Thoughts on game 138

Ok, got back from the game today.  Pretty good crowd, definitely a great feeling at the park with the come from behind win.  Just after the game, I thought it was just a pretty good win.  After I got home, I watched some highlights and post-game commentary, and I felt inspired to write this fan post.  I'm now thinking that this win was bigger than I originally thought.

First, this game was I believe an example of a great team doing whatever was necessary to get a win.  The Reds came in as the hottest team in baseball, having won seven in a row.  Homer Bailey had a great start, and kept the Rockies at bay and off balance.  But, true to form, the Rockies used what I think is their greatest strength and worked the pitch count.  Bailey hit 117 pitches in the bottom of the sixth inning in a game he had only given up one run.  Consequently, he had to come out, exposing the soft underbelly that is the Reds middle relief.  If Bailey had been able to pitch into the seventh or eighth, the game could have ended much differently.

Previous big wins, like the 14 inning SpillSlam and the following game Tulo walk-off were definitely more exciting, but involved an element of failure and luck as the bullpen gave up three runs in one case to fall behind, and gave up two in the other to give up a lead in the ninth.  This game did not have that feeling of somehow getting lucky to win.  Instead the Rockies won by playing as a team and doing everything necessary to win.

I think the greatest play of the game was the sacrifice bunt by Smith.  Well, not the greatest play, but the greatest decision in a game filled with great decisions.  And the reason I say this is not because it was the statistically correct thing to do - we may have been better off with Smith batting there as hot as he has been.  But, this was a case of putting the team first.  We were down two runs, and had an opportunity to put the tying run in scoring position, less than two outs, with our #3 and #4 hitters due up.  As hot as Smith has been, he checked his ego at the door, and executed the bunt.  He could have fouled off the second attempt to get a second strike, and would have then been allowed to swing.  I have seen many other players give half-hearted bunt attempts in a similar situation.  But here is the likely NL player of the week, up in a key 7th inning situation, being asked to bunt for the good of the team.  And he did, and executed perfectly by hitting the ball to Rolen.  (Not to go off on too much of a tangent, but it reminds me of the time Tim Wakefield gave up his start in game four of the ALCS to save the bullpen in game three of a blowout to the Yankees.  It was a completely selfless act by Wakefield, and you know what happened next.  The Red Sox rallied from a 3-0 hole and won their first World Series since WWI.)

Ok, that inning also saw the damage created by EY2.  His chopper forced Phillips to try and make a highlight play on an otherwise routine grounder.  He tagged up on a 225 foot sacrifice fly and forced the throw home, allowing Cargo to move up to third base.  Tulo responded with a clutch two-out RBI single, and the game was tied.  The team picked up Seth Smith after his selfless act and got both runners home.

The seventh also saw the second of two great personnel decisions by Jim Tracy.  First, in the sixth, he pinch hit for Ubaldo.  Although Hawpe ultimately didn't score on a questionable base running decision, Ubaldo was dealing with a minor leg injury and removing him from the game was the right thing to do.  Then, in the seventh, he took Tulo out after he sprained his back running to first.  Both of these were not easy decisions, but these two mean too much to our team to take unnecessary risk for the expense of one game.  Excellent judgement by manager Jim Tracy.

There were also many amazing plays by the team to keep themselves in the game.  Ianetta gunned down speedy Drew Stubbs to end the third inning.  Barmes made a leaping catch to turn a double play on a ball possibly headed to the gap, turning two potential runs into outs.  Ubaldo hustled on an infield chopper to force a bad throw and score the first run.  After the Rockies tied the score, Betancourt had possibly the pitch sequence of the game pitching to demi-god Joey Votto in the eighth with a spectacular 3-2 strikeout.  All of these plays kept the game in check and allowed the drama to unfold.

So Ian Stewart must be able to leave his previous failures at the door.  Actually, in the post-game interview, he said this was not the case, and that it was bothering him quite a bit that he had struck out the first three times, all after Hawpe had previously walked.  But, he said he thought he was taking some good swings, and that confidence led to a crushing shot to the Rockies bullpen to give the Rockies a 4-3 lead.  I can't imagine how hard it is to keep going after striking out three times, but he kept himself together and hit an amazingly clutch homer.  Coors Field went absolutely bonkers. 

Now Franklin Morales has to come in to save the game.  He has been filling in for Huston Street, and is learning in a hurry the difference between pitching in the eighth and closing the game in the ninth.  As Drew mentioned on the telecast, he ran into adversity for the first time in this role.  He threw only one strike each to the first two batters, but both were hit for singles - blame poor BABIP luck :).  Anyway, Jim Tracy came out to talk with his temporary closer, and discussed as it turned out two very important topics - what to do if Gomes tried to bunt, and what to do if the Reds started the runners in motion.  They came to a logical decision to throw behind the runner for a number of reasons that Tracy pointed out in the post-game.  First was that it would be harder to get the speedy Rollins with his lead off of second.  Second was that Tracy didn't want Stewart out of position covering if Gomes pulled the ball on a hit and run.  Third was that if Rolen didn't also run, the double play was still in order.  Fourth was that a sac fly only ties the game and the Rockies still had last at-bat.  I can't really argue with the logic here, I was actually very impressed - both with the decision and the fact that the Rockies were so well prepared for this.

So after they make that decision, Morales fell behind 3-0 to Gomes on an incredibly tight strike zone.  After a borderline strike call, Gomes hit an absolute rocket, but right at Seth Smith to get the first out.  Next up was local high school hero Darnell McDonald.  Look at this link for statistics on the holes in his swing, particularly the contact percentage on pitches out of the strike zone.  He swings at absolute junk.  On a 2-2 count (after a completely ridiculous swing for the second strike on a pitch NOWHERE near the strike zone) the runners went in motion.  Ianetta made an accurate throw to second, but it bounced several feet in front of second base.  Barmes made an unbelievable scoop and tag on Rolen to get the second out, just as the Rockies had discussed and planned for.  So on the 3-2 count, Morales threw a 78 mph curve that was one of the filthiest pitches I have ever seen.  If you taped the game go back and look at it again, it is so sick.  McDonald didn't have a chance, game over.  Look at the wild WPA swing on fangraphs for the ninth inning - from 1st and 2nd, 3-0 count on Gomes, no out, to game over eight pitches later.  Tremendous heart and guts by Morales, excellent preparation by the manager, and a sterling defensive play from Barmes.

So, I guess my point is that this game is now bigger in my mind as I think about it more (obvious from the volume of text above I suppose).  If you actually have read to this point, first my apologies, second here come the opinions :)  I believe that this game could mark the point where the 2009 Rockies have finally arrived.  They took the best punches from the hottest team in baseball, and did just enough to pull out the win.  This wasn't a lucky comeback - it was a great team refusing to lose a game they could have lost many times today.  But Ubaldo kept the game in reach, they kept battling and stayed aggressive, and ultimately perfect execution and timely hitting under adversity garnered the victory.  So I'm going to say it - this is the type of game that a championship team wins.  Every team can have a lucky comeback or two over the course of a 162 game season.  But this game was actually won by the better team - on a complete team effort.  Starting pitching, middle relief, closing out the ninth, defense, timely hitting, hustle, grit, even the manager making incredible decisions and showing excellent foresight and judgement.  Most importantly, putting the team ahead of the individual (go ahead and quote Spock if you want).  This is what wins championships. 

Well, and the fact that Seth Smith is a god doesn't hurt either :)