The Sickness That Is Being 13-1 With A 1.15 ERA

TD was 1,600 feet underground in a Wyoming mine when this was going on today (heard it wasn't televised anyway), but from the sounds of it, Super U was dominant as per the usual. My only question is why do we always seem to score the most runs when Ubaldo is pitching? No matter, we needed this win badly and need to win, if not sweep, this upcoming series with the Brew Crew. The way the bats having been swinging, that's going to rely heavily on batters being beamed, passed balls, wild pitches, and of course, balks.

Why must everything suck?

It was kind of nice to go through Sunday and Monday thinking that maybe the hitting slump was over. Nope, guess not. Three hits and 13 strikeouts... well that's not very good. Somehow Yo-lease only gave up 2-runs (partially due to Cargo's arm), and we actually had a chance to tie the game in the 8th and perhaps steal a game for once. Runner on 3rd and only 1 out: no of course not, the odds of the Rockies getting that run home are hella slim.

And the pitching's been awfully dicey in these last 2 games. Luckily we have a certain super-ubaldo going tomorrow.

A Very Necessary Sweep

After that 3-game losing streak at the hands of the 'Stros, this weekend sweep of the Jays certainly hit the spot. A 4-3 homestand is nothing to get overly excited about, but it sounds way better than the 3-4 or 2-5 homestand that was taking shape. Mad props to the pitching staff. When Hambone and Franky pitch this way, and Ubaldo does his thing every 5th day, I like our chances of shaking the hovering around .500 doldrums, especially if the offense ever rises up to its potential. Sounds like DLR may be getting close to coming back, which would only help secure what has been a fairly strong rotation. Still, games like today make you wonder why the offense has been so weak up to now. Good to see Taaawwwwddd swing a hot bat the last couple of games. Once he gets that average back up to something respectable, I might actually follow through on my illustrated Helton shirt threat.

Let's see some continued inter-leauge play dominance in the Twin Cities this week....

Yeah, pretty much a 4th place team.

Too bad we couldn't fire Hurdle again or have more of that 2007 magic acid that was so fabulous...this current team looks like shit.
Just kicking back and watching the Dodgers, Padres, and Giants create a wide berth.

Probably time to start hitting....

OK. It's June now.
The Rockies need to hit to their potential...and consistently. Last night's game was a succinct encapsulation of what is not going right about this season. A good first inning at the plate and not much after...and another close loss. This team is pretty terrible in the late innings. I'm not going to spew stats but I'm fairly certain a trip to the Baseball Reference site would deliver some sobering information about the Rockies' late inning bats.
Francis delivered a pretty solid performance last night but was a tad lucky too. Not sure what the hell Tracy was thinking having him bat in the 6th with Mora on third...he was already looking shaky and commenced to get lit up in the 7th, we could have used a better chance of putting runs on the board at that point.
After having a 5-0 start to my season's Coors Field visits, last night was pretty disappointing, against the lowly Astros no less.

Hey What About Us Non-Ubaldo Pitchers?

Hammel has actually had a good few outings since coming back from the DL. It's one thing to do it in SF, but on a hot night at Coors, to go into the 8th without allowing a run is pretty impressive. Considering the bats are still unreliable, we need more outings like this from pitchers not named Ubaldo.

Waiting for the Riggins report from last night, as rumors are he was in the house. Any Hulkster antics? Maybe that crazy Astros fan with the stuffed animal we ran into in the Lauren seats years ago cheering for Biggio was around to heckle?

DT and ST at Swanky's yet?

Sunday Salvation

It took yet another dazzling performance from Super U to avoid an embarrassing sweep to the shit-ass Snakes this afternoon. Thank god. While his ERA soared to 0.93 after a 2-run dong in the 8th inning, Ubaldo was just good enough to win this one for the Rocks. The bully actually comes through as well to get out of a tough jam in the 8th and Corpas redeems himself from the serious Fri night unwarring with a clean 1-2-3 9th. Returning home to face another shit-ass Houston team for a four game series should be the formula to get the Rocks on a roll, but there's no telling with this team. They seem to like to play down to the competition.

It Takes Some Weird Faces To Go 10-1 With A 0.78 ERA

The dominance continues. The stats are getting just a tad ridic. The much-anticipated pitching matchup turned out to be pretty one-sided with Super U clearly the class of the NL up to this point of the season. Also nice to see Tawdd and Barmey come up with big hits against Timmy.

Great to get a win in Game 1 of the series after a tough home series loss to the Dodgers. We have been lousy in one run games this season. Although the pitching matchups the next couple of games will not favor us, it was be good to steal one of the games and win the series. Not something that happens much in SF.

