Colorado Rockies: 3 keys for the D’Backs series

The Rockies need to give some guys that are struggling a day off … or few days off

Nolan Arenado had a day off on Sunday against the Dodgers because he has been struggling all season.

There are few other guys in the lineup that need a day, or a few days, off.

Case in point: Daniel Murphy.

Let’s go back to the fourth inning on Sunday. This is the inning that manager Bud Black thought was the “key inning of the game,” rather than the aforementioned second inning.

It’s a 2-2 tie now and Antonio Senzatela, in Bud Black’s words, is “throwing the ball well” at the time as he has two outs in the inning with nobody on base. Joc Pederson, with a 2-1 count, lines a single into center field.

Then, with Pederson on first, Muncy comes to plate and grounds one to Murphy at first. It deflects off his glove, past Rodgers (who likely would have fielded it cleanly) had Murphy not deflected it. Instead, Rodgers went too far, had to dive back toward second base and he missed it.

The perceived problem here: Daniel Murphy should have let Rodgers field the ball.

Sure, in hindsight, that’s the case. But it doesn’t in foresight or what play is happening. The ball is hit his way so he should attempt to get the ball, which he did.