As we celebrated America's independence, a different ragtag upstart took on a superpower at Coors Field on the Fourth of July. Unfortunately for Jair Jurrjens and the Rockies, their matchup with Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers did not go as well as it did for the Americans against the British.
The loss to Kershaw and the Dodgers was one of just two starts Jurrjens made for the Rockies after they acquired him from Cincinnati for minor leaguer Harold Riggins on July 2.
There was a time when Jurrjens was a quality big league starter, he was third behind Geovany Soto and Joey Votto in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2008 and was an All-Star for the Braves in 2011. However, Jurrjens has pitched just 65 big league innings since that All-Star season in 2012, with a 7.20 ERA in that span.
What happened
Jurrjens made two starts for the Rockies in 2014, one was very bad and the other was less bad. In his Rockies debut against the Dodgers on July 4, he gave up eight runs on a dozen hits in 4 2/3 innings with a walk and three strikeouts in a 9-0 loss.
Jurrjens' second start was better, but still not great. as he allowed three runs over 4 2/3 innings to the Padres at Coors Field, getting a no decision in a game the Rockies would win 6-3.
2014 Grade: F
Jurrjens had a 10.61 ERA and accumulated -0.3 rWAR in just 9 1/3 innings in what was likely the swan song for his MLB career. The fact that he even had to pitch for the Rockies this season was not good, kind of like his pitching.