I hate the Dodgers...

Don't really have anything intelligent to say. That game last night sucked.

Someone get this kid a dustpan...

Granted it was against the sinking Snakes, but an impressive sweep nonetheless, the first of the season.
The offense came alive in a pretty big way in the final two games, while the pitching remained strong. Home runs starting to fly.

More Dominance

Seldom (never) will I throw up a post about a game I couldn't even watch, but when Super U delivers another scoreless gem to lower his ERA to 0.88 and notch his 9th win in May(!), something must be said. I believe Dr. DT was in the house, so I assume he picked up some World Series tickets afterward. I will be in the house today for a Business Man's Special (even though I'm not working today), but not feeling entirely confident in a sweep against our natural division rivals with the Hammel vs. Haren match up. Time for HamBone to step up and make this winning streak five before the hot, but hated Dodgers come to town.

Banzai!

"I'm Jeff Francis, and I appear to be back."

A rare revisit from the 2007 (mini) Jeff Francis here on BSB.

Had to give a shout regarding the job he has done in his first 2 games back. Seriously, I would never have predicted something like this actually going well for the current Rockies, a team that appears to be snake-bit in many ways this year with injuries, bad luck, and in general being a team that really just hasn't gotten "hot" in any sustained fashion.
Nice to see the bounce back the last couple games in KC...still, to my last point above, this was a roadie that had the makings of a catalyst to really get the season pointed in the right direction. Get on a hot streak. But no, they come out of it 3-4 and are currently .500 and still 4 games back.
Hope some home cooking can stir up some magic. A day off and a GNO game might do the trick?

Let Me Dominate You

Can Super U just pitch every game? 8-1, 0.99 ERA, seriously?!? If he can keep this up, it's going to be interesting to see his season-ending numbers. Would have had another no hitter bid if it wasn't for Stewbag's error on a slow tapper to 3rd (called a hit?) and some leg cramps after Super U ran out an infield single. Some rare offensive fireworks from the middle of the lineup with Tulo jacking a 3 run HR in the top of the first. We could use more of that type of production from the middle of the lineup. Probably just doubled his RBI total.

Will be interesting to see how Franky does on start #2. Need to win this series (if not sweep) in KC to make the roadie respectable. If I recall, we kind of dominated interleague play last year.

"Oh look. Someone found the hat I should be wearing."

A rare HR is erased on a flood-gates opening 8th inning error by one of my 2010 whipping boys, Clint Barmes.
Jesus, I best not have to hear anyone say "he deserves to be in the lineup because of his glove even when he's struggling at the plate" at this point. I think he has 4 errors this season, add that to his now regularly miserable batting average. (We pay him 3.5mil a year?!?) Sure, he is prone to produce some slick leather now and again, but tonight's error was a kick in the huevos. Cory Sullivan gets to add the bonus by producing the hit to put the Astros up after the error. Thanks Sully...I didn't like you either.
That horribly brief stop at an above .500 record after Sunday's game has quickly dipped back down to the 2010 standard hover of several games below.

Rockies Rookies Prevail

A very non-Coors Field type game yesterday that didn't feature rain or many runs. Kind of a throw back game too, with Franky and My Main Man Corpas both pitching great. The Rocks could use some more of that (and some more run production from the offense). All in all, Sunday's win salvages a decent home stand with a 4-2 record. It's a little early to look too close at the standings, but the top of the NL West is getting mighty. And the Rockies Rookies extend their winning streak to two straight games.

Miggy Walk Off!

A rare come from behind win for the Rockies in 2010. Against Halladay, no less (to the tie at least).
Miguel with a 5 for 5 day and a capper walk off homer in the bottom of the 10th. A clutchness not seen too often this season.
You know Tracy was spewing in his post-game that this could be looked at as a pivotal game when they look back in September. Let's hope he's right.

Weather for game two of the double header looks dicey. Not last night dicey, but still.

Troutdog and myself made the wise, bus-stop decision to pack it in for tonight's game before fully committing to head downtown. Cancellation announcement came via Helmer and the Cowboy on FSN Rocky Mountain not long after I got home.
Shit, the sky is dumping a relentless weird rain/slush mix, with a dose of thunder, even still.
Can't imagine those games will go down tomorrow. I'd be willing to bet that on the pure-heart of Ditchfield.

Can I get an Un War Corpas up in here?

Ugly loss last night. Defense still looking like an E League softball team.
Nice to see Hawpe back and Giambi taking advantage of a start to ignite his bat.

