Baseball is a funny game sometimes. On Monday night, Drew Pomeranz started and the Rockies gave up three runs during the game. Tonight, Tyler Chatwood started and the Rockies again gave up three runs during the game.
That's where the similarities between these two contests end. Unlike Pomeranz, Tyler Chatwood was nothing short of brilliant tonight in all aspects of the game. On the mound, he befuddled Brewer hitters all night striking out 11 and walking none. He did surrender two runs in the sixth inning, but this was after the score was already 8-0 so it wasn't of much concern.
With Chatwood's performance tonight, his season ERA now sits at 2.48 and Rockies starters now a have a 1.69 ERA over their last 11 games. Perhaps even more amazingly, both of these numbers went up tonight.
Chatwood also had the biggest hit of the night at the plate. After Nolan Arenado got the Rockies on the board with a bases loaded infield single in the bottom of the second, Chatwood stepped into the box an knocked an RBI double into the left field corner which scored both Todd Helton and Wilin Rosario and moved Nolan Arenado to third who would later score on a DJ LeMahieu RBI ground out. Chatwood would add to his successful game with the bat later with a sacrifice bunt in the Rockies four run fourth and an opposite field single in the fifth. As CentralCaliRox pointed out in the game thread, Chatwood had more hits in two at bats (three plate appearances) tonight than Jordan Pacheco has had this entire month.
When the Rockies traded Chris Iannetta for Tyler Chatwood back in the fall of 2011, feelings were mixed here at Purple Row. Nearly two years later, the deal is starting to look like one of Dan O'Dowd's finest moments. Not only has Tyler Chatwood been excellent this season at the age of 23, but he's been getting better all the time. He's always had an electric fastball that climbs into the mid 90's, but now he learning how to locate it with deadly accuracy. In addition, he has deceptive offspeed stuff that hitters almost have to hack at when Chatwood gets ahead in the count.
It's getting very close to the point where a Tyler Chatwood start is a must see event for Colorado fans. If he keeps this up, fans that bleed purple will soon be looking at their schedules and noting the games that Tyler Chatwood is likely to pitch so they can make specific plans to attend / watch those games. Arms this good, this young don't come around too often, and Rockies have him locked up through at least the end of the 2017 season.
Chatwood still has to do what he's done recently on a consistent basis to be considered a true top of the rotation arm going forward, but considering how late he started pitching and how filthy his stuff looks, it's a real strong possibility right now.
Back in 2011, Rockies fans everywhere hoped hat they had traded for a future ace following the departure of Ubaldo Jimenez. It's starting to look like they have, only it didn't come in the package we all thought it would.
Baseball is a funny game sometimes.
Graph of Tyler Chatwood awesomeness:
Source: FanGraphs
Roll Call
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Total Comments: 797
BigSkyBirdDog, CentralCaliRox, Chrysicat, ES46NE10, Jordan Freemyer, Nephelimdream, Nick95, Paleface Destro, PurpleToPurple, RhodeIslandRoxfan, Rockies7935, RockyMountainWay91, SDcat09, Salty, Sjamb, Ted Simmons Speed Camp, WanderingRoxFan, chickenfoof, everever, evers44, holly96, idj2, jlbroxfan, papality, rockiesfan4ever
Record: 50-54
Games Behind: 5.0
Games Left: 58
Record needed to beat Keith Law's prediction: 4-54
Record needed to beat 2012: 15-43
Record needed to beat the Vegas Over / Under Number: 22-36
Record needed to finish above .500: 32-27
Number of Home Runs needed for Cargo, Tulo, and Rosario to combine for 100: 44
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This series continues Saturday at 6:10 p.m. MT as the Brewers will send Tom Gorzelanny (1-4, 2.47) to the hill against Collin McHugh who will be replacing an injured Drew Pomeranz in the rotation and making his Rockies debut.