Rockies’ identity unclear even after red-hot run
Is Colorado contender or pretender? Stretch against Dodgers will be key
 Jeff Gross / Getty Images | Jim Tracy's taking over for Clint Hurdle isn't the only reason for the Rockies' resurgence, NBCSports.com contributor Tony DeMarco writes. |
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Winning 17 of 18 will do that for you, even when you spent the first six weeks of the season underachieving enough that it cost a manager his job.
In the past three weeks, the Rockies have invoked comparisons to their late-2007 run and risen above the National League bottom feeders to fit smack in the middle of a multi-team wildcard scrum. In these parity-filled days, that's relevant enough.
Along the way, they swept the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers back-to-back on the road, part of a club-record nine consecutive away victories.
Then they swept the Seattle Mariners at home for a club-record 11 consecutive victories. After a one-game hiccup against the Tampa Bay Rays, they won five more, including a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
But even now — a week short of the season's halfway point — we still wonder: Who are the Rockies? Streaking team that should be in a buyer’s mode? Or an inevitable downturn away from unloading a salary or two?
We can speculate all we want, but it's vice president/general manager Dan O'Dowd's job to figure that out. Between now and the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, that's exactly what he will be trying to do — important financial and roster decisions resting in the balance.
New manager Jim Tracy, who at the same time has helped and benefited from this latest wildly unexpected run of mile-high success, has his opinion. He told the Denver Post on Wednesday: “I think I have a pretty good read already, and I think we have a good club.”
But not all the evidence is pointing that way.
It's far too simplistic to think that a change in managers from Clint Hurdle to Tracy has made this much difference. Truth is, Tracy has tweaked a few things, but nothing major. And his down-home, positive vibe has gone a long way to creating a calm-after-the-storm feeling that has permeated the clubhouse since Hurdle's departure.
The Hurdle job-status issue had loomed since spring training, really, and the deeper the hole dug by the Rockies' very poor start, the more uncertainty arose about his survival. But that's way-yesterday now.
Troy Tulowitzki has regained his power stroke, his batting average is climbing this month, and you know how good his defense is. Closer Huston Street has found it again, crediting a move to the other side of the rubber suggested by pitching coach Bob Apodaca.
But the biggest difference since the managerial change has been the starting rotation, which has been on a streak that only fuels skeptics' doubts.
In the 17-of-18 stretch, Rockies starters were 15-1 with a 3.40 ERA. For comparison's sake, up to that point, they were 15-22 with a 4.63 ERA. Somewhere in the middle probably lies the real Rockies rotation, but who knows for sure?
Jason Marquis took the mound Wednesday in Anaheim as the NL win leader at nine. He left it 3.1 innings later after his shortest and worst start of the season — eight runs and nine hits allowed — and the end result was an 11-3 loss to the Angels, and the Rockies' first series loss in their past six.
Marquis is a possible All-Star, but never has won more than 15 games in a season, managed 11 on a 97-win Cubs team last season, and his career track record has been one of poorer second halves (30-37, 4.93) than first halves (58-38, 4.23).
In fact, the need for another starting pitcher is clear — and losing Jeff Francis for the season only exacerbated the situation. The in-house options are fifth-starter types Josh Fogg (currently in the bullpen) and Greg Smith (on a rehab assignment). A bold suggestion would be something along the lines of Roy Oswalt — but that kind of price tag never has been the Rockies' style. A Jarrod Washburn-type is the more-likely option.
The bullpen also needs a fresh arm or two, especially with setup man Manny Corpas landing on the disabled list last week with 'loose bodies' in his pitching elbow — which almost inevitably means arthroscopic surgery, the only question being how severe, and how long the recovery period.
That injury on top of 2008 standout Taylor Buchholz undergoing Tommy John surgery, and the fact that Brian Fuentes is closing games in an Angels uniform these days, equals a potential trouble spot as the season drags on.
The easy solution would be to send Garrett Atkins somewhere for one of those pitching needs, and turn third base over to young power source Ian Stewart.
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There is an outfield surplus, but again, top prospect Carlos Gonzalez is looking a bit overmatched at times since his call-up, and could return to Triple-A. Still, there is interest out there in versatile and underrated Ryan Spilborghs.
In the meantime, we will watch daily, wondering just what will happen next; just who will show up in those purple-tinged jerseys. The next important indicator begins Monday in Dodger Stadium, the final stop on the Rockies' nine-game California stay.
They've already lost eight of nine to the Dodgers this season, so a series victory would lend credence to the thought that this, indeed, is a new-and-improved version of the Rockies.
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