Some teams make baseball look easy. The Rockies aren’t one of them.
They own the National League’s worst record and arguably its worst luck. A month away from the all-star break, the Rockies’ ineffectiveness and injuries have created an odd predicament: Who will represent the team at baseball’s Midsummer Classic?
Todd Helton, who has appeared in five consecutive All-Star Games, said he doesn’t deserve to go, pointing to his modest .260 average and five home runs. So who should carry the banner for the Rockies?
“It’s Clint Barmes. No question,” Helton said Wednesday night. “He should go.”
Barmes was all but a lock until losing his footing on his apartment steps and crashing onto a concrete step that fractured his clavicle in three places. He is expected to be out a minimum of three months.
“Doesn’t matter,” Helton said. “He still deserves the honor.”
The rookie shortstop is batting .329 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs. Neither Cesar Izturis (.310, 1 HR, 20 RBI) or David Eckstein (.311, 2 HR, 19 RBI), the league’s top shortstops, project to pass Barmes’ statistics by mid-July.
“With his start, Barmes would have been the obvious choice,” said center fielder Preston Wilson, who represented the Rockies in the 2003 All-Star Game.Baseball rules require each team to have a player chosen as an all-star.
There is precedent for selecting an injured player. Rockies pitcher Shawn Chacon was named to the 2003 NL pitching staff even though he was on the disabled list. If Barmes is not taken, the remaining reserve candidates for National League manager Tony La Russa – no Rockie is close to being voted in – include Wilson (nine homers), Helton and Jeff Francis (staff-best five wins).
Concerns for Seay, Anderson
Reliever Bobby Seay’s troubled outing Wednesday night – four runs in one inning – went beyond the box score. Four days after coming off the disabled list with a pectoral injury, Seay lacked command and velocity, yielding consecutive home runs on 84-mph fastballs.
“I don’t know if something is wrong or not,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “Obviously we need better from him.”
Matt Anderson also melted down Wednesday, failing to retire a hitter. Hurdle traced the failure to the right-hander’s reluctance to use his slider.
“It doesn’t matter how hard you throw up here, if you keep throwing fastballs, guys are going to barrel it,” Hurdle said.
Tough stretch
The Rockies were weary after playing 23 consecutive games, a scheduling mistake. Teams cannot play more than 20 games in 20 days without the players’ consent. By time the error was discovered, the players believed they were better off acquiescing rather than eliminating a future off-day at home. “It’s a good time for a break, that’s all I know,” infielder Desi Relaford said.
