Colorado Rockies vs San Diego Padres, Series Preview

Apr 29, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder Wil Myers (center) and manager Bud Black (20) talk in the dugout before the game against the Houston Astros at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies make their first trip to San Diego to visit the Padres after splitting a four-game series with their NL West foe in Denver last week.

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The Colorado Rockies continue their west coast trip in San Diego this weekend, taking on the Padres for the second time this season, and the first time at cavernous – but beautiful – Petco Park.

The Padres scuffled against the Houston Astros during their mid-week series in sunny San Diego, but the NL West rival is still as strong as they looked in Denver, when they split a four-game series with the Rockies last week.

Let’s run down what to expect the second time around with the Padres this weekend:

DATES, TIMES, AND PITCHERS

Friday, May 1, 8:10 pm
Eddie Butler (2-1, 3.27) vs. Ian Kennedy (0-1, 10.80)

Saturday, May 2, 6:40 pm
Jorge De La Rosa (0-1, 11.57) vs. Brandon Morrow (1-0, 2.67)

Sunday, May 3, 2:10 pm
Tyler Matzek (2-0, 2.70) vs. James Shields (2-0, 2.90)

KEYS FOR THE ROCKIES

Extend games, starters!

The last full time through the rotation, the five Rockies’ starters have combined for just 25.1 innings pitched. Let alone the runs they’ve allowed, it’s flat out unacceptable for them to fail to go deep into games on a nightly basis. Who will be the stopper? Who will be the guy to throw 6 (or really, more) innings one day this weekend? My money’s on Jorge De La Rosa, and Tyler Matzek looked great last outing before being removed with a hamstring cramp that prevented him from going more than five innings.

Regardless of the specifics, one thing is for sure: the Rockies need at least 18 innings out of their three starters this weekend. Anything less and I just can’t see them being competitive in this series (unless, you know, something weird happens and the offense explodes for ten runs one night).

Hit on the road. Please. Please.

The Rockies made Josh Collmenter look like Clayton Kershaw Wednesday night in Phoenix (I mean, credit to Collmenter, he did throw a really good game, but come on, the dude throws 84 mph and he made the Rockies look like the 2014 Padres). Those games will happen now and then, and it’s doubly unfortunate the Rockies were blown out two nights in a row, being outscored 21-6 in their final two games in Phoenix.

But… what can’t happen is a bad game or two away from home turning into a season-long road trend, like it has for so many years for the Rockies. Petco Park isn’t the best place to hit, especially coming off a sluggish three games in Arizona, but the club is going to have to figure out how to make it happen in San Diego, or else they’ll find themselves under .500 for the first time all season by the end of the weekend series.

KEY NUMBER

3-7, 2.5

That represents the Rockies record in San Diego last summer (just three wins in ten chances at Petco Park), and the average number of runs the Rockies scored against the Padres in those Petco Park games (just 2.5 per game, and never more than four runs in a single game).

After, well, struggling the last couple games in Arizona, the Rockies need to prove the bats won’t take a U-turn on the road all season, or else it’s going to be a long year.

Weirdly, the Rockies have gotten tacos (scored seven or more runs) just once in the month of April. If you’d have told me that the team would have Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki, Justin Morneau, Corey Dickerson and Nolan Arenado all playing and healthy – and DJ LeMahieu leading the league in hitting – and they only produced more than seven runs in one game the entire month?! I’d have told you that you were crazy. Nevertheless, here we are.

LET’S MEET THE PADRES

Special thanks to Nick Lee (@NickLee51) over at Friars On Base for the insight into the San Diego Padres once again this week, and indulging my silly questions. You can – and should – follow them on Twitter @FriarsOnBase.

Your most recent game was a Wednesday getaway day tilt with the Astros. Houston wore bright orange uniforms, and the Padres wore throwback brown and orange. Have your eyes recovered yet?

