Wednesday Rockpile: Rockies, Please Win These Next Two Games, If It's Not Too Much Trouble

by Jeff Aberle on Aug 12, 2009 8:28 AM MDT in Rockpile

Well, the Rockies lost one they'd like to have back last night to the Pirates, executing poorly in all facets of the game. Wonderboy Jhoulys Chacin wasn't so wondrous in his first start, seldom finding the plate (he walked six) in his 2.1 IP (in all the Rockies walked nine Pirates) while Colorado committed three errors.

Fortunately, the Rockies remained in the wild card lead thanks to a loss by the Giants, though as a result they fell 6.5 games behind the Dodgers. Colorado really needs to win the final two games in the series--if nothing else simply because if they are a playoff team they have no business losing a home series to a glorified AAA team.

Pittsburgh won't provide much opposition if the Rockies just play fundamentally sound baseball and receive quality starts from Ubaldo Jimenez and Jason Marquis.

Fowler, Francis Injury Updates

Dexter Fowler underwent a precautionary MRI last night on his bruised left knee. Fowler should be back in the lineup against lefty Paul Maholm on Thursday afternoon.

Meanwhile, there was news on the Jeff Francis front. The lefty, probably out for the season after surgery to repair a torn labrum, threw a 15 pitch bullpen session and felt good afterwards. According to the article, there remains a small possibility that Francis could be ready by the end of the year, but I wouldn't buy it. Francis is a long way from facing hitters again, and I'm not sure that I'd want Francis making his debut in October. Nevertheless, this is a nice development for the Rockies, especially since very few pitchers ever come back from labrum surgery.

Helton Links

This was already posted in yesterday's Rockpile comments and in amoeba's FanShot, but Jerry Crasnick of ESPN has an excellent article about the Toddfather and his resurgence this year.

As I linked to in a FanShot yesterday, here are two articles, one by BP's Jay Jaffe (Insider required) and by Dave Marincic of NL Central Stage that debate Helton's Hall of Fame credentials quite thoroughly. The fan in me definitely wants to see Todd Helton in the Hall, though my inner sabermetrician doesn't know if he deserves to be there yet.

Meanwhile, ESPN's Rob Neyer gives Helton his due--sort of. At least he rights a wrong.

Finally, here's a story (and video) about Helton's strange catch last night.

Do you like this story?

Comments

Well, all I can say about last night's game vs.the Pirates is

if we had to have one of those, let’s just get it over with and out of our system. We’ve been playing pretty good baseball since the end of May and an occasional blip like last night is not out of the ordinary. The secret will be to re-group and return to the type of ball we’ve played for the past 2 1/2 months.

"I've had pretty good success with Stan Musial by throwing him my best pitch and backing up third." - Carl Erskine

by pedalpusher on Aug 12, 2009 9:03 AM MDT reply actions

Dear Thomas

SSS

Love,

Seth Smith status: Finally Getting Playing time
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY

by Andrew Martin on Aug 12, 2009 9:41 AM MDT reply actions

the cubs were in town too long

their sloppy habits wore off on us…

by RockyMtnCat on Aug 12, 2009 11:26 AM MDT reply actions

LOL

From the CBS Power Rankings:

Seth Smith is underrated, quite possibly because his name is Seth Smith and not Abraham “Action Abe” McGillicuddy.

by holly96 on Aug 12, 2009 11:31 AM MDT reply actions

To Seth Smith:

Please please please please PLEASE change your name to Abramam “Action Abe” McGillicuddy

by Doublezebra on Aug 12, 2009 1:44 PM MDT up reply actions

Slow day

here at the row… I was counting on you guys to entertain me through my afternoon conference calls!

by Rox R Champs on Aug 12, 2009 1:22 PM MDT reply actions

And my data entry is boring

I’m sitting here playing hearts on the computer. I’m really looking forward to the CR later

"We made too many wrong mistakes." ~Yogi Berra
"The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all." ~Lou Gehrig
JFK

by jrockies on Aug 12, 2009 1:53 PM MDT up reply actions

US v. Mexico

Watch it. Live it. Enjoy it.

"If we never try, we shall never succeed." - Abraham Lincoln

Purple Row - Covering all your Rockies needs!

by Russ Oates on Aug 12, 2009 2:02 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions

Pass.

Soccer’s not a sport, it’s a reason to riot. Call me when America’s best athletes start wasting their time on that waste of time.

There, a ‘soccer is stupid’ blast ought to get some fingers typing at a baseball blog!

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 Aug 12, 2009 2:25 PM MDT up reply actions

Just got home from Denver trip

Caught the Monday Cub game in the Wells Fargo seats, unfortunately they were sunny side, but Any time you witness a Cycle for the guy you named your son after on the one game a year the Fam gets to make I felt relatively blessed.

Of course Time Warner ruined the recording I had of last nights game so I didnt get to see OR hear the game because of course I counted on watching the game the entire 10 hour drive back to El Paso.

My parents have dial up so I couldnt bear to log into the Row or Fantasy for a week so I’m Jonesing for Rockies action.

by El Paso Jeff on Aug 12, 2009 1:56 PM MDT reply actions

Sloppy baseball

last night that you didn’t want to watch, so don’t feel bad about missing that game.

"We made too many wrong mistakes." ~Yogi Berra
"The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all." ~Lou Gehrig
JFK

by jrockies on Aug 12, 2009 2:08 PM MDT up reply actions

6 walks for Mr. Chacin no bueno

After JJ’s Rockie Debut I make a point to catch the first appearances of Rockies prospects…

But hopefully we will see him in the mix for starting pitching next year

by El Paso Jeff on Aug 12, 2009 2:13 PM MDT up reply actions

i am also bored at work

And noticed it was a slow day I’m in the middle of nowhere north dakota and it hit 95 for the first time this summer.(That’s realy hot up here) Dreadful day.

"I've never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn't appreciate the grind, the discipline... I firmly believe that any man's finest hour - this greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle, victorious." - Vince Lombardi

by nodakroxfan on Aug 12, 2009 2:24 PM MDT via mobile reply actions