Colorado Rockies Are 4-0; Here’s What We Know

Apr 10, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu (9) singles in the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

After the home opener in Denver Friday afternoon, here’s what we know about your UNDEFEATED Colorado Rockies as they prepare to take on the Cubs in game two of the series Saturday evening.

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Matzek didn’t break, but…

Tyler Matzek only gave up one run, left the game in a 1-1 tie, and definitely gave the Rockies’ bats a manageable enough outing to survive, but… he only lasted 4+ innings, and threw just 40 strikes in his 84-pitch day.

I’m going to say “bend but don’t break” quite a bit this summer for how the Rockies need to pitch, but getting just 12 outs is not going to be good enough for a starting pitcher.

Kudos to Matzek (and then, in his stead, Christian Bergman!) for wiggling out of the jams he caused for himself, but starters must get more than twelve outs this year, or else the bullpen is going to implode again and things will turn ugly (again).

Blackmon and Stubbs are kind of a black hole right now?

Drew Stubbs started the game before being lifted for Blackmon during a double switch, but all three at-bats of his this season have now been strikeouts. That’s bad, especially after his very poor Spring Training. He looks lost at the plate and can’t get significant at-bats this summer if he can’t put the ball in play.

Less of a concern but still noteworthy, Charlie Blackmon has started very slowly this year – which is in sharp contrast to his red-hot April in 2014. Entering today’s game, he was just 2-for-14 with six strikeouts, and after the double switch, he struck out and walked.

The Rockies need one of the two to get going (and Blackmon, at least, will eventually do that), or else Brandon Barnes will return from AAA Albuquerque pretty quickly.

Tulo is good.

A two-run double broke the 1-1 tie for the Rockies and Tulo was pumped following his 2-for-4, 2 RBI day. He should be pumped, he’s hitting like a madman right now and that chip-on-the-shoulder he’s playing with shows.

DJ LeMahieu is due for a breakout.

LeMahieu was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run today and started the Rockies’ first rally to drive home Matzek for the first run of the game. He’s hitting .471 this season, and playing great defense (again) thus far. I think he’s primed for a breakout year at the plate, after earning his defensive reputation in 2014.

Somebody tell Corey Dickerson you’re allowed to hit things other than line drives.

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On second thought, don’t tell him that. Let’s let him keep hitting line drives.

But seriously, are you watching this guy right now?

He’s dialed in to all fields and he’s even making hard outs.

He’s hitting .375 with a 1.319 OPS (in a small sample size, duh), and he showed he can still be effective enough leading off today against Travis Wood, instead of hitting further down in the order as he had in Milwaukee.

The bullpen looks very strong.

Boone Logan and Rafael Betancourt each tossed easy innings to slam the door today, but kudos to Bergman and Brooks Brown for their great middle relief work to rescue the Rockies from Matzek’s weak start.

It remains to be seen how the ‘pen – and specifically, Brown and Bergman – will do all year, but if the first four games are any indication (13.1 innings pitched, just two runs allowed), the ‘pen can help this club be relevant this summer.

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