Rockies At Cardinals, May 10th: Game Time, Lineups, And Preview

Colorado Rockies at St. Louis Cardinals. 6:15 P.M. MST

Here’s the deal. The Colorado Rockies are coming off of a series in which their pitching gave them chances to win three games at home against the New York Yankees. They scored 5 runs total in the series and lost 2-out-of-3 games. They are still in contention in the division and their starting pitching is holding up. In the big picture they remain in good shape.

In the short term they need to implement tweaks here and there to boost an already impressive offense. The grind of the season is starting to set in; Troy Tulowitzki missed two games against the Yankees and now Michael Cuddyer is out of the lineup tonight due to a “locked up” neck.

Give the Rockies this: they lead the league in creative injuries. Heavy legs, now a locked up neck. So that’s something.

And one last thing…

I WANT CHARLIE BLACKMON.

Tulo. Image: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Eric Young Jr. RF
Dexter Fowler CF
Carlos Gonzalez LF
Troy Tulowitzki SS
Wilin Rosario C
Todd Helton 1B
Nolan Arenado 3B
Josh Rutledge 2B
Jon Garland P

As the Rockies gear up to face a blue chipper in Shelby Miller, they tout an impressive lineup with a number of young talents. You know what would make this lineup even more intimidating? Charlie Blackmon instead of Eric Young. I digress…

Garland looks to keep doing what he has been doing: grinding and keeping the Rockies in the game. Here is the Cardinals lineup he will face:

Matt Carpenter 2B
Carlos Beltran RF
Matt Holliday LF
Allen Craig 1B
Yadier Molina C
Jon Jay CF
David Freese 3B
Pete Kozma SS
Shelby Miller P

The length of the Cardinals lineup depends on the production of Craig and Molina. When they rake it makes this group, with Freese batting 7th, a daunting task for opposing pitchers. When they are pedestrian, which Craig was for a time this season, it makes this lineup manageable. Whatever the case, the Rockies face their steepest test yet in this road series as they try to prove that they belong.

Put another way, this is the Rockies’ first opportunity to truly crater and put themselves in a bad position. They need to win games this weekend.