Colorado Rockies morning after: The bottom of the order is killing them | Rox Pile
We’ve been waiting and waiting for the Rockies to get their offense together, saying how it’s still early, and they’ll find their way. But as we near a quarter of the way through the season, it’s getting harder to convince ourselves to wait. The team overall has struggled to connect, but the bottom of the order is positively dreadful. Even when those first few hitters can get on base, the late hitters cannot drive them home. The Rockies have had to rely on Charlie Blackmon, DJ LeMahieu, and Nolan Arenado as well as home runs to produce offense. This kind of problem isn’t absolutely devastating, as we can see in the Rockies’ 21-17 record, but it could be the kind of thing that will prevent us from getting into the playoffs.
Chad Bettis has been one of the Rockies’ more solid pitchers to start this season, and it’s largely thanks to his control over his impressive changeup. He gives credit to spin rate, a statistic that looks at revolutions per minute after the ball is released. Bettis is near the top of the list for best spin rates, and it is thanks to his command and detail work in pitching. He’s worked hard to come back from his cancer diagnosis, and people are starting to take notice.
CarGo hopes to ‘make the most’ of reserve role | Rockies.com
Since returning from the DL after a hamstring injury, Carlos Gonzalez has only been on the starting roster four out of nine games. The corner outfield spots have been filled with David Dahl, Noel Cuevas, and Gerardo Parra, and so far it has gone pretty well. The Rockies have been 6-3, and CarGo seems to be settling into a reserve position. He seems to be okay with it, ready to play whatever part he can in helping the Rockies win. While he would love to be playing more, he just wants to be a good support for his teammates. And that’s what they need from him now. Obviously it would be great if he could be the CarGo of old, and he still might get there, but this is how it will be for now.
Colorado Rockies: More boos for Ian Desmond | Rox Pile
The Rockies have several issues that culminated in the 8-0 loss to the Angels Wednesday afternoon. Ian Desmond, with his woes all season long, finds himself as something of a scapegoat for the rough day. He has had very few moments of brightness in 2018, despite high hopes and a high paycheck. But what to do about it? Ryan McMahon is an option, but he might still need some time in the minors to gain some experience. Gerardo Parra has played the spot before, and with David Dahl ready to fill an outfield spot, Parra could play first. I can’t say what the best solution is, but something certainly needs to be done.
Around baseball
Justin Turner could be back next week, Clayton Kershaw plays catch again | True Blue LA
The Dodgers are hoping to welcome back two of their infielders back in Justin Turner and Logan Forsythe soon. They could both be doing some rehab as early as this weekend. Clayton Kershaw also played around, but didn’t feel anywhere near 100% yet. The Dodgers are currently below .500, so I’m sure they’d love to see those guys back.