For the Rockies, No Lead is Safe: Lineups Included

Unfortunately the way the Colorado Rockies lost last night’s game to the Atlanta Braves is a familiar story by now in this young season. Good offense, bad pitching. Final score: 13-9.

As seems to always be the case, the bats jumped out to a hot start. Larry Walker continued to play like an MVP, combining another multi-hit game with savvy baserunning. He came around to score on home runs by Vinny Castilla and Dante Bichette. Andres Galarraga added a home run of his own as the Rockies held an early 5 run lead.

If the bats were hot, then the hair styles on display were molten hot. Walker’s mullet was curly, Bichette’s mullet was wild, and Castilla’s mullet was classy. The Rockies don’t just lead the league in a number of offensive categories; they also lead the league in hair style points. That’s some excellent salad on display, boys and girls. Appreciate it while you can.

Oops, sorry. That’s not a recap of last night’s game. I guess that I reverted back to the Blake Street Bombers days as a coping mechanism. Or something.

Anyhow, it feels like those days all over again. It feels like no early lead is safe, whether it be 5, 6, or 7 runs. Fans know they can’t relax when the Rockies jump out to, say, a 6-1 lead like they did last night. Even when it is a seemingly reliable pitcher, such as Jamie Moyer, it feels like things are eventually going to go wrong. Then a pitcher like Esmil Rogers enters and, even with his solid record this year, you just know that the doom of the evening is inevitable. We’ve gone through seasons like that before, but back then it was because the non-humidor baseballs meant that seemingly any flyball might be a home run. We know now, in 2012, that we don’t have to live that way in Coors Field. Not anymore. And I really don’t want to, no matter how great my love for Vinny Castilla.

Of course Chipper Jones murdered the Rockies again. I hope you enjoyed your ovation Friday Chipper, because I am back to thinking you are evil. Or at least really mean. And don’t you dare beat up Jamie Moyer.

The Rockies try to salvage a game today to avoid a sweep and a 3-6 homestand. Here is Jim Tracy’s suspiciously non-Sunday lineup:

Marco Scutaro 2B
Jonathan Herrera 3B
Carlos Gonzalez LF
Troy Tulowitzki SS
Jason Giambi 1B
Michael Cuddyer RF
Ramon Hernandez C
Dexter Fowler CF
Juan Nicasio P

Here is the lineup Fredi Gonzalez sends as the Braves go for the sweep:

Michael Bourn CF
Martin Prado LF
Freddie Freeman 1B
Dan Uggla 2B
Jason Heyward RF
Juan Francisco 3B
David Ross C
Tyler Pastornicky SS
Brandon Beachy P

Mercifully Chipper is not in the lineup. If that means that the 5 RBI pounding he administered yesterday is his last hurrah in Coors Field, then it is only appropriate. Even with a suspect lineup supporting him, Beachy presents a formidable task for the Rockies. He enters the game with a 2-1 record and a stingy 1.39 ERA. The offense will have to make it three games in a row of good production and hope Nicasio can stop the bleeding. Let’s hope he also shows us that, in the long term, this is not the Rockies of the 1990s.

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