Colorado Rockies: Next 10 Games Will Determine Much

Once the Colorado Rockies begin second-half play on Friday night in Atlanta, the team doesn’t have another off day until Monday, August 1. That date also just happens to be the Major League Baseball trade deadline. Having both events happen on the same date should make the next 17 games very interesting for the Rockies.

At 40-48, every game is critical for the Rockies if they have any chance to climb back into the race for a spot in the National League postseason festivities. Colorado sits 16 games behind the San Francisco Giants in the National League West standings. However, the Rockies are just seven games back in the Wild Card race.

Are the Rockies’ chances of making the postseason great? No. There are four teams ahead of them as franchises will continue to jockey for the two NL Wild Card spots throughout the second half of the season.

Are the Rockies’ chances of making the postseason impossible? No. I mean, in its odds, Baseball Prospectus said at the All-Star Break there was a 0.3 percent chance that the Rockies were heading to the postseason this year. It’s much like the immortal words of Lloyd Christmas in “Dumb and Dumber” …

So why would a team eight games under .500 have a shot at making a postseason run? Well, take a quick look at Colorado’s upcoming schedule.

Friday’s opener in Atlanta begins a very important 10-game stretch for the Rockies. After playing three games against the Braves, Colorado returns to Coors Field for three games against the Tampa Bay Rays and four against Atlanta. Those teams own two of the four worst winning percentages in MLB, with Atlanta a league-worst 31-58 while Tampa Bay is 34-54.

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See Rockies fans … things could always be worse.

Atlanta is 4-6 in their last 10 games and just 13-34 on the season at home. Tampa Bay has lost their last six games and 1-9 in their last 10 games entering the All-Star break.

Is there an opportunity here for the Rockies? You bet.

How the Rockies do over their next 10 games will determine if they have a legitimate shot at the postseason or not. Win eight of 10 and gain some confidence with a 48-50 mark and things suddenly look much different.

Can it be done? Absolutely. The Rockies won eight of 10 during a recent June stretch that included taking two of three at Los Angeles, sweeping the New York Yankees in a two-game stretch at Coors Field, and beating the Pittsburgh Pirates in a rare one-game affair.

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But these next 10 games are about more than just potentially getting back into the race for the Wild Card. They could also determine how quickly the Rockies turn into sellers as the trade deadline draws ever closer. If the Rockies stumble out of the gate against the Braves and Rays, could that mean that Carlos Gonzalez, Boone Logan, Jorge De La Rosa, and/or others might be on their way out of a Rockies uniform? Yes, and potentially sooner than later.

Potentially having a player like CarGo leave the Rockies also changes the face of the Rockies for the short-term future as well. It sends a signal that Colorado isn’t playoff material this year … or maybe even next.

And hey, let’s be honest, the next 10 games will also show how much Denver cares about the Rockies as August begins and attention turns to the defending World Champion Denver Broncos. If the Rockies can stay in the hunt and keep things interesting, it’s always more fun at 20^th and Blake as the days get shorter.

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Do the next 10 games mean a lot to the Colorado Rockies? Absolutely. Not just for this season for the short future as well.