had the 7th best record in the NL at 76-72 4.5 games behind the Padres with 14 regular season games to play. On Sunday, the Rockies casually won the series finale against the Marlins 13-0 where Todd Helton hit his 300th Home Run, and had Monday off.
On Tuesday, a double header was scheduled with the Dodgers, and Jeff Francis pitched a 3-1 gem during the day game, and the Rockies, while the night cap came down to the 9th inning trailing by a run, facing Dodgers Closer Takashi Saito, who the Rockies were hitless against for the season. Saito got a ground out and strikeout, and faced Matt Holliday, who singled on the first pitch to Right Field. Todd Helton came up and on a 1-2 pitch hit home run #301 to Right Center Field to win the game, tossing his helmet as he came home and the run was on.
As the Rockies drive to the playoffs once again, many of the retired 2007 Players returned for a reunion Friday night at Coors Field, to celebrate the improbable finish.
The Rockies had just returned from a split of a four game series in Philadelphia, and promptly lost the first two games to the Marlins 7-6 and 10-2, and had the 7th best record in the NL at 76-72 4.5 games behind the Padres with 14 regular season games to play. On Sunday, the Rockies casually won the series finale against the Marlins 13-0 where Todd Helton hit his 300th Home Run, and had Monday off.
On Tuesday, a double header was scheduled with the Dodgers, and Jeff Francis pitched a 3-1 gem during the day game, and the Rockies, while the night cap came down to the 9th inning trailing by a run, facing Dodgers Closer Takashi Saito, who the Rockies were hitless against for the season. Saito got a ground out and strikeout, and faced Matt Holliday, who singled on the first pitch to Right Field. Todd Helton came up and on a 1-2 pitch hit home run #301 to Right Center Field to win the game, tossing his helmet as he came home and the run was on.
As the Rockies drive to the playoffs once again, many of the retired 2007 Players returned for a reunion Friday night at Coors Field, to celebrate the improbable finish.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Oh, Yes, They Call Him the Streak
The Indians today set an American League record for consecutive wins with their 21st.
Last night, the Dodgers ended their longest losing streak in Los Angeles at 11.
Tonight, the Rockies go after their season high tying 7th win in a row and thier franchise tying 9th win in a row on the road.
Winning streaks are fun, losing streaks are frustrating. And streaks don't just end with the one win or loss, you have to sustain it over a period of time. The Dodgers earlier this season, won 59 of 72 games, the Rockies in 2007 won 20 of 21. In 2009 they won 17 of 18. In 2010, they won 10 in a row and 13 of 15 before turning it around and losing 13 of 14 to finish the season.
The point of all this is just to temper the excitement that comes with a winning strreak or keep perspective when your team is losing. Cleveland has won 20 regular season games which means nothing other than their seeding in the playoffs. The streak will end at some point, will it go straight into a nosedive like the 2010 Rockies, or take them to the World Series like the 2007 Rockies.
DODGERS QUIETLY CLINCH: The Dodgers have clinched a spot in the playoffs, althourgh many people will tell you that they still have a magic number of 2 ESPN actually has this correct. The Reason: The Cardinals need to win all but one of their games to catch the Dodgers and Milwaukee would have to win all of their games plus a tiebreaker game against the Dodgers (and the Dodgers would have to lose all their games.) The Cubs can win all but 4 to catch the Dodgers if they lost all their games. Problem is the Cubs have 7 games against the Cardinals, and 4 against Milwaukee, while Milwaukee and St. Louis have the final 3 games against each other. Only one team could possibly win all their games, which would give them the NL Central Division, while the H2H would knock the other two out of reach of the Dodgers. Therefore the Dodgers have clinched the Visitor's Wild Card.
Last night, the Dodgers ended their longest losing streak in Los Angeles at 11.
Tonight, the Rockies go after their season high tying 7th win in a row and thier franchise tying 9th win in a row on the road.
Winning streaks are fun, losing streaks are frustrating. And streaks don't just end with the one win or loss, you have to sustain it over a period of time. The Dodgers earlier this season, won 59 of 72 games, the Rockies in 2007 won 20 of 21. In 2009 they won 17 of 18. In 2010, they won 10 in a row and 13 of 15 before turning it around and losing 13 of 14 to finish the season.
The point of all this is just to temper the excitement that comes with a winning strreak or keep perspective when your team is losing. Cleveland has won 20 regular season games which means nothing other than their seeding in the playoffs. The streak will end at some point, will it go straight into a nosedive like the 2010 Rockies, or take them to the World Series like the 2007 Rockies.
DODGERS QUIETLY CLINCH: The Dodgers have clinched a spot in the playoffs, althourgh many people will tell you that they still have a magic number of 2 ESPN actually has this correct. The Reason: The Cardinals need to win all but one of their games to catch the Dodgers and Milwaukee would have to win all of their games plus a tiebreaker game against the Dodgers (and the Dodgers would have to lose all their games.) The Cubs can win all but 4 to catch the Dodgers if they lost all their games. Problem is the Cubs have 7 games against the Cardinals, and 4 against Milwaukee, while Milwaukee and St. Louis have the final 3 games against each other. Only one team could possibly win all their games, which would give them the NL Central Division, while the H2H would knock the other two out of reach of the Dodgers. Therefore the Dodgers have clinched the Visitor's Wild Card.
Monday, September 11, 2017
Oh Baby, Don't Mess With Me
The Rockies could have made it a lot easier on themselves by winning just a few more times in June, July, August, and Early September.
But they didn't. So they entered the current 8 game road trip with only a 2 game lead over St. Louis, and 2.5 over Milwaukee for the Visitor Wild Card Spot, and 7.5 games behind the D-Backs for the Home Wild Card Spot.
Realistically, they were looking at falling behind St. Louis or Milwaukee by the end of the trip as they were 1-5 in these two parks in June, and losing 24 of their past 33 on the road (although they had won 3 of their last 4 on the Road Trip.) The most optimistic person, may have hoped for a 5-3 record, but more realistically it would be 3-5.
Instead the Rockies have put together a 5 game winning streak, and guarnteed that they will head home Friday night with the Visitor Wild Card lead. They are also now 1.5 games ahead of the NL Central leading Cubs.
Nolan Arenado got annoyed by the fans behind the on-deck circle and transformed it into a 3 run homer in the 8th.
