Series Preview: Colorado Rockies vs Miami Marlins

Jun 6, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Chris Rusin (52) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

SERIES KEYS FOR THE ROCKIES

Is Rusin for real?

The Rockies enter this series having sent Eddie Butler down to AAA Albuquerque, choosing to go with hot hands David Hale, Chris Rusin, and Chad Bettis in the rotation, while letting Butler develop off-speed pitches in the minors. Now that Rusin (and Hale) are here for the foreseeable future, it’s time to see how they both do with set jobs in the rotation.

Hale threw well against the Cardinals earlier this week, and now both will be tested in Miami. Rusin is the hot hand now, and I love the move the Rockies made to keep him up in the big leagues; go with the hot hand until he’s no longer hot, then bring up Jon Gray/Butler/whomever to take his place.

Beat up on bad teams!

It’s both unlikely and incredible that the Rockies won their first home series of the year against the St. Louis Cardinals — the best team in the league — but, hey, you can’t predict baseball.

Now, the Rox get a test against a floundering Marlins team that has been going the wrong direction, well, all year long.

After having the Marlins come into Denver and win two of three games, now would be the perfect time to exact a little revenge in Miami – while picking up ground on the road to a .500 record.

If the Rockies want to believe that they’re actually halfway decent, they need to do two things: win games in their division against NL West opponents (more on that in another post very soon), and beat bad teams when they should. Not saying the Marlins are a terrible team, but they are struggling through a tough stretch and twelve games under .500 — these are the kinds of series where the Rockies need to make a statement.

Can it happen? Will the Rox take three of four in Miami? Boy, that’d be nice. But either way, splitting a four-game road set isn’t the worst thing in the world, and if this club wants to believe they’re something near a .500 team, they need to play like it on the road against a club twelve games under .500 entering the series.

The toughest part of this mini-stretch may be behind them

Entering the Cardinals’ series, I noted how the Rockies had a tough 11-game stretch ahead — three hosting St. Louis, four in Miami, and four against Houston (two away, two home). Now, they may be through the toughest part of this stretch.

But, that doesn’t mean things get easier. The road has always been brutal to the Rockies — though they are exceeding expectations this season — and Houston up next is a good ballclub.

Having made it through the Cardinals successfully, and with Houston looming next week, the Rox need a good series in Miami now. Winning one of four games would be a very bad series and a huge disappointment for a club that had worked so hard to even get close to .500 the last few weeks.

Next: Let's Meet The Miami Marlins