Are we headed for a GNO snow-out tonight?

YO-LEASE!!!

Talk about making the most of an opportunity. Jhoulys delivers once again. Until he takes a step or two backwards, hard to see him being removed from the rotation once some of the injured pitching corps is ready to return.
Another really good looking outing. Has to be a level of comfort when your offense spots you a 6 run lead in the 1st...nonetheless, 6 hits over 7 1/3 with no runs, gets it done in most any game.
Tracy totally quotable at the end of the game last night, "It's just a terrific job again by that young kid."

C'mon Ubaldo keep it going today...

Stew-bag in the clutch....

I was sawing logs by the time this game ended but nice to roll over this AM and click on the Rockies Blackberry App to see a surprising come from behind W last night...sitting even on the roadie so far.

I am not a god

I am a GOD.

Thank You Mr. Chacin

Saw a glimpse this afternoon of why Jhoulys (yo-lease) Chacin (susheen?) is so highly touted by Rockies brass. The dude was pretty much dealing today while turning in a 1-hit, 0 runs, 7 inning gem. I like the fact that he didn't walk that many people (a lesson that could be learned from a few others on the starting rotation). The performance couldn't have come at a better time. Getting swept at AT&T would've been a disastrous way to begin the Cali roadie. Plus, with the starting pitching so lousy since the last Super Ubaldo outing, it was refreshing to finally see a "quality start" from the butt end of the rotation. With Franky (who will be making his season debut with the Drillers on Thurs) and DLR still (probably) a few weeks out from coming back from the DL (notice I didn't mention Hambone), it would be a god send to have one of the youngsters step up and take advantage of their opportunity. It looks like the leading candidate to fill that role is YoDog.

Not only was there good pitching today, but the Rocks actually came up with some timely hits after forcing Filthy Sanchez out of the game early by not swinging the bat. Good strategy guys (especially for Barmey).

Roadtrip

This is a critical stretch for the once highly touted Rockies' 2010 club. Sitting .500 as April turns to May.
3 back of the Padres. The Padres?
Keeping things level at least through this NL West Cali trip, will be fairly crucial.

A pitching staff (outside of Ubaldo) that is banged up and capable of colossal bed shitting at the drop of a hat is fairly disconcerting. Need to hold it together, and see some flashes of brilliance from Rogers and Chacin. Do we need to get Gobble or Redding up in this shit? I hope not. Quit walking people.

Hey David. Let's not forget about the starting pitching too.

I could do without the slugfest loss. At home. To lose a series. To a division rival.
Down by 6 runs, then up by 5, and then lose. Weak.

Enjoy your NL West Cali road trip Rockies. That doesn't have much of a chance of ending well.

Non-stop?

How about non-stop Seth Smith and Miguel Olivo?

The offense has gotten pretty potent the last couple games.

Need some more home success against the Snakes in the next series. The upcoming California swing roadie has not traditionally been kind to the Rox. Would be good to reverse that trend...
It's a drag that Hawpe is on the 15-day, but then this club does have a pretty damn deep OF bench.
So they've got that going for them, which is nice.

Finally my poorly photo-shopped head can float again. You all like complete game wins?

4-0, 0.95 ERA.....That's Right, My Friend

I'm not one to get too all up in the grill of the front office when the team's direction is off kilter, the players are god damn pros. Nor am I too inclined to get very appreciative of the same when the team is tearing it up on the diamond.
Suits don't get RBI's, don't have complete game shut-outs on the mound, or a walk-off hit to win a game.
From all accounts Keli McGregor was a good dude - the booth tonight on-air was flooded with a lot of great sentiment and what sounded like legit first-hand positive experiences with the man who was the Rockies President. A President basically on a contract-less handshake deal with the Monforts.
A loss. My best to his family.
Pretty lame that my main perception of him up to this point was the public face and name of the World Series ticket debacle, I recall seeing him on the news trying to explain away the fact that I didn't get WS tickets and some asshole in Idaho had tix for sale at triple face value a day later. Retrospectively seems unfair to judge him that way. (that World Series sucked, you know?)

Tonight's game? The Rockies' unleashed an assload of hits and runs in the 2nd and 3rd and then packed it in with a 10 run lead. Hard to blame them. Hard to watch the rest of the game too. Things got sloppy and indifferent which describes the bad side of what we've seen so far this year (when not jobbed a W by a 1st base ump).

FYI. DLR has as many RBI's as Helton this year. Giambi still doesn't have a hit. Fowler is way below .200. Not right. Need to get things pointed in a better direction. Sitting .500 once again....