Magic number is now down to 16 over the Cardinals for Visitor Wild Card, 23 for the Home Wild Card.
But they didn't. So they entered the current 8 game road trip with only a 2 game lead over St. Louis, and 2.5 over Milwaukee for the Visitor Wild Card Spot, and 7.5 games behind the D-Backs for the Home Wild Card Spot.
Realistically, they were looking at falling behind St. Louis or Milwaukee by the end of the trip as they were 1-5 in these two parks in June, and losing 24 of their past 33 on the road (although they had won 3 of their last 4 on the Road Trip.) The most optimistic person, may have hoped for a 5-3 record, but more realistically it would be 3-5.
Instead the Rockies have put together a 5 game winning streak, and guarnteed that they will head home Friday night with the Visitor Wild Card lead. They are also now 1.5 games ahead of the NL Central leading Cubs.
Nolan Arenado got annoyed by the fans behind the on-deck circle and transformed it into a 3 run homer in the 8th.
Magic number is now down to 16 over the Cardinals for Visitor Wild Card, 23 for the Home Wild Card.
Lightning is Striking Again
It hadn't happened in 24 years, but it happened when it needed to: The Rockies swept a four game series at Dodger Stadium for the 2nd time in their history, and the first time since August 8-11, 1993.
The Rockies used a good mix of starting pitching, timely hitting, and fantastic relief pitching to win the four games, go 6-1 for the week. By Thursday, the Rockies had stretched their Visitor Wild Card lead back to 3 after Milwaukee closed to 1/2 game last Sunday, but the Cards and Brewers all swept their weekend series, to keep pace with the Rockies. Meanwhile the D-Backs dropped 2 of 3 to the Padres as the Rockies closed to within 5 games of Arizona as they head to Phoenix for a 4 game series.
The Dodgers have lost 10 in a row, which is the longest losing streak in MLB this season, and ties the longest in their Los Angeles history. It also happened to them in 1961 and 1987. They have also lost 15 of their last 16. Prior that they lost 15 games out of 74 from May 31st to August 25th. 9 of the last 15 losses have been at home. They now go on a 10 game road trip to San Francisco, Washington and Philadelphia. As bad as the Rockies 3-6 homestand last week, the Dodgers went 0-7 on this one.
The good news is the Rockies passed the Central Leading Cubs by a game, which means two of the three Central teams Cubs, Brewers and Cards have to pass them for the Rockies not to make the playoffs, but all three play teams with losing records early in the week, but over the final 17 days of the season, 2 of the 3 Central teams will play each other, meaning there are 14 losses between them.
Here's the remaining schedule (all series 3 games unless noted) Bold Playoff Contenders:
Los Angeles: Home (6)--San Francisco, San Diego; Away(13)--San Francisco, Washington, Philadelphia, Colorado
Arizona: Home(10)--Colorado (4), Miami, San Francisco; Away(9); San Francisco, San Diego, Kansas City
Colorado: Home(9)--San Diego, Miami, Los Angeles; Away(10): Arizona (4), San Francisco (2), San Diego (4)
Chicago: Home (9)--New York Mets, St. Louis, Cincinnati; Away(10) Tampa Bay(2) Milwaukee(4), St. Louis (4)
Milwaukee: Home (10): Pittsburgh, Chicago (4), Cincinnati; Away (9) Miami, Pittsburgh, St. Louis
St. Louis: Home (10): Cincinnati, Chicago (4), Milwaukee; Away (9)--Chicago, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh
The Rockies used a good mix of starting pitching, timely hitting, and fantastic relief pitching to win the four games, go 6-1 for the week. By Thursday, the Rockies had stretched their Visitor Wild Card lead back to 3 after Milwaukee closed to 1/2 game last Sunday, but the Cards and Brewers all swept their weekend series, to keep pace with the Rockies. Meanwhile the D-Backs dropped 2 of 3 to the Padres as the Rockies closed to within 5 games of Arizona as they head to Phoenix for a 4 game series.
The Dodgers have lost 10 in a row, which is the longest losing streak in MLB this season, and ties the longest in their Los Angeles history. It also happened to them in 1961 and 1987. They have also lost 15 of their last 16. Prior that they lost 15 games out of 74 from May 31st to August 25th. 9 of the last 15 losses have been at home. They now go on a 10 game road trip to San Francisco, Washington and Philadelphia. As bad as the Rockies 3-6 homestand last week, the Dodgers went 0-7 on this one.
The good news is the Rockies passed the Central Leading Cubs by a game, which means two of the three Central teams Cubs, Brewers and Cards have to pass them for the Rockies not to make the playoffs, but all three play teams with losing records early in the week, but over the final 17 days of the season, 2 of the 3 Central teams will play each other, meaning there are 14 losses between them.
Here's the remaining schedule (all series 3 games unless noted) Bold Playoff Contenders:
Los Angeles: Home (6)--San Francisco, San Diego; Away(13)--San Francisco, Washington, Philadelphia, Colorado
Arizona: Home(10)--Colorado (4), Miami, San Francisco; Away(9); San Francisco, San Diego, Kansas City
Colorado: Home(9)--San Diego, Miami, Los Angeles; Away(10): Arizona (4), San Francisco (2), San Diego (4)
Chicago: Home (9)--New York Mets, St. Louis, Cincinnati; Away(10) Tampa Bay(2) Milwaukee(4), St. Louis (4)
Milwaukee: Home (10): Pittsburgh, Chicago (4), Cincinnati; Away (9) Miami, Pittsburgh, St. Louis
St. Louis: Home (10): Cincinnati, Chicago (4), Milwaukee; Away (9)--Chicago, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh
Monday, September 4, 2017
The Nearer Your Destination The More You're Slip Slidin' away
The Rockies offensive woes continued despite winning their first game in the last 5 tries with a 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants. The hitting drought has reached 6 weeks and 37 games, where the Rockies have gone 15-22 since July 23rd.
It's September and the stretch drive and while the D-Backs and Brewers (along with the Cubs) have gotten hot over the past two weeks, the Rockies are decidedly not hot. But they haven't been cold enough (yet) to relinquish the Visitor Wild Card lead. It was down to 1/2 game over Milwaukee yesterday and increased to 1.5 games today as both the Reds and Rockies got walk off wins.
As the Rockies approach a key road trip with four games each in LA and Phoenix, the Rockies cannot afford to languish in their hitting doldrums any longer. They need to find several people to step forward and lead the scoring effort, as the pitching continues to do well.
