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Around SBN: Full Coverage of 2012 Coke 600

Wednesday Rockpile: So This is What Losing Feels Like


Well, it was nice while it lasted. As Chaucer might have said, all good things must come to an end.


Last night the Rays ended the Rockies' franchise record-tying 11 game winning streak forcefully, pounding out 12 extra base hits off of a staff that seemed to lose its touch against a potent lineup. Nick Zaccardi believes that it was Ian Stewart's missed pop-up in the second that was the catalyst for disaster, while Troy Renck eulogizes the streak

Dave Krieger, meanwhile, hopes this streak marks an end to Colorado's bad habits.

To wit:

What we have here is a remake of the old television game show "To Tell the Truth." Will the real Rocks please stand up?

Are they the outfit that went 20-32 through June 3? The group that's gone 11-1 since? Something in between?

 The question posed here is certainly a valid one--the fact that during the streak the Rockies finally performed up to their potential doesn't negate their horrible execution during the first two months of the season. As Krieger says though, this streak has given the Rockies the means to at least be competitive in the division and the wild card.

As a further gut punch, Renck talked briefly with could-have-been Rockie Evan Longoria.

With the loss the Rockies fell to two games below .500 and 3.5 games back in the Wild Card standings and their BP playoff odds decreased by 4.2%. The Rockies haven't been at .500 since April 15th, when they were 4-4. Steve Foster writes some Quick Hits about the streak-breaker. Now let us never speak of that game again.

Greg Smith threw a four-inning simulated game yesterday, an encouraging sign for the rotation's pitching depth. Were one of our starters to be injured, it is likely that a healthy Smith would get the call. Franklin Morales was brilliant yesterday, but his inconsistency in his minor league stint has been jarring.

Taylor Buchholz is undergoing Tommy John surgery this morning--best of luck to the would-be set-up man. Also mentioned in the article is news about Ryan Speier's bullpen session.

Finally, for those of you who read power rankings, Fox Sports' rankings have the Rockies moving up 12 slots to 13--and it mentions the fact that the Rockies had a ridiculously tough first month.

This rapid uptick underscores the fact that the Rockies were woefully underrated by the national media until this streak, considering their peripherals and schedule. If you buy into the recent-performance bit of power rankings, I think the Rockies are placed just about right.

Of course, in my opinion power rankings are quintessential filler--though those tied to a statistical formula (like Baseball Prospectus' Hit List) are more useful than others. 

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Krieger added

But mostly, they will need to pitch the way they did during the streak and not the way they did before it. Aaron Cook’s outing tonight will be the first preview of coming attractions. Cook has yet to find last year’s rhythm, although he has looked lately as if he’s getting there.
-
So has Ubaldo Jimenez, their presumed No. 2.

Pssst Dave, Ubaldo’s ERA, BB9, HR9, FIP, tRA, WHIP are all lower than his 2008 season numbers, and while his K9 has dropped about 0.4 K/9, his K/BB has risen and his GB% is right where it was last year.

Sounds like Ubaldo is doing jusssst fine.

Chris Iannetta status: DOOM
Seth Smith status: Badass
Matt Murton status: Prisoner Exchanged for CarGon
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY

by Andrew Martin on Jun 17, 2009 8:38 AM MDT reply actions  

NO WAI, UBALDO GIVES UP HITZ SO HE'Z NO GUD.

"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 9:00 AM MDT up reply actions  

I thought he only had one

Or do you mean career?

Chris Iannetta status: DOOM
Seth Smith status: Badass
Matt Murton status: Prisoner Exchanged for CarGon
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY

by Andrew Martin on Jun 17, 2009 4:18 PM MDT up reply actions  

I'm pretty sure Ubaldo is garbage

Everyone knows it

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

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jun 17, 2009 9:11 AM MDT up reply actions  

I'm gonna try and jump on that a bit in the next hour or so here

Chris Iannetta status: DOOM
Seth Smith status: Badass
Matt Murton status: Prisoner Exchanged for CarGon
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY

by Andrew Martin on Jun 17, 2009 10:01 AM MDT up reply actions  

I don't know why

but it tickles me that there’s a hotlink for the word “something” in Krieger’s article….so we could get a search of DP articles about “something.” That’s about as helpful as if he had linked to something.com.

