Hard to take Rockies seriously as playoff team
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BY LESLIE MONTEIRO
It’s a good thing the Broncos started training camp.
This gives Rocky Mountain sports fans something to watch now that the Rockies are playing their way out of playoff contention as always.
It’s hard to take the Rockies seriously when they lost three of four to a bad Marlins team at home.
This was a homestand that was supposed to help the Rockies stay afloat and give them momentum heading to August. Instead, the Rockies are 49-54, and they are five games out in the NL West heading to tonight’s game against the Brewers. They gained one game and lost two games in the standings.
Sure, the Rockies are five games out, but the bottom line is they have to be at .500 and be within striking distance at the end of the homestand. It’s not happening. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Rockies lose two of three or get swept by a bad Brewers team this weekend to finish the homestand.
The Rockies needed to do well in this homestand. It won’t be easy when they play the next 20 games on the road. Considering how they are 20-29 on the road this season, it’s hard to think they are going to do much on long road trips coming up this month.
The problem with the Rockies is they can’t hit. That’s the frustrating part considering they have received better starting pitching.
The Rockies haven’t created a big inning in the last few months. All they do is ground into double plays or strike out. Their at-bats leave a lot to be desired. It’s hard to score runs or win games this way.
It starts with the stars on the team. Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez are not producing.
Tulowitzki has not been the player he was before he was on the disabled list. He is still finding his way at the plate after missing time. That should be expected.
Gonzalez has not been hitting home runs frequently since his finger has been hurting for weeks. He is currently 3-for-20 in this homestand.
It isn’t only just those two. It’s guys like Dexter Fowler, Michael Cuddyer and Wilin Rosario that are not doing their part.
Fowler hasn’t gotten on base.
Cuddyer has grounded into a lot of double plays since the post-All-Star break.
Either Rosario strikes out or ground out.
It’s hard to win games when guys are not doing well.
How bad is this lineup? They have failed to score more than three runs for the 14th in the past 20 games. It’s hard to believe the lineup will get better anytime soon. Hitting is mental, and the struggles may have gotten the best out of the hitters to point of no return.
This isn’t the first time the guys slumped as a team. It’s been going on all season.
The hitters are also gaining a reputation where they are only good when it doesn’t matter. That means maybe their hitters are not good enough.
If these guys can’t hit against inferior teams, how they are going to get better against better teams that the Rockies are facing in the next weeks? It’s no wonder why Rockies fans are giving up on them now.
It’s fair to wonder if the Rockies can ever win anything with these guys in a year they should win a winnable division. The talent is there, but it means nothing. Guys have to get it done, and the Rockies aren’t right now.
It’s up to them to surprise the fans now. It’s up to them to get the fans to believe.
With 59 games to go, the hitters have to show they have the reputation to step up in situational hitting.
With 59 games to go, they need to show they can snap out of it.
That remains to be seen. It’s hard to be confident when they haven’t showed they can get it done. Their track record isn’t the greatest.
If the hitters can’t feast on inferior teams, what makes anyone think they can do well against divisional teams later this year?
It’s a shame the Rockies are wasting good pitching from their starters this year. Their problems have always been starting pitching, so it would behoove the hitters for not getting it done.
It’s hard to believe they are a playoff team when they can’t beat bad teams.
It’s hard to believe they are a playoff team when they are 36-50 after starting the season with a 13-4 record.
The best the Rockies can do is now is finish at .500, but even that goal could be a reach with the way they have played for the last two months.
It’s another year of the team being irrelevant.
It’s another year of no September baseball.
In other words, it’s business as usual with the Rockies.
No wonder everyone is now focusing on the Broncos.
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