Meanwhile the Dodgers have been in their first prolonged funk of the year. After losing 3 in a row and 5 of 7 back in early June, the Dodgers ran off winning streaks of 6, 10, 11, 9, and 6, en route to an amazing 56-11 run and taking them to a 91-36 overall record. Over the past 10 games however they have now lost 9 of 10 and had their first 5 game losing streak and swept in a series for the first time.
It's September and the stretch drive and while the D-Backs and Brewers (along with the Cubs) have gotten hot over the past two weeks, the Rockies are decidedly not hot. But they haven't been cold enough (yet) to relinquish the Visitor Wild Card lead. It was down to 1/2 game over Milwaukee yesterday and increased to 1.5 games today as both the Reds and Rockies got walk off wins.
As the Rockies approach a key road trip with four games each in LA and Phoenix, the Rockies cannot afford to languish in their hitting doldrums any longer. They need to find several people to step forward and lead the scoring effort, as the pitching continues to do well.
Meanwhile the Dodgers have been in their first prolonged funk of the year. After losing 3 in a row and 5 of 7 back in early June, the Dodgers ran off winning streaks of 6, 10, 11, 9, and 6, en route to an amazing 56-11 run and taking them to a 91-36 overall record. Over the past 10 games however they have now lost 9 of 10 and had their first 5 game losing streak and swept in a series for the first time.
Monday, August 28, 2017
Just When I Thought Our Chance Had Passed
The Rockies have been on a extended downer for the better part of the past ten weeks compiling a 24-31 record after reaching a high water mark of 47-26 on June 20th. The Dodgers ridiculous run during that period winning over 80% of their games has exacerbated the effect of the Rockies swoon.
But the month of August and really, the past 5 weeks have shown how frustrating the season has been. On Sunday, July 23rd the Rockies had worked themselves up to 58-43 after a 5-1 homestand. At this point since June 20th the Rockies were 11-17. A drop off for sure, but the Rockies still had a 4.5 game lead over the Brewers for the Road Wild Card position and a game ahead of the D-Backs for the Home Wild Card position.
In the 30 games since then, the Rockies have had a 13-17 Record including 6-11 on the road. More concerning is that the Rockies have only scored more than 5 runs 5 times in those 30 games. They have scored 5 runs four times and 4 runs five times which leave 16 games where they did not score more than 3 times going 4-12 in those games.
By contrast, the first 30 games of the season, the Rockies score 6 or more runs 8 times, 5 runs twice and 4 runs three times, which left them with 17 games where they scored three runs or less. They were 6-11 in those games and 18-12 overall.
The Rockies pitching also held the opponent to 5 or fewer runs in 20 of those first 30 games, going 16-4. In the last 30 games the Rockies Pitchers have held the opponent to 5 runs in 21 games, but the Rockies have only won 12 of those games.
Thirteen of those early games had Rockies Saves, only 7 of the last 30 have had saves.
The Rockies are coming up on the final 32 games, 18 at home and 14 away, 26 will be against the NL West. It is imperative that they win close to 90 games, which means they have to go 19-13 in the remaining games. This will require them to win on the road, something they haven't done very well since early June.
But the month of August and really, the past 5 weeks have shown how frustrating the season has been. On Sunday, July 23rd the Rockies had worked themselves up to 58-43 after a 5-1 homestand. At this point since June 20th the Rockies were 11-17. A drop off for sure, but the Rockies still had a 4.5 game lead over the Brewers for the Road Wild Card position and a game ahead of the D-Backs for the Home Wild Card position.
In the 30 games since then, the Rockies have had a 13-17 Record including 6-11 on the road. More concerning is that the Rockies have only scored more than 5 runs 5 times in those 30 games. They have scored 5 runs four times and 4 runs five times which leave 16 games where they did not score more than 3 times going 4-12 in those games.
By contrast, the first 30 games of the season, the Rockies score 6 or more runs 8 times, 5 runs twice and 4 runs three times, which left them with 17 games where they scored three runs or less. They were 6-11 in those games and 18-12 overall.
The Rockies pitching also held the opponent to 5 or fewer runs in 20 of those first 30 games, going 16-4. In the last 30 games the Rockies Pitchers have held the opponent to 5 runs in 21 games, but the Rockies have only won 12 of those games.
Thirteen of those early games had Rockies Saves, only 7 of the last 30 have had saves.
The Rockies are coming up on the final 32 games, 18 at home and 14 away, 26 will be against the NL West. It is imperative that they win close to 90 games, which means they have to go 19-13 in the remaining games. This will require them to win on the road, something they haven't done very well since early June.
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Every Now and Then I Fall Apart
First of all--it's been two weeks since my last post and a lot has happened that I'd like to comment on:
RIP Don Baylor: Don Baylor, the Rockies first Manager died on August 7th at the age of 68. There have been many nice accolades given him, but from my standpoint, the fact that he took an expansion team to the playoffs in it's third year, is one of his biggest accomplishments. The Arizona Diamondbacks became the first expansion team to win the World Series in it's fourth year, 2001. (Florida Marlins did it in their fifth year in 1997.), but Baylor made the Rockies pretty successful right off the bat:
Here are the Records for expansion teams first year.
1961 Los Angeles Angels, Bill Rigney, 70-91
1969 Kansas City Royals, Joe Gordon 69-93
1993 Colorado Rockies, Don Baylor, 67-95
1998 Arizona Diamond Backs, Buck Showalter, 65-97
1962 Houston Colt .45's, Harry Craft 64-96
1969 Seattle Pilots, Joe Schultz, 64-98
1993 Florida Marlins, Rene Lachemann, 64-98
1998 Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Larry Rothschild, 63-99
1961 Washington Senators, Mickey Vernaon, 61-100
RIP Don Baylor: Don Baylor, the Rockies first Manager died on August 7th at the age of 68. There have been many nice accolades given him, but from my standpoint, the fact that he took an expansion team to the playoffs in it's third year, is one of his biggest accomplishments. The Arizona Diamondbacks became the first expansion team to win the World Series in it's fourth year, 2001. (Florida Marlins did it in their fifth year in 1997.), but Baylor made the Rockies pretty successful right off the bat:
Here are the Records for expansion teams first year.
