Rays 12, Rockies 4: Tampa Bay pounds Colorado back down to earth

by Bryan Kilpatrick on Jun 16, 2009 10:49 PM MDT in Rockies Game Wraps

Twelve runs, seventeen hits, and five home runs later, the streak is gone. Just like that. If it wasn't already well known that days off kill Rockies winning streaks, it's definitely well known now.

BJ Upton, Ben Zobrist, and Gabe Kapler each pounded out three hits, and Jason Bartlett and Dioner Navarro picked up two apiece as the Rays' high-powered offense dealt the previously red-hot Rockies pitching staff a heavy dose of reality. Jorge De La Rosa (bad Jorge!; 2-7) allowed the same amount of runs (7) as outs that he recorded as his severe troubles at home continued, and the normally strong bullpen duo of Randy Flores and Matt Daley each allowed two runs in an inning of work to the defending AL champs. A couple of defensive bung-ups - most notably Ian Stewart's blunder on a Gabe Kapler foul pop fly that was immediately followed by a two-run triple - certainly didn't help.

Offensively, Brad Hawpe (who is now hitting .342) and Clint Barmes each had two hits, and that was about it for the Rockies. As a team, they only had eight hits despite chasing Tampa Bay starter Jeff Niemann after five innings. Todd Helton was arguably the biggest offender as far as offensive struggles are concerned, as he went 0-for-4 with a strikeout and saw 14 pitches - total. Helton has seen 14 pitches in numerous individual at bats over the course of his career, so that says something about how the Rays' pitchers were able to handle him.

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RowCall: WolfMarauder, Rox Girl, walkoff59, theoldgrizzlybear, FooMan, befizzle, jrockies, Poseidon's Fist, Jabberwocky, The Lodo Magic Man, AtkinsandTulofan, RockiesMagicNumber, MohrPlease, PioneerSkies, Chrysicat, chem, BroJB, Narcoleptico, NYCskibum, nodakroxfan, P Brady, WalkInRight, RockiescastScott, holly96, rockies17_4, ejskater, kericr, nkrause, Russ, ALrockies, Rockie4Ever, Chupathingy, TuLoRocks2008

31 - 33

Games Back: 11

Streak: Lost 1

Games Left: 98

Tomorrow: Tampa Bay's rookie phenom David Price will face Aaron Cook. Same time, same place...different result? Let's hope so. I still have a good feeling that the Rockies end this series with a .500 record, and end the home stand as a team with a winning record.

If you want to hear some good news, Franklin Morales held one of the PCL's best offenses completely at bay - in a hitter's park - for the Sky Sox tonight (though, the offense didn't help him and the Springs eventually lost 1-0). Plus, according to the stadium gun, he was back into the low-to-mid 90's on his fastball. More in tomorrow's Pebble Report...

Don't panic, and GO ROCKIES!

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Panic?

Please. We’re 11-1 in the last 12 games. Hardly panic time. We got roughed up tonight. Show me a team that doesn’t get that treatment every once in while, and I’ll show you some oceanfront property in Arizona that I’d like to sell. Jorge was terrible tonight, the offense (and defense) not much better. Let’s forget it and focus on the next two. Go Rox!

And how far back are we now?

by rockhead on Jun 16, 2009 11:05 PM MDT reply actions

I bet since we lost this one

(and in such a convincing fashon), we’ll rally and win the next two.
I bet if we had won this one, we’dve found a way to drop the next two.

I am basing this purely on my gut, and how the Rox have played thus far into the season.

I expect a rebuttal in a major way tomorrow.

if you're reading this, it means my undying support for your team will result in its failure.

by fantasyfencing on Jun 17, 2009 12:11 AM MDT up reply actions

Which is why I said "don't panic."

"What's money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do." -Bob Dylan

by Bryan Kilpatrick on Jun 17, 2009 6:26 AM MDT up reply actions

Curious

Did you read the end of the game thread before you wrote the wrap?

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jun 17, 2009 8:51 AM MDT up reply actions

Haha no I did not, so it looks like FooMan hit the nail on the head.

I was just reading all of the panicking and “JDLR Sucks” talk that was going on toward the top/middle of the thread. Hence, the “bad Jorge” reference in the wrap.

"What's money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do." -Bob Dylan

by Bryan Kilpatrick on Jun 17, 2009 9:56 AM MDT up reply actions

Good news about Morales

Always look on the bright si-ide of life (tweet tweet; tweet tweet; tweet-tweet, tweet-tweet tweet-tweet…)

by FooMan on Jun 16, 2009 11:07 PM MDT reply actions

Now the real test of character...

