This time in 2008, we were 1-5. This time in 2009, we were 3-3. This time in 2007, we were ALSO 3-3. Just based on that, it's blatantly obvious that we are playoff bound, and we have a 50-50 shot of taking home the pennant.
Other things that are sustainable after only 1 week of play: Ian Stewart's .485 wOBA/197 wRC+, and his K% has dropped to 21.7; Miguel Olivo's .500 OBP; Giambi's .000/.500/.000 line; Ubaldo Jimenez' 2.64 xFIP. Yes, this team simply is THAT good. But not if you asked Troy Tulowitzki, reports Jim Armstrong from the Denver Post:
"We're not where we need to be defensively, and we're not where we need to be offensively," Tulowitzki said. "To be 3-3 right now and not playing good baseball at all is somewhat OK. But at the same time, we know we're a much better team. We need to pick up the intensity a little bit and start playing better."
At least they recognize it. It's relieving to hear someone not just kind of feeding the generic "3 and 3, working hard, seeing some new players, blah blah blah." The sky clearly isn't falling, because, well, they know how long the season is, they're not worried.
In regard to struggling players, Tracy isn't platooning Dexter Fowler. Nope, he's not, just no bones about it, NOT a platoon. Fowler is 1-for-9 with 5 punchouts (also one triple) thus far as a lefty. It feels as if Fowler's lineup card says "Switch Hitter" and that's the entire rationale for him batting switch. But that could just be frustration with a lack of serious production v major league righties. It should be noted that in his minor league career, Dex posted a slightly higher OPS v RHP (which I'll assume just meant he was batting switch), he walked more, and he struck out more. More of everything as a switch hitter, that's the way of The Player. Honestly, I'm not quite ready to scrap the switch, but I'll admit that Dex's poor showing thus far does have me leaning in the "do something to fix this" direction - could it be that he just has normal 2nd year player growing pains and he just needs to work through them, rather than just become a full-time RHB? How long would he take to adjust to RHP on RHB? Let's let this one play out.
In that same article Jim Tracy also praises our catching tandem and unexpectedly scratched Todd Helton. Gonzalez says he's resting his hamstring today, we'll reevaluate on Tuesday.
Oh, and Joe Beimel is expected to rejoin the team sometime between the Atlanta series and the Washington series. Makes me wonder who's on the hot seat, is it the obvious choice in Rogers, or is it much-maligned LOOGY Randy Flores? Or is it somebody entirely unexpected? Tune in and find out!
Finally, and I'll cut it off after this link, but Thomas Harding reports yesterday that after Jorge De La Rosa's spectacular outing against the Padres, he got his car towed. No, he didn't kick and scream and play the "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM" card, because apparently these tow people simply hate baseball. And by extension, apple pie, freedom, and America. I'm kidding.