1961 Los Angeles Angels, Bill Rigney, 70-91
1969 Kansas City Royals, Joe Gordon 69-93
1993 Colorado Rockies, Don Baylor, 67-95
1998 Arizona Diamond Backs, Buck Showalter, 65-97
1962 Houston Colt .45's, Harry Craft 64-96
1969 Seattle Pilots, Joe Schultz, 64-98
1993 Florida Marlins, Rene Lachemann, 64-98
1998 Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Larry Rothschild, 63-99
1961 Washington Senators, Mickey Vernaon, 61-100
1969 Montreal Expos, Gene Mauch, 52-110
1969 San Diego Padres, Preston Gomez, 52-110
1962 New York Mets, Casey Stengel, 40-120
1969 San Diego Padres, Preston Gomez, 52-110
1962 New York Mets, Casey Stengel, 40-120
Baylor had the 3rd best successful start of an expansion team in it's first year, and in 6 years had 3 winning records and finished with a respectable 440-469 .484 Winning percentage.
Chad Bettis: The return of Chad Bettis on Monday night, along with the Baylor tribute, was one of the more emotional nights in Rockies history. Chad pitched 7 shutout innings, but missed getting a win as the Rockies would not score until the bottom of the eighth. Bettis goes again tonight vs. the Brewers.
Pitching Setup: Bettis' return gave the Rockies seven starters with Tyler Anderson still on the DL. The Rockies opted to put Chatwood and Senzatella in the bullpen for the time being and sent Hoffmann down to the minors probably until September 1st. I expect depending on how the race goes, all eight starters will get starts in September, as the Rockies set up their potential postseason roster and rotation. As of this moment, I would include Bettis, Gray, and Marquez for sure, with Freeland, Senzatela and Hoffman mixed in. I like Chatwood in the bullpen for long relief or even as a late inning setup guy.
Wild Card Race: After the two remaining games with Milwaukee, the Rockies have only the 7 games against the D-Backs and potentially the 3 games at home against the Marlins with direct games against wild card contenders. They also have seven games against the ridiculous LA Dodgers and three against the Royals next week who are in the AL Playoff hunt. The other 22 games are against also rans. The D-Backs are playing Minnesota this weekend and finish with 3 games in KC, and have the Rockies for 7 and Dodgers for 6, and Miami for 3 for 21 total contender games.
The NL Central has four contenders for both the Central Title and Wild Card opportunities, although the Pirates may fall out of both soon. Altogether the four teams have 40 games against each other.
ChC(21)--Pit(7), Mil(7), STL(7)
STL(20)-ChC(7), Pit(8), Mil(5)
Mil(18)-Chc(7), STL(5), Pit(6)
Pit(21)--Chc(7), STL(8), Mil(6)
In Addition, Milwaukee 12 games left against NL Playoff teams Colorado(2), LA(3), Washington (4), and Miami(3)
Pittsburgh has 8 games left LA(4), Washington (4)
Cubs and St. Louis have none outside the division left with contenders.
I include the Cubs in the analysis, because the Central Race is close.
The Wild Card Standings look like this at the moment:
Team W L GB(H) GB(A) GB(NLC)
Rockies 68-54 -- +1 N/A
D-Backs 67-55 1 -- N/A
Cubs 64-57 3.5 2.5 --
Cards 63-59 5 4 1.5
Brewers 63-60 5.5 4.5 2
Marlins 59-61 8 7 N/A
Pirates 58-64 10 9 6.5
What this all means is that of the 5 teams that are behind the Rockies and D-Backs three would have to actually pass them to knock them both out of the Wild Card positions. The Marlins have 6 games left to cut the lead of either team, and Milwaukee has 2 left against the Rockies. The 4 NL Central teams will have 40 losses among them between now and October 1st.
So from this standpoint, either the Rockies or D-Backs are probably safely in the Wild Card, not both yet, but stay tuned.
Thursday, August 3, 2017
We Pillage We Plunder, We Rifle We Loot
The Rockies were handed a win today, after they gave one to the Mets last night. It's gonna happen. Last night the Rockies blew a 5 run lead for the third time this season, but only the first time at home. The other two came in Cincinnati and Los Angeles. Today, the Rockies scored without a hit, gettin a Hit By Pitch, Intentional Walk and two straight unintentional walk to get their 2nd Walk Off win in 3 games and 4th of the season. In 3 of the four walkoffs, Nolan Arenado hit the winning run in. The fourth (which was the first of the year) was a single by Raimel Tapia.
Looking at the Wild Card Race, the conventional wisdom is that the Brewers are the team the Rockies and D-Backs have to watch out for. I think it's the Pirates based on Home Road Factor. The Brewers have played 58 home games to 52 Road games, leaving them 23-29 in their remaining games. They already are -1 in the Home/Road factor. Beginning August 18th when they come to Colorado, they will play 21 of 30 on the road.
Meanwhile the Pirates are more balanced having played 53 home and 55 road games. They are also -1 in the Home/Road Factor, but seem to have a more favorable schedule. We'll look at remaining games in early September as the stretch drive comes into play.
Looking at the Wild Card Race, the conventional wisdom is that the Brewers are the team the Rockies and D-Backs have to watch out for. I think it's the Pirates based on Home Road Factor. The Brewers have played 58 home games to 52 Road games, leaving them 23-29 in their remaining games. They already are -1 in the Home/Road factor. Beginning August 18th when they come to Colorado, they will play 21 of 30 on the road.
Meanwhile the Pirates are more balanced having played 53 home and 55 road games. They are also -1 in the Home/Road Factor, but seem to have a more favorable schedule. We'll look at remaining games in early September as the stretch drive comes into play.
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Even Steven
The Rockies hit the Century Mark in games played today, and have now played 50 at home (31-19) and 50 on the Road (27-23). This compares to the Dodgers who will hit the Century Mark on Monday, with 55 Home games and 45 Road Games, and the D-Backs on Tuesday will be 53-47 in Home and Away games. The Dodgers however have a better record on the road than either of the other two teams at 27-18, but the Rockies at one point were 24-10 before their 3-13 slide on the Road.
