Colorado Rockies fans: Here’s why you shouldn’t hit the panic button

Colorado Rockies fans face the same frustration year after year when watching the Rockies. Colorado always gets out to a fast start, only to have a terrible month in June and fall out of the playoff race by a lot.

You would think we Rockies fans would learn to not be prisoners of the moment. We always give our hopes up early on in the season only to get heartbroken by the harsh reality: We’re just not good enough.

After losing two of three to Arizona, getting swept by the Dodgers, and losing Monday night to the Giants, many Rockies fans are found terrified of what’s to come. However, the Rockies are still in prime condition to make an impact in the playoffs, and here’s why:

More from Rox Pile

• A Colorado Rockies Thanksgiving
• Colorado Rockies: What if Todd Helton had played football instead?
• Colorado Rockies: Charlie Blackmon out for the season
• Colorado Rockies: Injuries shift look of roster ahead of Dodgers series
• Colorado Rockies: Has Sean Bouchard earned a second look in 2023?

San Fransisco was due to beat the Colorado

Before last night, the Rockies were 10-1 against the Giants this season. It doesn’t matter how much better you are than another team. only losing once to a divisional opponent is unheard of. Thus, the Giants beat the struggling Rockies. Better for them to lose now, well before halfway through the season and with a manageable deficit behind Los Angeles than late in the season.

Don’t be too surprised if the Giants win again tonight. The Rockies have had multiple miserable starts in a row, and they’re offense hasn’t been up to par either.

Jon Gray is close to being back

Perhaps the biggest reason to keep faith in Colorado, Jon Gray should be coming off the disabled list as soon as this weekend. Last year, Gray was by far the best pitcher on the Rockies, and should immediately help the Rockies get back on their feet. The Rockies have had six straight starting performances that have been awful. Gray will be back, fresh and ready to go.

To be completely honest, Rockies fans should have seen this collapse coming. Simply put, you cannot rely on a starting rotation containing four rookie starters to run a team for an entire season. By June, most rookies have a collapse, which is completely normal. I’m not saying players like Antonio Senzatela and German Marquez cannot get back on track. I am saying it would not suprise me if they both have a rough end to the year.

Gray may not be a veteran, but he also is the best pitcher we have. Getting him on the mound for the first time in late June can put him in the perfect position to be a leader and keep the Rockies alive.

The Rockies have a huge lead in the Wild Card race. If Colorado doesn’t win the division, the Rockies can almost count on playing in the win or go home Wild Card game.

Obviously, that is not what fans want. This Rockies team might just be the best in Rockies history. In fact, they are on pace to edge 100 wins for the first time in their short history. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Rockies are also 4.5 games out of winning its first division title. That’s right, in the midst of the Dodgers and Giants brutal rivalry, the Rockies have never won their division. Unfortunately, the year Colorado finally looks to be in the running for a World Series is the same year Los Angeles and Arizona both dominate as well.

Winning the division would also keep them out of the Wild Card game. In a one-and-done game, anything can happen. It would be much more comfortable to have a free pass into the NLDS. But if worst comes to worst, the Rockies are 6.5 games ahead of the Chicago Cubs for the final Wild Card spot. However, the Cubs are actually closer to leading their division then they are of catching the Rockies. Thus, the Brewers would also be a Wild Card threat. If the Cubs were leading their division, the Brewers would be 5.5 games out of the Wild Card spot.

Next: How Parra is contributing to the Rockies, even on the DL

The Blake Street Bombers of Colorado are going through easily the roughest weeks of their season. But there is no need to be panicking. With a 6.5 game cushion and only 4.5 games out of first, there is still a lot to be excited about continuing on into the season.