Last night was a game of incomprehensibilities. The Rockies lost despite scoring seven runs on the road in a Ubaldo start against Anibal Sanchez and company. They touched up a Marlins bullpen for four runs that was muscling through a 20 inning scoreless streak. Ubaldo Jimenez crumbled. Huston Street blew a save. Some dude named Donnie Murphy (who knew Street from their days in Oakland) hit a walkoff home run, and Jonathan Herrera hit his first MLB home run in a game before he hit one in batting practice. Such is baseball.
Onward we go.
It was reported yesterday both by Troy Renck and Tracy Ringolsby that Troy Tulowitzki has been given his rehab assignment:
Tomorrow, Thursday @ Triple-A (Games in Colorado Springs)
July 24-25 @ AA Tulsa (Games in Tulsa) for 9 innings, pinch hit July 26, re-evaluation July 27 with activation on July 28.
While his activation date next Wednesday comes at least a week earlier than the most optimistic projections, I'm not as concerned. In four games, Tulo will have to check his swing, fight off an inside pitch, or whiff on a hard swing. That's the test for his injury. The rest is just getting timing back.
The same cannot be said for Todd Helton. He is due to return from the DL today, though the club intends to wait until tomorrow, assuming all goes well. That assumption might not hold. Apparently, the ToddFather looked formidable in BP in Cincinnati:
"It was very, very good. The bat speed was there. There was some electricity. That's very, very encouraging." said Jim Tracy. "Where this is all going to go, I don't know. I'm not that smart.''
Turns out it didn't go very far. By all accounts, his BP session in Miami yesterday was "rough." Weak groundballs to the left side of the infield were the norm. Whether this was the anomaly or return of back issues, it has to be troubling for Rockies fans. Helton will abstain from any epidurals until September, meaning the body he has is the one we get. If he can descend that quickly after a good weekend, there is little we can depend on. Delaying Helton's return (due tomorrow) is a possibility.
With Helton's back unfit to carry the team, you'll find all sorts of crazy suggestions out there. Take your pick: The Wall Street Journal insinuates the Rockies cannot make the playoffs "without a first baseman," or John Kruk suggests four teams that would be a good fit for Prince Fielder, and one is the Rockies. Okay, neither are all that crazy at their core, but the Rockies won't be even considering Fielder and despite losing 4 of 5 and having a black hole at first, the Rockies are still just a game out of a playoff spot.
Links after the jump.
Colorado Rockies at Florida Marlins Tid Bits | Inside the Colorado Rockies
Tracy Ringolsby suggests that despite the Rockies' tough road schedule, they have edge on the NL West in the schedule over the next three weeks.
Twitter / Eric Young Jr: told Twitterville last night that he feels good in his rehab at AAA.
Street spotless as closer since return | ColoradoRockies.com: News. Thomas Harding shows why you should never post a story in the middle of a game, either due to "teh jinx" or just increasing the chances your story will soon be irrelevant.
Twitter / Troy Renck, Rockies: Renck reports that momentum is growing for the Rockies to sign first-round pick Kyle Parker.
Rockies extended contract with Tulsa Drillers - USATODAY.com The Drillers will be the Rockies AA affiliate through the 2014 season, good news for Tulsa resident Rowbots.
Schemmel goes the extra miles to honor those lost in airplane crash - The Denver Post - Yesterday was the 21st anniversary of the plane crash that Rockies radio man Jerry Schemmel survived. He usually rides his bike 112 miles on the anniversary to honor the crash's victims, but his new job as a baseball announcer is now in the way. Instead, Schemmel rode a stationary bike for 112 minutes.
Twitter / Follow The Padres: Padres' MLB.com beat man says the Padres aren't interested in upgrading Kevin Correia with Jeremy Guthrie, but they are interested in adding Miguel Tejada. For what reason is beyond me.