The Rockies will also be on the road this week while the Dodgers remain at home. The D-Backs play three at home and then follow the Rockies into St. Louis next weekend embarking on a 10-game road trip. The Dodgers will hit 60 home games next Sunday before playing an August Schedule of 19 Road and 8 home games including two trips into the Snake Pit in Phoenix. From Aug 1 to Sep 3 the Dodgers play 22 of 30 on the road, at which point they will also be Even Steven at 68-68. Everyone will be even after 162 games ;-)
WILD CARD ADVANTAGE: The 7 teams currently in the Wild Card race with the Rockies all lost today. (The Cubs moved into a percentage point lead over the Brewers, and are now the Division Leader.) The Rockies are now in the Home Wild Card position, 1 game ahead of the D-Backs, with Milwaukee now 5.5 behind the Rockies (4.5 out of Wild Card). Everyone else is at least 8 in back of the Rockies.
FLOODGATES: The Rockies drew over 40,000 fans to each of the three Pirate games and 4 of the 6 games on the Homestand. In 6 games they drew 244,335 and after 50 dates have drawn 1,878,586 averaging 37,572. At this pace they will draw over 3,000,000 for the first time since 2001.
The Rockies will also be on the road this week while the Dodgers remain at home. The D-Backs play three at home and then follow the Rockies into St. Louis next weekend embarking on a 10-game road trip. The Dodgers will hit 60 home games next Sunday before playing an August Schedule of 19 Road and 8 home games including two trips into the Snake Pit in Phoenix. From Aug 1 to Sep 3 the Dodgers play 22 of 30 on the road, at which point they will also be Even Steven at 68-68. Everyone will be even after 162 games ;-)
WILD CARD ADVANTAGE: The 7 teams currently in the Wild Card race with the Rockies all lost today. (The Cubs moved into a percentage point lead over the Brewers, and are now the Division Leader.) The Rockies are now in the Home Wild Card position, 1 game ahead of the D-Backs, with Milwaukee now 5.5 behind the Rockies (4.5 out of Wild Card). Everyone else is at least 8 in back of the Rockies.
FLOODGATES: The Rockies drew over 40,000 fans to each of the three Pirate games and 4 of the 6 games on the Homestand. In 6 games they drew 244,335 and after 50 dates have drawn 1,878,586 averaging 37,572. At this pace they will draw over 3,000,000 for the first time since 2001.
Thursday, July 20, 2017
How Do You Like Me Now?!
Baseball is a cyclical game. It can have it's ups and downs. If you break the season out into 16 game stretches, (and 17 leading into the halfway point), the Rockies hit the 60% mark yesterday.
It's interesting to see the results
As you can see other than the 5th Decile, the Rockies have consistently won about 10 out of 16 games in each 16 game stretch. In the first 16 games they were struggling on offense, and the pitching carried them. The run production was fairly consistent in the 2nd-4th, and 6th deciles, although in the 6th, they scored nearly half their runs in the past 4 games. However, pitching side has been all over the place with a low of 52 and a high of 111.
It's interesting to see the results
| Decile | Wins | Losses | Runs | Opp Runs | Run Diff |
| 1st | 10 | 6 | 54 | 62 | -8 |
| 2nd | 10 | 6 | 98 | 83 | 15 |
| 3rd | 11 | 5 | 96 | 68 | 28 |
| 4th | 10 | 6 | 89 | 52 | 37 |
| 5th* | 6 | 11 | 73 | 111 | -38 |
| 6th | 9 | 7 | 105 | 86 | 19 |
| Total | 56 | 41 | 515 | 462 | 53 |
As you can see other than the 5th Decile, the Rockies have consistently won about 10 out of 16 games in each 16 game stretch. In the first 16 games they were struggling on offense, and the pitching carried them. The run production was fairly consistent in the 2nd-4th, and 6th deciles, although in the 6th, they scored nearly half their runs in the past 4 games. However, pitching side has been all over the place with a low of 52 and a high of 111.
If they remain on the 10-6 pace the rest of the way, they will finish at 96-66. It's a respectable pace and should get them in the Wild Card Game.
TRADE DEADLINE: The trade deadline approaches and as teams make moves, the focus is on the Rockies lack of moves. I'm fine with that. I'm not saying the Rockies could win the World Series with what they have, but they certainly don't want to trade a lot of prospects to get past the Wild Card Game with no guarantee against likely the Dodgers in a five game series. \
But let's look at some reality, the Rockies have 6 certain free agents not including Greg Holland who could exercise his 15 million option for 2018, and the Rockies are not likely to trade him during the stretch drive.
Carlos Gonzalez
Jake McGee
Tyler Chatwood
Jordan Lyles
Mark Reynolds
Ryan Hanigan
McGee has been solid in the Bullpen, as a 7th or 8th inning setup man for Holland. Hanigan has been a steady influence on the young pitching staff and pairs well with Tony Wolters. Tyler Chatwood is currently on the DL and will probably be so through the trade deadline, and is the most veteran pitcher on the starting staff in terms of games started.
This leaves Cargo, Reynolds and Lyles. CarGo is showing signs of breaking out of his slump and could go on another tear down the stretch. Is that more valuable to the Rockies or some other team? It's clear that CarGo may be finished in Colorado after this season, as the abundance of outfielders, even with Desmond actually moving to first base next year, makes him expendable. That's part of baseball.
Reynolds has been a spark at 1st Base, and could be expendable, while Lyles probably has little value to a buyer and not much to a seller.
Trading any of those players is unlikely for good value. I'm not sure you mess with any of the starting hitters or starting pitchers. So can you trade relief pitching for relief pitching? Unlikely.
This leaves prospects, and I'm not inclined to give away prospects for a short term fix. Unless there is a prospect that has interest from other teams and the Rockies have depth in the position, I would say to let it ride, and use the excess starters as relievers like Senzatela, Hoffman or Marquez.
OUT OF THE WEST: The Rockies completed their second round of play against the NL West and are now at 29-21 in Division Play. They play their next game in the West on September 1st when they host the D-Backs, and play all but 3 of the final 29 games in the West. Meanwhile they play 9 against the NL Central (6 home), 8 against the AL Central (3 Home), and 19 against the NL East (10 Home) prior to September 1st.
OUT OF THE WEST: The Rockies completed their second round of play against the NL West and are now at 29-21 in Division Play. They play their next game in the West on September 1st when they host the D-Backs, and play all but 3 of the final 29 games in the West. Meanwhile they play 9 against the NL Central (6 home), 8 against the AL Central (3 Home), and 19 against the NL East (10 Home) prior to September 1st.
