This Week in Purple: Are We Turning a Corner? Maybe? Kind of?

The weekend is a great time to kick back and reflect. This Week in Purple is the place to catch up on the news from our team at Purple Row. You’ll find links to Rockpiles and other content below as well as a platform for community discussion in the comments.

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The Rockies are in the midst of a 17-game streak without an off day, which will come to an end on June 4. It is their longest stretch of the season so far, and they are 3-5 so far with nine games remaining. The Rox have won five of their last seven series since May 2 and six of their last nine since April 24 (though they were swept and clobbered by the Texas Rangers last weekend...). Hopefully they can win this Met series after dropping the opener yesterday!

Elias Díaz has been surging, hitting three home runs over his last five games. He ranks second in the majors with a .331 average and is hitting a league-leading .372 at home. Unfortunately, he went 0-for-4 yesterday, snapping a four-game hitting streak.

Bud Black is also just one win away from tying Don Baylor for second-most wins as a Rox manager. Baylor went 440-469 in his six seasons at the helm (and the Rockies’ first six seasons as a franchise). That’s not bad company to be in!

But beyond all that, here’s what are writers were up to this week!

To Read

• Three Rockies relievers rank in the top in terms of usage around MLB — Jake Bird, Brent Suter and Justin Lawrence. While the bullpen has collectively put up a quietly good season, it’s still concerning that they have been used as much as they have. Kenneth Weber dove into the numbers and what “bullpen burnout” could mean for the Rox going forward.

• Last week, Renee Dechert wrote about the Rockies’ outfield defense. This week, she moved closer to home plate and wrote about the Rockies’ infield defense. She concluded that the infield defense is more serviceable than the outfield and there are more reasons for hope. However, as a whole, the Rockies have a lot to work out.

• Skyler Timmins pulled double duty, exploring two interesting topics. On Wednesday, he wrote about Aaron Schunk (HM PuRP) and how he has been performing in the minors. Schunk struggled in 2021 after losing 2020 to COVID (who didn’t?), but has been slowly improving and seems on the precipice of the big leagues. Could he be the next Rockies call-up?

• On Thursday, Skyler wrote about Dinelson Lamet. The 30-year-old right-hander began his career as a starter but was sidelined with injuries. Since he’s been with the Rockies, he’s been used exclusively as a reliever but considering the rotation is in shambles at the moment, could now be a good time to try Lamet out again as a starter?

• The Rockies are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, but on Friday, Joelle Milholm took us waaaay back to the age of the pre-Dinger dinosaurs. She takes on a prehistoric journey through Coors Field and LoDo, including the origin story of the Rockies beloved mascot. It’s certainly a fun read!

To Listen

• Affected By Altitude: UCL Tears of the Kingdom — This week, Skyler and Kenneth discuss the Rockies’ efforts to stitch together a pitching rotation and the incredible success of the bullpen. Additionally, they discuss the progressions of rookies Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle.

• Every Rockie Ever Podcast: Jeff Reed and Kirt Manwaring — In this episode, Skyler and Dustin look back on the Rockies’ catching tandem in the late ‘90s. First, they cover the efforts of Jeff Reed as a defensive first catcher that saw his offensive potential boom in Colorado. Then, they look at the addition of Kirt Manwaring which causes Dustin to have a mighty change of heart toward a player that he despised as a 12-year-old.

Weekend Discussion Topic

When Dinelson Lamet returns to the Rockies, who would he replace in the rotation? What other options could the Rockies explore to help with their pitching woes? Sound off below!