Colorado Rockies: The first half's 3 biggest disappointments

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DENVER, COLORADO – MAY 24: Starting pitcher Jeff Hoffman #34 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Coors Field on May 24, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

For the Colorado Rockies, it’s safe to say that the season has not gone as planned. Entering the All-Star break with a 44-45 record and in fourth place in the National League West, there have been some things that were expected to go well in 2019 that simply haven’t to this point … or haven’t on a consistent basis.

If the Colorado Rockies are going to make their third consecutive postseason appearance, they are going to have to play their best baseball of the season for an extended period of time in the season’s second half. Catching the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West almost certainly won’t happen. Snaring another Wild Card spot is still a very real possibility … if Colorado can find its mojo on the mound and at the plate.

And the mound is where we’ll start with the first big disappointment of 2019 so far. Think back to Opening Day and a rotation that consisted of Kyle Freeland, German Marquez, Tyler Anderson, Jon Gray and Chad Bettis. As the All-Star break dawned, only Marquez and Gray were still members of the rotation. Freeland was sent to Triple-A. Anderson underwent knee surgery (and is likely done for the season) and Bettis was sent to the bullpen.

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With Jeff Hoffman, Chi Chi Gonzalez, Antonio Senzatela and Peter Lambert trying to fill the voids, the Rockies rotation has found little rhythm. Not living up to billing has resulted in Colorado’s .271 average against being the highest in Major League Baseball. Only the Seattle Mariners have given up more hits than Colorado’s 849 allowed and Colorado’s WHIP of 1.44 ranks 26th out of MLB’s 30 teams.

If Colorado is going to make the postseason, Freeland has to return to Colorado and be consistently good on the mound. He doesn’t have to return to last year’s form but he does have to be able to match the effort that Gray and Marquez have shown in their better performances.

The Rockies will also have to shore up the back end of the rotation, whether that means Senzatela and Lambert find consistency or Colorado trades for a veteran to help the rotation overcome its early stumbles.

Additionally, the Rockies need more length out of their starters in order to keep the bullpen from being completely taxed as we’ve seen in the days since the historic run-scoring San Diego series in mid-June at Coors Field.

Colorado manager Bud Black has said time and time again that the key to Colorado’s success in the second half is pitching. Whether or not the rotation can be solidified will likely make the difference between Rocktober and just another October.

DENVER, CO – MAY 12: Daniel Murphy #9 of the Colorado Rockies runs out a seventh inning three-run double against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field on May 12, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

Daniel Murphy‘s slow start

Eleven innings into the season, Colorado’s plan for jumpstarting the offense when completely off the rails. Daniel Murphy, by far the biggest Rockies offseason acquisition, suffered an avulsion fracture of his left index finger on a diving play at first base in Miami. He would be out of action from March 31-April 24 and part of that stretch would see Colorado start the season with a 3-12 record.

Even when he came back, it took quite some time for Murphy to find his swing again. In mid-May, I even suggested that Murphy should be put back on the injured list. At the time, he had gone just 11-for-55 since coming back off the IL with multiple hits in only one contest. On the day I wrote that, Murphy’s season average had dipped to .190 and Colorado saw its record fall to 20-23 with a 5-4 loss in Philadelphia.

To know those numbers and to now see that Murphy is hitting .274 at the All-Star break shows the tear he has been on at the plate as his finger’s health has improved. When I talked to Murphy during Colorado’s last homestead, he reminded me that the splint still wasn’t off his finger. It will be soon, and that’s one of the reasons why Bud Black keeps reminding reporters that he doesn’t think we’ve seen the best of Murphy in a Rockies uniform yet.

What if the Rockies had had Murphy in the lineup all season? That’s a question that probably won’t be answered until 2020’s campaign.

DENVER, CO – MAY 07: Mike Dunn #38 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field on May 7, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

We mentioned the disappointments of the rotation in the first part of this article. However, several veteran members of the bullpen have certainly had their own issues this season as well.

Let’s start with the very back end of the bullpen and closer Wade Davis. The 33-year-old right-hander finished the first half with a 5.54 ERA and has allowed 28 hits in 26 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .272 against him.

It’s been especially rough since Davis returned from the injured list on June 7. In 11 June games, Davis had a 10.45 ERA and has given up 16 hits in 10.1 innings. He has also struck out just eight while walking six.