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Turn Around, Bright Eyes
The Rockies have been spiraling downward for about a month now, and last night for the first time since June 20th, recorded a win after a win. The naysayers are talking about them falling out of the postseason, and it's still possible they could drop from the Wild Card altogether.
However there is a lot of baseball yet to be played. The Cubs have won 4 straight games since the All-Star Break and have now closed to within 5.5 games of the Rockies, but are only 3.5 games behind the Division leader Brewers. They meet head to head next weekend.
It's easy to scoreboard watch, and panic, but the reality is the Rockies have to go out and win their game and then worry about the others. Over the month long stretch (and I still maintain the slump goes back to late May, when there were signs of a slump but they managed to win after a couple of 3 game losing streaks,) the Rockies have done some irritating things that have led to their losses.
Pitching--Everyone talks about the walks, but the bigger problem is lack of clean innings where nobody gets on base. There always seems to be traffic every inning which leads to stress pitching. Even in their last two wins, there have been only 4 clean innings, while another inning only had 3 batters and included a Double play after a hit by pitch. The Walks need to be cut down as well.
Hitting--Strikeouts need to be cut down severely The Rockies have struck out about 1 in 4 at bats, which is nearly 9 times a game. Not putting the ball in play is one of the biggest reasons to not score. Making contact has to be a big emphasis for the rest of the season.
Fielding--In the first 73 games, the Rockies committed errors in only 20 of them. In the past 22 games they have committed an error in 11 of them going 3-8 in those games.
However there is a lot of baseball yet to be played. The Cubs have won 4 straight games since the All-Star Break and have now closed to within 5.5 games of the Rockies, but are only 3.5 games behind the Division leader Brewers. They meet head to head next weekend.
It's easy to scoreboard watch, and panic, but the reality is the Rockies have to go out and win their game and then worry about the others. Over the month long stretch (and I still maintain the slump goes back to late May, when there were signs of a slump but they managed to win after a couple of 3 game losing streaks,) the Rockies have done some irritating things that have led to their losses.
Pitching--Everyone talks about the walks, but the bigger problem is lack of clean innings where nobody gets on base. There always seems to be traffic every inning which leads to stress pitching. Even in their last two wins, there have been only 4 clean innings, while another inning only had 3 batters and included a Double play after a hit by pitch. The Walks need to be cut down as well.
Hitting--Strikeouts need to be cut down severely The Rockies have struck out about 1 in 4 at bats, which is nearly 9 times a game. Not putting the ball in play is one of the biggest reasons to not score. Making contact has to be a big emphasis for the rest of the season.
Fielding--In the first 73 games, the Rockies committed errors in only 20 of them. In the past 22 games they have committed an error in 11 of them going 3-8 in those games.
Friday, July 14, 2017
Let's Tell the Future Let's See How It's Been Done.
While we are in a lull period between the first and second halves, let's take a look at the reality of the season.
Had I told you on April 1st that the Rockies would be 52-39 at the All-Star Break, you would have been elated. Had I also told you they would be third place in the NL West, you might have been a little disappointed, but if I also told you they were firmly in the 2nd Wild Card spot by 7.5 games, you would be pricing playoff tickets (maybe).
Although the Rockies have had a great first half, the Rockies are not in as favorable position with the prediction sites, notably Fangraphs and FiveThirtyEight.com. Much of this as far as I can tell is related to past performance, and run differential. The Rockies are currently +42 in run differential. The D-Backs are +102, but that has only gained them 1 more win than the Rockies (although they have played 2 fewer games.) The Dodgers are +163 and have 8 more wins than the D-Backs.
The Rockies also have five off-days in the next month and 7 prior to September 1st when they go head to head agains the NL West. They will also be able to bring up additional players to help out with the bullpen on September 1st. They play consecutive games 6, 6, 3, 6, 2, 10, and 9.
TRADE DEADLINE: The next two weeks will have lots of talk about the trade deadline, and this year the Rockies will clearly be buyers, if they trade at all. I expect that there will be a lot of talk about the top prospects including infielders Brendan Rogers and Ryan McMahon, who were recently showcased in the Futures Game. The Rockies would be smart to hold onto the young pitching at least until the best contenders from the young guys emerge. Tyler Chatwood is a free agent after this year, so if anyone is expendable, he could be.
COMEBACKS: A lot of the "experts" are pretty much giving the NL West Title to the Dodgers, and it's a high percentage chance of it happening, but remember this, the Rockies fell a net of 10 games in 17 games, because it was so awful of a stretch for them while the Dodgers had a ridiculously hot at the same time. They also played three head to head games with the Dodgers and lost all 3. Over the course of 70+ games, the Rockies or the D-Backs could chip away at that lead, if the Dodgers falter at all over an extended stretch.
Don't believe me, let's look at some history:
2007--On, July 1, following a 1-9 road trip and the Rockies were in 4th place, 8 games behind the then first-place Bud Black led San Diego Padres. There were also 5 teams ahead of them for the single Wild Card spot, where the Rockies were 7 games behind the Dodgers. A week later the Padres lead was closed to 5.5 games, and by August 3, they were 3.5 games behind 1st Place Arizona and 2 behind the Padres. By August 23rd, they had fallen to 7.5 games behind Arizona and 4 behind the Wild Card Padres. On September 10, they were 7 games behind Arizona and 3.5 behind the Padres. From August 23 on they went 26-10 including winning 14 of the last 15 ball games.
2009--On June 3rd, the Rockies stood in 5th place at 20-32, 15.5 games behind the Dodgers, and 9.5 games behind the Wild Card Cardinals. By the All-Star Break about a month later, they had closed the Dodgers lead to 9, and were 2 games out of the Wild Card, now owned by the Giants. The Rockies would go 45-29 the rest of the way, and finish only 3 games behind the Dodgers and winning the Wild Card, by 4 games over the Giants.
Other teams:
The 2009 Minnesota twins went from 7 games down with 26 games to play to tie the Tigers and then win a Tiebreaker game.
The 2007 Phillies were 7 games out with 17 to play after losing two games at home to the Rockies. Their 13-4 finish gave them the NL East title by 1 game.
The 1995 Seattle Mariners were 12.5 games out on August 15th and had a one game playoff with the Angels to win the AL West Title. (1995 was a strike shortened season)
The point is, don't give up yet.
