Future Colorado Rockies: Grand Junction Rockies August 16 Update

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The Colorado Rockies’ rookie ball affiliate is winding down their season in the hitter-friendly Pioneer League.

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Entering Saturday night’s game, the Colorado Rockies’ rookie level affiliate is just 3-11 in the second half of their season, and it’s dropped them to 23-29 overall on the year.

Knowing you can do math at home, it isn’t hard to see that this above-.500 club has fallen off the table in the second half, and it’s going to affect their playoff hopes, unless they can right the ship well enough to overcome the slow second half start.

Interestingly, the club has gone just 11-17 at home entering play Saturday night, while holding their own on the road at 12-12. Baseball!

The last week (1-7): The baby Rox are another Colorado Rockies’ affiliate to slow down in the second half of the season, and they’ve stumbled out of the All Star Break, too, going just 1-7 in their eight games since the three days off.

Now is an important time in the development of rookie level guys; no, they aren’t playing 140 games like full-season minor leaguers, but for most high schoolers who haven’t been used to playing every single day, the 70-80 games they’ll end up getting in Grand Junction will be eye opening, and the dog days of August are very much a thing.

Next: Trending Up And Down For The Baby Rox

Apr 10, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; General view of Colorado Rockies hats and gloves during the eighth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field. The Rockies defeated the Cubs 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Trending up (Daniel Suero): Let’s focus on two guys who lead the Grand Junction Rockies in games played (each with 40 entering Saturday night.

Suero, who was a Pioneer League All Star this year, and in his last ten games, he’s recorded 12 hits and a walk while striking out only four times.

Add to that his .309/.330/.438 slash line with 13 stolen bases, and the Rockies have a 20-year old centerfielder they can develop.

One knock on Suero? 24 strikeouts this year in 178 at-bats (which isn’t bad in and of itself), against just three walks. Like most young guys, he’ll need to develop an eye at the plate, especially if he is to work somewhere near the top of a lineup in his future.

Trending down (Sam Hilliard): The outfielder from Wichita State is having a great rookie season after being drafted in the 15th round by the Rockies back in June, but he is having a tough couple weeks.

In his last ten games, he’s just 6-for-30 with 11 strikeouts (though he has hit a homer, and walked six times). Overall, though, the former Shocker is slashing .316/.415/.555 in 40 games (146 at-bats) with nine doubles, seven triples, and four home runs.

The 6’5″ lefty ought to move steadily if this year is any indication of what he can do, especially considering the major college program from which he was drafted.

Next: GJ Rockies Notes

Apr 21, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; General view of Coors Field during the first inning of the game between the San Diego Padres against the Colorado Rockies. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

One to watch (Parker French): The attention on the mound this year in Grand Junction has gone to Mike Nikorak, Peter Lambert, and even Hunter Brothers, but more focus ought to be on Parker French.

The Rockies’ fifth round draft pick in June, French has shown the Rockies exactly what teams hope to see from college guys drafted and sent to rookie ball: aggressiveness to go right after hitters, and challenge guy with strikes early and often.

This week (on Tuesday), French tossed five innings of one-run ball against Great Falls, striking out eight and not walking anybody.

In fact, in his eight starts in Grand Junction, he’s only had one game in which he has walked somebody: a two-walk performance in five innings against Ogden on July 26. In his other seven starts (spanning 34.1 innings), French has walked none and struck out 29 hitters.

Couple that with his overall 0.99 WHIP and 3.89 ERA in a hitter’s league, and French is showing the Rockies exactly what they were hoping for from the University of Texas product.

Quick hits: At .293/.360/.458, Grand Junction has the third best offense in the Pioneer League … And as you might expect with offensive numbers like that, GJ’s pitching staff has put up a 6.08 ERA and 1.67 WHIP, both of which are the worst in the league … Daniel Koger, Sam Thoele, and Brothers are fifth, sixth, and seventh in the league in saves, respectively at 4, 4, and 3 … Brothers also leads the league in games pitched, with 18 relief appearances so far on the season … Proving how professional of a hitter he is already, Hilliard is also second in the league in triples and third in walks … beginning Sunday, the Rox have just 23 games left — and only two home stands — before the season comes to an end.

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