JDLR was up in the strike zone and they just tarred the ball. That is one very potent lineup. So now that the streak is over, the real test is how they come out tomorrow night. If the streak taught them one thing, and I heard Tracy say it tonight after the game: get back on the horse and keep going.

Cookie’s on the mound, so there should be a lot of ground balls.

by SoxRoxFan on Jun 16, 2009 11:09 PM MDT reply actions

Like the TV guys said it's easier to lose a blow-out like tonight than 4-3 late in the game.

Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America. ~Bruce Catton

by pedalpusher on Jun 16, 2009 11:17 PM MDT reply actions

Boy, oh, boy did we ever flatline that graph quick....

…..just got back from Coors myself and here’s my 1st-person analysis: we really stunk tonight (if I were more SABRsmart I would back this up so as not to anger the powers-that-be) [repost from GT].

Seems things got testy early in the GT about Cook/DLR. As for me, I think its fine to say a guy stinks & not necessarily back it up with numbers. I disliked Atkins even when his #s were good last year b/c he never seemed to even try after tough grounders. I dislike non-hustlers, Roiders (Herges, Glenallen Hill) & showoffs (e.g. Braun, Ankiel, Bradley), and esp. Manny due to all of the above, and although I’m quite sure stats couldn’t back me up if I say ‘this guy sucks’. Many of those guys, in fact, help their teams win.

My point is that this is a fanblog & being a fan doesn’t always equal being a stathead (although that’s cool if that’s your bag) – sometimes being a fan is just being passionate & occaisionally making negative statements about players that rub you the wrong way.

by TulsaDriller on Jun 16, 2009 11:23 PM MDT reply actions

I was at the game tonight

Man was that revolting,….You tell me!, It stunk on Ice (paraphrased from a great movie..bonus points if you know it).

This just in. Jorge De La Rosa sucked tonight. ok, ok…It seemed his secondary stuff was off, and he was grooving his fastball, which also seemed a little off and not as explosive as normal.

BUT…while we want to jump on the pitchers, I’d like to point out: HOLY CRAP the Rays can flat RAKE. They squared up ever pitch it seemed. I want to know if their hitting coach is available, because every player had great swings and solid stances. They recognized pitches (one of JDLR problem even when he’s going good) on all the pitchers. They drove through the ball better then any team I’ve seen so far this year. (and I’ve seen the Rockies score 12 runs in a game this year too). I know everyone here seemed to want to blame the pitcher….but this was a LOT due to the Rays. Wow….they can leave town right now.

Would some one for the love of a Bob Gibson tell Ian Stewart that he doesn’t have to kill every ball he swings at? I mean the chicks love the long ball….but damn how many chick’s is he trying to get? (He’s over swinging…and that ain’t good)

Speaking of 3rd baseman. Atkins seems to have gotten rid of he nike swoosh in his hands. He doesn’t have is old sweet swing, but his swing is a lot shorter, and thus the bat is faster to the zone. Guess who should be starting starting 3rd? (yeah, I know you didn’t want to hear that)

Daily is starting to look a little gassed. Also the Rays were sitting on something. Like there may be a book on Daily now. Time to adjust kid.

Hey Chris Iannetta….how bout acting like you don’t have a bus to catch while you are at the plate. Maybe a little pitch recognition before you swing at stuff. Also…try hitting the ball with the big thick part of the bat.

by Redhawk on Jun 16, 2009 11:57 PM MDT reply actions

Hah

I enjoyed this comment until your 3rd baseman comment. You can’t hang someone out to try after one bad game. You can hang someone out to dry after two bad months. That is what is happening. I hope you were being facetious.

if you're reading this, it means my undying support for your team will result in its failure.

by fantasyfencing on Jun 17, 2009 12:09 AM MDT up reply actions

a little

Stewart is really trying too hard….Atkins is improving. Stewart could use a breather. I guess I’m saying Stewart, isn’t really taking the job and making it so he can’t sit. He is the better player, and should have the better future….but he needs to actually “try easier” as Hurdle would say. But a lot of my comment is really about Atkins improving/rebounding.

Iannetta really bothered me. He used to be too patient. Now..not enough.

by Redhawk on Jun 17, 2009 12:18 AM MDT up reply actions

by FooMan on Jun 17, 2009 2:52 PM MDT up reply actions

Um...to everything RedHawk said.....

…..Hell yeah, ditto that!
However, Daley is still my boy – rah Bucknell!

(PR 1st for me – 2 exclaimation points in one post. Much prefer periods and dashed; they’re somehow more American – see what I mean, exclaimations always seemed Frenchish to me)

by TulsaDriller on Jun 17, 2009 1:55 AM MDT reply actions