Had I told you on April 1st that the Rockies would be 52-39 at the All-Star Break, you would have been elated. Had I also told you they would be third place in the NL West, you might have been a little disappointed, but if I also told you they were firmly in the 2nd Wild Card spot by 7.5 games, you would be pricing playoff tickets (maybe).
Although the Rockies have had a great first half, the Rockies are not in as favorable position with the prediction sites, notably Fangraphs and FiveThirtyEight.com. Much of this as far as I can tell is related to past performance, and run differential. The Rockies are currently +42 in run differential. The D-Backs are +102, but that has only gained them 1 more win than the Rockies (although they have played 2 fewer games.) The Dodgers are +163 and have 8 more wins than the D-Backs.
The Rockies also have five off-days in the next month and 7 prior to September 1st when they go head to head agains the NL West. They will also be able to bring up additional players to help out with the bullpen on September 1st. They play consecutive games 6, 6, 3, 6, 2, 10, and 9.
TRADE DEADLINE: The next two weeks will have lots of talk about the trade deadline, and this year the Rockies will clearly be buyers, if they trade at all. I expect that there will be a lot of talk about the top prospects including infielders Brendan Rogers and Ryan McMahon, who were recently showcased in the Futures Game. The Rockies would be smart to hold onto the young pitching at least until the best contenders from the young guys emerge. Tyler Chatwood is a free agent after this year, so if anyone is expendable, he could be.
COMEBACKS: A lot of the "experts" are pretty much giving the NL West Title to the Dodgers, and it's a high percentage chance of it happening, but remember this, the Rockies fell a net of 10 games in 17 games, because it was so awful of a stretch for them while the Dodgers had a ridiculously hot at the same time. They also played three head to head games with the Dodgers and lost all 3. Over the course of 70+ games, the Rockies or the D-Backs could chip away at that lead, if the Dodgers falter at all over an extended stretch.
Don't believe me, let's look at some history:
2007--On, July 1, following a 1-9 road trip and the Rockies were in 4th place, 8 games behind the then first-place Bud Black led San Diego Padres. There were also 5 teams ahead of them for the single Wild Card spot, where the Rockies were 7 games behind the Dodgers. A week later the Padres lead was closed to 5.5 games, and by August 3, they were 3.5 games behind 1st Place Arizona and 2 behind the Padres. By August 23rd, they had fallen to 7.5 games behind Arizona and 4 behind the Wild Card Padres. On September 10, they were 7 games behind Arizona and 3.5 behind the Padres. From August 23 on they went 26-10 including winning 14 of the last 15 ball games.
2009--On June 3rd, the Rockies stood in 5th place at 20-32, 15.5 games behind the Dodgers, and 9.5 games behind the Wild Card Cardinals. By the All-Star Break about a month later, they had closed the Dodgers lead to 9, and were 2 games out of the Wild Card, now owned by the Giants. The Rockies would go 45-29 the rest of the way, and finish only 3 games behind the Dodgers and winning the Wild Card, by 4 games over the Giants.
Other teams:
The 2009 Minnesota twins went from 7 games down with 26 games to play to tie the Tigers and then win a Tiebreaker game.
The 2007 Phillies were 7 games out with 17 to play after losing two games at home to the Rockies. Their 13-4 finish gave them the NL East title by 1 game.
The 1995 Seattle Mariners were 12.5 games out on August 15th and had a one game playoff with the Angels to win the AL West Title. (1995 was a strike shortened season)
The point is, don't give up yet.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Hey Now You're an All-Star
Tonight is the 88th All-Star Game and for the first time since 2002 it doesn't count. Since the tie in 2002 which led to the designation of the All-Star game as determining which league gets Home Field Advantage in the World Series. This designation has gone to the American League 11 of the 14 times the game "counted" and 22 of the last 29 (with one tie), but the NL leads the Series 43-42-2, because of domination in the 50's to early 80's.
In reality, the All-Star Game only "counted" three times, when the series went seven games in 2011, 2014 and 2016, however the team with the advantage won only one of those games--the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals.
So the All-Star game has returned to a pure exhibition, showcasing the best players in the sport. Baseball has always lent itself to having a real All-Star Game because it's not necessary to play together for a long time to have an effectively good game. NHL, NBA, and NFL "All-Star" games just seem to be a different game altogether.
The Rockies for the first time are sending four players, two starters, OF Charlie Blackmon and 3b Nolan Arenado, as well as 2b D.J. LeMahieu and Closer Greg Holland. Blackmon also appeared in the Home Run Derby, losing to Cody Bellinger in the first round.
Personally, I have attended two All-Star Games, 1976 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia and, 1998 at Coors Field. It's a special experience. Enjoy the return to the showcase, and may the Rockies do well.
In reality, the All-Star Game only "counted" three times, when the series went seven games in 2011, 2014 and 2016, however the team with the advantage won only one of those games--the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals.
So the All-Star game has returned to a pure exhibition, showcasing the best players in the sport. Baseball has always lent itself to having a real All-Star Game because it's not necessary to play together for a long time to have an effectively good game. NHL, NBA, and NFL "All-Star" games just seem to be a different game altogether.
The Rockies for the first time are sending four players, two starters, OF Charlie Blackmon and 3b Nolan Arenado, as well as 2b D.J. LeMahieu and Closer Greg Holland. Blackmon also appeared in the Home Run Derby, losing to Cody Bellinger in the first round.
Personally, I have attended two All-Star Games, 1976 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia and, 1998 at Coors Field. It's a special experience. Enjoy the return to the showcase, and may the Rockies do well.
Monday, July 10, 2017
I'm Walking on Sunshine (and Don't it Feel Good!)
So far this season there have been 14 weeks of the season, in 12 of those 14 weeks, the Rockies are 50-29. In the other two, the Rockies are 2-10.
Even this past week the Rockies went 4-3 at home, but finished on such a high note as Denver Native and one of four Rockies Rookies Pitchers Kyle Freeland stood on the hill at Coors field in the 9th inning doing something that no other Rockies pitcher has EVER done, and something only one other pitcher period has done, and that is to take a no-hitter into the 9th inning. Melky Cabrera hit a ball over Nolan Arenado's head with one out in the 9th to break it up, but the Rockies finished with their 3rd 1 hitter in their history to go along with Ubaldo Jimenez' No-Hitter in Atlanta in 2010. Tyler Chatwood and Gonzalez Germen combined on a one-hitter in June, 2016 at Dodger Stadium. Jason Jennings, Tom Martin and Brian Fuentes combined on the only other Rockies one-hitter at Coors Field in June, 2006. Freeland also had a career high 9 strikeouts, while walking 3 and hitting Jose Abreu.
