MLB Predictions: Colorado Rockies At Arizona Diamondbacks

Colorado Rockies pitcher Adam Ottavino (0) Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

We are officially three weeks into the 2015 MLB season.  Heading into the season, a common theme around the Colorado Rockies was the only NL West team they had a chance to finish higher than would be the Arizona Diamondbacks (exhibit A, exhibit B).  In the “battle” to stay out of last place, the Rockies are currently sitting 2 games ahead of the Diamondbacks.

That two game cushion is going to come in handy as I predict the Diamondbacks will win this three game series.  My predictions record thus far is 5-0-1.  The third column 1 is a “push” due to a rainout cancelling the Rockies/Giants series finale leaving it at tie.  Ties don’t exist in a 3 game series.

Game One:

Rockies starter Tyler Matzek is coming off of a 6 walk performance versus the San Diego Padres.  Last season on August 8th, Matzek played the Diamondbacks.  A three run homerun in the 1st inning would account for all the scoring against Matzek BUT he did allow “traffic” on the bases each inning including walking the bases loaded in his 5th and final inning.  On August 30th, Matzek and his Diamondback counterpart put on a pitching show which the Rockies won 2-0.  Matzek managed to avoid facing Diamondback slugger Paul Goldschmidt in both their meetings.

Sophomore Chase Anderson takes the mound for Arizona.  Mr. Anderson has not been able to record an out against Raphael Ynoa in three tries BUT has collectively held Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon, Corey Dickerson, Carlos Gonzalez, DJ LeMahieu, and Troy Tulowitzki to only 5 hits.  In 3 starts this season, there has been no sign of a sophomore slump as Mr. Anderson yet to give up more than 3 runs in an outing.

Intangible to this game is that the Rockies have to travel over 500 miles to play while the Dbacks are already at home.

Prediction: Diamondbacks

Game Two:

Kyle Kendrick has played Jekyll and Hyde this season.  The trigger to whether we get “good Kendrick” or “bad Kendrick” is his control (like most pitchers really).

Kendrick played the D’Backs once last season going 5.2 innings giving up 3 runs on 1 walk and 6 hits (3 of those hits were to Aaron Hill). Not an awe-inspiring performance which would likely require our Rox bullpen to put in a “bend but not break” game.  Of the 10 Colorado Rockies wins, only 3 times have they won a game in which the bullpen give up a run (April 8th Hawkins, April 14th Betancourt, April 15th Logan).

Rookie Archie Bradley takes the mound for the Diamondbacks.  MLB.com’s “prospect watch” ranks Archie Bradley 4th overall in pitchers and 16th overall on the list (one ahead of our very own Jon Gray in both respects).  A snippet from AZcentral.com regarding his last appearance, tell me if the theme sounds very familiar:

"Diamondbacks rookie right-hander Archie Bradley knew his outing was about to be decided with only two outs in the top of the first. He’d already walked in a run on three walks and a hit batter. Baseball gods forbid the visiting Texas Rangers actually connect on a ball….The promise of his first two career starts, in which he’d surrendered just two earned runs, was also hanging in the balance as he was seemingly reverting to his inconsistent 2014 form….…and then battled through shaky control and less-than-sharp stuff for six innings."

Prediction: Diamondbacks

Game Three:

 On June 4th, 2014 Jordan Lyles broke a bone in his hand during a game against the Diamondbacks versus Arizona.  Two months and two weeks later, Lyles would face the Diamondbacks again and would win the game going 6 innings giving up 9 hits and 2 runs, walking nobody and striking out 2.  Lyles has kept Arizona “franchise four” player Paul Goldschmidt homer-less but has given up 3 long balls to Mark Trumbo.

It has been suggested on Rox Pile that Jordan Lyles is becoming the staff ace.  If the Rockies lose the first two games of this series as predicted, an ace showing by Lyles to get his team a win would offer that much more credence to the ever-improving pitcher.

Josh Collmenter on the mound for the D’Backs should have Rox fans salivating.  Charlie Blackmon is 5-10 versus Collmenter.  Carlos Gonzalez bats .417 with 2 homeruns versus Collmenter.  The recently red hot Nick Hundley bats .455 with 1 homerun versus Collmenter.

Prediction: Rockies