A rocky week is exactly what this Colorado Rockies rotation needs

Last week undoubtedly got uncomfortable watching the Colorado Rockies. It was uncomfortable because it felt so familiar. Familiar in the sense of watching your parent’s Rockies. This entire season feels like a dream. Pitchers in their early 20s are pitching like they didn’t skip Triple-A or didn’t grow up in Denver so the thought of pitching at altitude is incredibly daunting.

But losing the first-place lead to the Dodgers by losing three of four to the last-place Mariners and giving up too many runs in the first game of the series to the last-place Padres felt like the beginning of the usual Rockies. This team plays well to start the season but eventually lets it go once the temperature rises.

Sure be cynical. No one will blame you. Why would Lucy let Charlie Brown kick the football now? Regardless of the tough week, that’s all it is. A tough week. A week this young team (especially this young pitching staff) needs. Not that this season has been easy by any means but coming into the week the Rockies had only lost two series. This team needs to be tested after tough times. That’s exactly how this team responded. They had a tough four games on the road trip and showed their resiliency to come out on top of the division once again.

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It started with Tyler Chatwood‘s start on Memorial Day after pitching a one-hitter in Philadelphia the start before. Against the Mariners, he was erratic walking three and giving up six runs. Maybe the Mariners record has more to do with injuries but Chatwood didn’t seem clamoring to take over the leading spot left by Jon Gray.

That all seems to change when he gets back on the road. In his second start of the week, Chatwood only gave up one run on four hits. The righty has shown that he can bounce back after he struggles especially on the road. That’s something this inexperienced rotation can take note from.

The week didn’t fair so well for the other Tyler in the rotation. The Mariners got to Tyler Anderson early and often in a game where he never looked in control giving up six runs off 11 hits. Maybe his stint on the DL will be beneficial to Anderson the way it was to Trevor Story. Getting a chance to recover and get a rehab start helped Story change his approach to start getting back to the path that led to the success he experienced in 2016. Anderson needs the exact same reset.

Then the nearly inexplicable happened when Rockies fans saw Antonio Senzatela struggle. It can’t be stressed enough that he is less than 15 starts into his major-league career. Facing adversity can only help this young starter. When Senzatela lets runners on base, he usually shines. Implementing that strategy after a tough start will only make him better. It’s exactly what he did in a blow-out loss to the Nationals late in April. All that followed was a brilliant May. The month of June looks just as promising.

While Kyle Freeland had a nice bounce back start on Thursday to right the Rockies ship, the most interesting pitcher to emerge from this rocky week is someone that hasn’t been a fixture at all on this team. That is about to change. Jeff Hoffman looks ready. When Anderson gets back into his rotation spot he deserves, Hoffman will only give the starting rotation more depth. Anderson’s struggles give this rotation more depth. That’s a commodity this Rockies rotation desperately needs.

If this week has taught fans anything, it is that the bullpen and bats are going to be fine. That hasn’t always been the case and won’t be taken for granted. This staff has already produced some of the best pitching this franchise has ever seen. But the only way this team is going to be fighting for a playoff spot in September is on the back of a very young, mostly inexperienced rotation. The only way not to repeat a series like the one the Rockies did against the Nationals is to get more experience. Losing has to be a big part of that.

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If this Rockies rotation bounces back bigger than Big Sean, these rough patches don’t have to be inevitable doom. They are chances to build and get better. Being in first place doesn’t hurt either.

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