Colorado Rockies vs Seattle Mariners: 5 players to watch

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Mar 4, 2017; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, AZ, USA; Colorado Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu (9) turns a double play on Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Chase De Jong (70) during the third inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /

The Colorado Rockies start their second interleague series of the season on Monday, taking on the Seattle Mariners in a four-game home and home series.

Colorado and Seattle have had much different seasons this year. The Rockies sit atop of the National League after a tremendous start, going 33-19. Meanwhile, the Seattle Mariners are in last place in the American League West with a 22-29 mark.

There was high hopes for the team from the Pacific Northwest. A lot of people preseason saw them as a favorite for one of the AL Wild Cards. However, the team has had its share of bad luck. As MLB.com’s Greg Johns explained before the Mariners game this past Saturday, the injury bug has bit the Mariners hard.

That doesn’t change anything for the Rockies, they’ll play whoever is out there against them. The back half of the series is the start to a road trip heavy month of June for Colorado. Despite the high amount of road trips, the Colorado Rockies are in a good spot. The team is 18-8 on the road this year and start the trip with a team not playing good baseball.

Nevertheless, there was valid reason for the high expectations for the Seattle Mariners. They still have a lineup that can get hot and put up a lot of runs. Let’s take a peak at a few of those guys…

May 18, 2017; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners shortstop Jean Segura (2) hits a three-run-homer against the Chicago White Sox during the fifth inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

Jean Segura, SS, Seattle

The Mariners acquired the shortstop over the off-season from the Arizona Diamondbacks, in a trade that sent pitcher Taijuan Walker to the D-Backs. Last year, Segura led the National League with 203 hits. Only Mookie Betts and Jose Altuve had more in 2016.

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As the team’s leadoff hitter, Segura gets a lot of opportunity to get hits and to get on base. He has speed with 33 stolen bags a year ago. Not surprisingly, he leads the team in runs scored even after a small stint on the DL.

The Colorado Rockies also saw Segura a lot last year when he was with Arizona and they didn’t have much of an answer for him. The Dominican-born shortstop had his most hits against any team against the Rockies. He went 32-for-76 with a .421 average when he faced Colorado, including 19 hits at Coors Field. Of the 20 home runs he hit last year, six of them were against the Rockies.

Segura is a key part of the Seattle Mariners lineup. Despite the rest of the team’s offensive struggles, he hasn’t slowed down. He’s earned the nickname “Jean Jean the Hitting Machine” for a reason. If the Rockies want to keep the Mariners from scoring, limiting the amount of hits Segura gets is key.

May 25, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Nelson Cruz (23) hits a three run home run against the Washington Nationals in the sixth inning at Nationals Park. The Mariners won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Nelson Cruz, DH/RF, Seattle

With half of the four-game series in Colorado, the Mariners will have to put Nelson Cruz in right field to keep his bat in the lineup. Most baseball fans have seen David Freese’s game tying triple in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. Nelson Cruz’s defensive play on that hit wasn’t the prettiest sight.

Colorado Rockies

However, Cruz isn’t known as the premier player that he is for his glove. It’s for his bat. The Seattle DH is currently leading the American League in RBI with 41 on top of 12 home runs. Cruz has put up 40-plus home runs and 90-plus runs batted in for three straight years now and is headed toward a fourth at his current pace.

With 296 career home runs in his 13-year career, he will always be a threat to hit the long ball. Fortunately for the Rockies, all but five career at-bats for Cruz have been for American League teams. This is a large reason why the American League RBI leader has only gone deep at Coors Field twice in his career.

Another thing going the Rockies way is the timing of this series. Since May 17th, Cruz is 3 for his last 32 but two of those three hits are home runs. While the Seattle clean-up hitter is in a slump, good hitters never stay cold for long. With 214 of his career home runs against right-handed pitchers, starters Tyler Chatwood and Antonio Senzatela must be careful.

Apr 15, 2017; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher James Paxton yells out after getting the last out of the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Safeco Field. Paxton gave up only two hits and no runs. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports /

James Paxton, SP, Seattle

Before four of their five Opening Day starters hit the DL, you would’ve guessed Felix Hernandez was the most dominant Mariner starter. That’d be incorrect. It’d be the Canadian-born James Paxton (he has a pretty cool Maple Leaf tattoo to prove it). He is set to make his return from the DL on Wednesday for the first game at Safeco.

Ian Desmond, LF/1B, Colorado

Ian Desmond finally has 100 at bats as a Colorado Rockie. After fracturing his hand from a pitch in Spring Training, Desmond is an everyday guy for the team. Coming into Monday, Desmond’s average is up to .299, which is higher than his .267 career average. However, there is still something missing to Desmond’s game.

In his short time for the Colorado Rockies, Desmond only has seven extra base hits in 25 games. He only has two homers for the which game in the same May 3rd game against the San Diego Padres. Much like Jean Segura though, Desmond will face a familiar foe.

Last year as a Texas Ranger, Ian Desmond hit 22 home runs. Fifteen of those home runs came after May and two of those long balls also came at Safeco Field. The Colorado Rockies play at Safeco Field on May 31 and June 1 and the three-time silver slugger winner should be in good conditions to get his power back.

Seeing a team he saw plenty last year might be what the doctor ordered for Desmond. Even though he only went 19-for-75 with a .253 average against the Mariners last year, the mentality of a player knowing an opponent helps. Desmond will also see more time at first base Wednesday and Thursday, while Mark Reynolds will most likely be Colorado’s DH.

May 13, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tyler Anderson (44) delivers a pitch in the first inning Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

Tyler Anderson, SP, Colorado

Tyler Anderson was most likely one mistake to Tommy Joseph away from his first shutout performance of 2017 this past Thursday. It was still Anderson’s best start of the year, surrendering only one run and six hits while striking out seven over seven innings against the Phillies. It was the first time all season Anderson had gone more than six innings.

He is Tuesday’s scheduled starter for the Colorado Rockies as he’ll dual against Ariel Miranda. Both Anderson and Miranda have found more consistency in May after a rough April for each. Although, much like Miranda both will walk guys. Walks can be killers and the difference in close games.

Facing a dangerous lineup of the Seattle Mariners that includes Cruz, Robinson Cano, and Kyle Seager will be a task for Anderson. In 2017, he has allowed a home run in each of his starts except for one. Combine one walk and a bomb from one of those guys might be asking for trouble.

Next: The top 5 second basemen in Colorado history

Anderson in the month of May has been solid with an ERA of 2.55 and has been a reason why the Rockies have skyrocketed but after his best performance he can’t come into Tuesday too confident. Yes, this lineup has seen better days but a few mistakes can end Anderson’s streak of good starts in a hurry.

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