On the other side of the ball, the offense for the second time this weekend scored double digit runs, and Pat Valaika knocked in 5 runs. Freeland even got into the mix by getting an RBI single to cap the scoring in the 7th inning.
After the dismal three weeks leading up to this game, the euphoria of this win could propel the Rockies into the 2nd half of the season starting Friday in New York.
BEST FIRST HALF EVER: The Rockies head into the All-Star Break with their best record ever at 52-39. In 2010, at the break 49-39, which was 2nd best.
STILL ON PACE FOR POSTSEASON: The Rockies go into the break with the 5th best record in MLB, but the 3rd best in the NL West. Although the Rockies are 9.5 games behind the Red-Hot Dodgers, the Rockies only trail the D-Backs for the Host Wild Card by 2 games and are ahead of the Cubs and Cardinals for the Visiting Wild Card team by 7.5 games. Contrast this to the AL where 4 games over .500 will get you into the Wild Card game, but 10 other teams are within 7.5 games of the Wild Card slots. (That's everyone in the league who's not winning their divison at the moment, folks).
OVERABUNDANCE OF PITCHING: It seems like a strange thing to say, but with Chad Bettis starting rehab in Hartford this week, and Tyler Anderson returning sometime in August, the Rockies will soon have 8 starting pitchers not counting Chris Rusin and Jordan Lyles who are converted starters in the bullpen. With everyone but Chatwood and Bettis having options, it will be interesting to see what five settle in for the home stretch rotation. It's clear all 8 will be on the roster in September, as part of this team barring any injuries.
INJURIES: All teams have injuries, so it's no excuse, but it seems like the injury that hurt the Rockies the most was Gerardo Parra. He went on the DL on June 7, but the fact that he could not make it back until this past Friday hurt a lot more when Carlos Gonzalez who hasn't been hitting, went out on June 21st and missed the entire 9 game road trip. Raimel Tapia has been great at the bat and on base, but sometimes was an adventure in the outfield.
SECOND HALF SCHEDULE: Rockies Home/Road split in the 2nd half is 36-35 in the 2nd half, while the Dodgers have 31-41 and D-Backs have 33-40 Starting in August, the Dodgers play 36 of their final 57 games on the road, including two road trips to three cities, both including East Coast and West Coast Teams. Incidentally, the Dodgers have not been on an airplane since Father's Day, when they flew back from Cincinnati. Their only five home games since then have been to Anaheim and San Diego on buses. Not surprising they've continued to stay hot. They are in the middle of streak where they are playing 41 of 64 at home. That's half their home schedule in that span vs. a little over a quarter of their road schedule.
Even this past week the Rockies went 4-3 at home, but finished on such a high note as Denver Native and one of four Rockies Rookies Pitchers Kyle Freeland stood on the hill at Coors field in the 9th inning doing something that no other Rockies pitcher has EVER done, and something only one other pitcher period has done, and that is to take a no-hitter into the 9th inning. Melky Cabrera hit a ball over Nolan Arenado's head with one out in the 9th to break it up, but the Rockies finished with their 3rd 1 hitter in their history to go along with Ubaldo Jimenez' No-Hitter in Atlanta in 2010. Tyler Chatwood and Gonzalez Germen combined on a one-hitter in June, 2016 at Dodger Stadium. Jason Jennings, Tom Martin and Brian Fuentes combined on the only other Rockies one-hitter at Coors Field in June, 2006. Freeland also had a career high 9 strikeouts, while walking 3 and hitting Jose Abreu.
On the other side of the ball, the offense for the second time this weekend scored double digit runs, and Pat Valaika knocked in 5 runs. Freeland even got into the mix by getting an RBI single to cap the scoring in the 7th inning.
After the dismal three weeks leading up to this game, the euphoria of this win could propel the Rockies into the 2nd half of the season starting Friday in New York.
BEST FIRST HALF EVER: The Rockies head into the All-Star Break with their best record ever at 52-39. In 2010, at the break 49-39, which was 2nd best.
STILL ON PACE FOR POSTSEASON: The Rockies go into the break with the 5th best record in MLB, but the 3rd best in the NL West. Although the Rockies are 9.5 games behind the Red-Hot Dodgers, the Rockies only trail the D-Backs for the Host Wild Card by 2 games and are ahead of the Cubs and Cardinals for the Visiting Wild Card team by 7.5 games. Contrast this to the AL where 4 games over .500 will get you into the Wild Card game, but 10 other teams are within 7.5 games of the Wild Card slots. (That's everyone in the league who's not winning their divison at the moment, folks).
OVERABUNDANCE OF PITCHING: It seems like a strange thing to say, but with Chad Bettis starting rehab in Hartford this week, and Tyler Anderson returning sometime in August, the Rockies will soon have 8 starting pitchers not counting Chris Rusin and Jordan Lyles who are converted starters in the bullpen. With everyone but Chatwood and Bettis having options, it will be interesting to see what five settle in for the home stretch rotation. It's clear all 8 will be on the roster in September, as part of this team barring any injuries.
INJURIES: All teams have injuries, so it's no excuse, but it seems like the injury that hurt the Rockies the most was Gerardo Parra. He went on the DL on June 7, but the fact that he could not make it back until this past Friday hurt a lot more when Carlos Gonzalez who hasn't been hitting, went out on June 21st and missed the entire 9 game road trip. Raimel Tapia has been great at the bat and on base, but sometimes was an adventure in the outfield.
SECOND HALF SCHEDULE: Rockies Home/Road split in the 2nd half is 36-35 in the 2nd half, while the Dodgers have 31-41 and D-Backs have 33-40 Starting in August, the Dodgers play 36 of their final 57 games on the road, including two road trips to three cities, both including East Coast and West Coast Teams. Incidentally, the Dodgers have not been on an airplane since Father's Day, when they flew back from Cincinnati. Their only five home games since then have been to Anaheim and San Diego on buses. Not surprising they've continued to stay hot. They are in the middle of streak where they are playing 41 of 64 at home. That's half their home schedule in that span vs. a little over a quarter of their road schedule.
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