There was no recovering needed. It was a spectacle to behold. Those uniforms in the bright sunshine were just perfect. If only it produced a win…

Speaking of those Astros, they came into Petco Park and dominated the Padres, which was a surprise, I think, to most of baseball. Are the Astros for real, or was it a case of the Padres squandering opportunities and playing bad baseball? Either way, are the Rockies seeing a slumping San Diego club this weekend, or a team ready to break out after a bad series?

The Astros came into Petco Park red hot, while the Padres were ice cold. It was just a bad combination. It happens. This off today (Thursday) will be great to collect themselves and get back to where they were in mid-April. I expect a very competitive series this weekend.

Derek Norris injured his ankle against the Astros; what’s the latest on him, and will the Rockies see him this weekend?

He will have had two days off now after Wednesday’s game and the scheduled off-day Thursday. His issues center more on him being banged up and bruised, than actually being injured. I’m confident in saying you will see a lot of Derek Norris this weekend.

Major League Baseball just opened up All Star voting; if you could only pick one Padre to represent you, who’s the most deserving member of the team thus far to be an All Star?

Justin Upton. He has been consistent, and has shrugged his shoulders at this “Petco Park is a hitter’s nightmare” hoopla. He can hit anywhere, and he has shown his great power. Also, his outfield defense has been a nice surprise.

I know Bud Black has been on record contending Jedd Gyorko won’t go to the minor leagues, but, we all see him struggle – what’s the deal? Could Preller look for a second baseman (in addition to that shortstop he supposedly still wants)?

The entire fan base is frustrated with Gyorko. We are rooting for the guy to get going, and I feel bad for him with this issue. But it has been nice having Yangervis Solarte there to play, as well. I think we have our everyday second baseman on the roster, rather than having to make a move, it’s just a matter of which player is going to step up and make it happen.

The Rockies will see two men – Brandon Morrow and James Shields – that we saw in Denver last week. This weekend, though, Ian Kennedy joins the fray in just his second start this year. After a rocky first outing, what’s the scouting report on Kennedy, and what do you expect from him Friday night?

Much of that debacle against the Dodgers was just Ian Kennedy shaking off rust and getting back into a groove. I expect this game on Friday night to be much smoother from Kennedy; he should have worked the kinks out. He’s a good professional pitcher.

Can we have Odrisamer Despaigne, man? The fact that you have him just hanging out in the bullpen is bull crap. We’ll give you Kyle Kendrick.

Haha. Hopefully we won’t need him to make spot starts, but injuries happen. If the Padres are serious about a playoff run this year, they need all the pitching depth they can get.

When we last talked to you guys, Justin Upton looked like the National League MVP. He’s really cooled off since the Rockies’ series. Cause for concern, or just the ebb and flow of a baseball season?

I think it’s just the ebb and flow of the season, in my opinion. He can get hot fast. And he will again; it’s only a matter of time.

Most importantly, because I’m selfish: I’m driving down from LA to go to the game Saturday evening. Three questions: (1) how bad is San Diego traffic, (2) where should I park and what’s that whole situation like, and (3) where should I sit? (But seriously and more broadly, what’s the ballpark atmosphere like at Petco? Because I gotta hand it to you, San Diego sure seems to have the most beautiful ballpark in baseball on TV, at least.)

San Diego traffic is bad on the 163 heading into downtown. If you can get to the game a little early, though, it shouldn’t be a problem. Parking is a little tricky. The parking garage of the convention center is the least painful, but if you are ok with walking a few blocks, there are ACE parking lots all over that are cheaper.

If you want a good time, sit somewhere near right center field. It’s a great family atmosphere. There is a grassy area called Park in the Park. You can grab a beach towel and lay on a grassy hill and watch the game. There is also a sandbox for the kids, and Randy Jones’ BBQ is right behind the batter’s eye — delicious hot dogs. I also like that there is plenty of standing room to watch the game at different angles. If you can walk around and find a spot behind home plate, I love the view of Metro San Diego it has beyond center field. A beautiful ballpark indeed!

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