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

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jun 17, 2009 8:48 AM MDT reply actions  

I think it's funny that the Rockies

needed to win like 10 games before MLB.com gave them love. The Rays get a slide and a link for “ending the Rockies streak”.

The Rockies need some oldschool purple/white striped high socks. The team’s problem is it’s lack of swagger. I feel strongly that these socks will provide the swagger necessary to tap the potential that are the Rockies.

by Resolution on Jun 17, 2009 9:16 AM MDT reply actions  

I'm back to the old logo/avatar

I’m feeling good…..I think the Rockies win tonight.

by Redhawk on Jun 17, 2009 9:27 AM MDT reply actions  

Getting knocked down tells nothing. The way you get back up tells everything.

The Rox reactions for the next several days will be telling as to whether or not the streak was a real turnaround or merely an abberation.

I’m thinking it was the beginning of a turnaround.

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 17, 2009 9:32 AM MDT reply actions  

Let's just hope

That another two games against the best team in baseball doesn’t crush our new shoots of optimism, both the players and the fans…

by biondino on Jun 17, 2009 9:59 AM MDT up reply actions  

Right.

And even if they were to lose the series, teams have to be able to bounce back from such things. I think the players will be ok, the fans have to hang in.

by FooMan on Jun 17, 2009 2:18 PM MDT up reply actions  

I think you're right

I’m feeling good about Cook and Ubaldo …

by ejskater on Jun 17, 2009 2:08 PM MDT up reply actions  

We shut down the running game!

The Rays are stealing bases at an absurd rate this season. 105 SB, 19 CS. That’s ridiculous. But the Rox managed to find a way to shut their running game down. Apparently when you give up 12 of 17 hits for extra bases, allowing most runners to start at 2nd or further, there isn’t much of a threat to steal. That, and Fogg picking off Bossman Junior at first. That was awesome.

by RockiescastScott on Jun 17, 2009 10:02 AM MDT reply actions  

silly Melvin, you don't run in Fogg, it's dangerous...

The Rockies need some oldschool purple/white striped high socks. The team’s problem is it’s lack of swagger. I feel strongly that these socks will provide the swagger necessary to tap the potential that are the Rockies.

by Resolution on Jun 17, 2009 11:05 AM MDT up reply actions  

Maddon?

Chris Iannetta status: DOOM
Seth Smith status: Badass
Matt Murton status: Prisoner Exchanged for CarGon
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY

by Andrew Martin on Jun 17, 2009 11:31 AM MDT up reply actions  

Melvin "B.J." Upton.

Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.
The Shawn Chacon Experience - Life as a Rockies fan, one day at a time: Because we're all still recovering from those nine blown saves.

by Franchise26 on Jun 17, 2009 11:37 AM MDT up reply actions  

I was at the game last night

After Longoria’s homer, it looked like DLR was just trying to throw every pitch as hard as he could, location be damned. Not a good thing for a big league pitcher.

"Good teams win games, horse**** teams have meetings." - Ozzie Guillen

by free7694 on Jun 17, 2009 11:28 AM MDT reply actions  

Composure

Not exactly DLR’s greatest strength.

by RockiescastScott on Jun 17, 2009 11:50 AM MDT up reply actions  

Time

Time to gird up our loins and take the field of battle.

Reviews of some great baseball sites and other cool stuff on my web magazine @ The Casual Observer

by kosmo on Jun 17, 2009 12:47 PM MDT reply actions  

I will be at the game tonight, representing the Row

I am guessing Atkins will be in tonight and I’m going to say Spilly in left.

It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.

by smokinRox on Jun 17, 2009 4:01 PM MDT reply actions  

This was from Monday night, but it's still cool...

Yay for Conan O’Brien!!!

From 1:38 to 1:35 we get a little teeny tiny piece of national love.

by Rockie4Ever on Jun 17, 2009 4:20 PM MDT reply actions  

haha wooo

we seem to have gotten over that HURDLE

by TuLoRocks2008 on Jun 17, 2009 4:34 PM MDT up reply actions  

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