Thursday Afternoon Meltdown: Rockies get trounced by Mets
Jackie Robinson Day was nothing to remember for the Rockies this season.
- Image by Keith Allison via Flickr
I’ll say this – it was a nice afternoon to be at the ballpark. 65 degrees, a light breeze, and the smell of peanuts almost made me forget how horrific the Rockies performance was. After an emotional game that went extra innings last night, to say the Rockies game out flat would be giving them too much credit. From the first inning, it was clear that De la Rosa, the new darling of the Rockies staff, was not hitting his spots. Every time Olivo would set up low and in, he’d have to reach high and away. If he set up outside, he was reaching in. There was not one death blow that won this game for the Mets – it was slow, consistent baseball. Much like National League baseball used to be known for… small ball. Put a runner on. Move him over, knock him in. In the end, they put five runs across and Pelfrey silenced the Rockies bats in a 5-0 shutout.
I think what we saw was a bit of experimentation in process from Jim Tracy, leaving De la Rosa out until he hit 100 pitches no matter what. He wanted Jorge to stretch as far as he could. I have no doubt that a later season game would have seen the bullpen in action much earlier. When Tracy finally made the call to the pen, it was the young and inexperienced Esmil Rogers that took the hill, picking up right where De la Rosa left off with a lead off walk. From there they settled down, but the game was lost at that point.
The defense had its share of boots, including a ridiculous play at home. The Mets baserunner was caught in a rundown, completely caught sleeping halfway between third and home. The pickle ensued, and Stewart simply waited to long to throw the ball to Olivo, and when the runner made contact the ball came out, costing the Rockies a run. Add to that a couple infield boots, and you have the recipe for a bad day for the Rockies.
The crowd, though a rather peaceful mid-week afternoon bunch, finally started to grumble like real baseball fans when Tulowitzki and Stewart went down in order to close the 9th, both looking at a called third strike. In little league, we learned that anything close on two strikes means the bat comes off your shoulder. Add to that a team that was struggling to put runners on, and the 5-run deficit with nothing more to lose, and staring at a called third strike is just plain ridiculous.
Though I got the order of games wrong, I predicted a 2-1 series. I sure would have liked to have seen a better effort from the Rockies, though. The Mets are not that much better of a team, but today they were. It’s up to the Rockies to prove it was just a tough afternoon for baseball in the Mile High City as they now pack up their bags and head to Atlanta for a three-game weekend set.
I like De La staying in through 100 pitches and following that with Rogers. Tracy recognized that the team was having a bad game and kept the bullpen rested at the beginning of a 16-game consecutive games stretch. I don’t mind the long view.
That said, it’s tough to see the top of our lineup struggling so mightily. Role players like Olivo, Iannetta, Spilly & Barmes have been doing the dirty work early in the season while the likes of Tulo, Helton & Hawpe have failed to produce with runners on base. It’s a long season, sure, but an inability to win close games is a trend that must turn around. Iannetta’s heroics yesterday masked terrible 9th & 10th Innings at the plate for the Rockies’ big bats.
Yeah, I’m ok with it too, which is why I mentioned the early-season vs late-season mentality.
And I totally agree with the top of lineup issues… it’s been painful to watch these guys. If they big bats pick up the pace, this team will be darn near unstoppable. I just hope we’re not having this same conversation in June.