Cleveland – Woodrow Wilson presided over the United States. “Down Honolulu Way” was a popular song. Fortune cookies were invented by a California noodlemaker. Babe Ruth was a player, not a candy bar.
The year was 1916, the last time a major-league team started worse on the road than the Rockies.
Thrashed by the Cleveland Indians 11-2 at Jacobs Field on Tuesday, Colorado came face-to-face with sobering history.
The Rockies own a 4-24 record in visiting parks, matching the start of the 1988 Baltimore Orioles and this year’s Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Only the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics (3-25) began a season in a worse road tailspin.
“Wow. I did not know that,” Rockies center fielder Preston Wilson said. “No one starts a season thinking something like that is even possible. I know I wish it wasn’t like this.”
The Rockies are on pace for 12 wins away from Coors Field, which would be the fewest ever, eclipsing the 1935 Boston Braves (13-65). The aforementioned A’s went 13-64 with characters like Nap Lajoie, Stuffy McInnis and Rube Oldring.
Baseball was like that back then, laced with cool nicknames.
At least they sounded good when they played bad.
The Rockies’ appeal lies more in roster rumors than victories. They are listening to offers for today’s starter Joe Kennedy, waiting for interest to increase on Wilson – Washington wants him, but only if the Rockies pay the freight – while searching for an insurance shortstop to spell Desi Relaford.
Pitcher Jeff Francis is as untouchable as any Rockie. But Tuesday, he was a rookie of the year candidate in name only. Sabotaged by mechanical glitches, the left-hander was smashed for the second consecutive start, tagged for seven runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Manager Clint Hurdle was visibly upset with Francis’ outing afterward, saying – among other things – the 24-year-old “needs to be more coachable.” At the crux of Hurdle’s anger weren’t Francis’ results, but how they were reached.
He lamented the fact Francis is “rushing and jumping” in his delivery, problems magnified by his foot placement on the first-base side of the rubber.
“He’s overstriding; it takes away his breaking ball and gives him no opportunity to establish any kind of consistency,” Hurdle said. “We are going to have a sit-down with him.”
Francis, known for his high baseball IQ, knew something was wrong as he melted down, leaving him 2-5 with a 7.11 ERA career on the road. Even when he felt good, he couldn’t keep the ball down.
“I am open to all ideas,” Francis said. “I will take what works, and if something doesn’t, I will throw it out the window.”
Jake Westbrook, the Rockies’ top draft pick in 1996, benefited from Cleveland’s rare offensive eruption. The Indians had scored just 34 runs in his previous 13 starts. “It was awesome to see,” Westbrook said.
Nothing was as impressive as Travis Hafner’s eighth-inning home run off Matt Anderson. A hit worthy of the nearby Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Hafner’s shot landed 474 feet from home plate. It was yet another painful reminder of the Rockies’ road to ruin.
“We just have to do things we do at home. We have to keep the other team from adding on, and we need to come up with more big hits,” first baseman Todd Helton said. “We have to work our way out of this.”
Staff writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-820-5457 or trenck@denverpost.com.
ROCKIES REPORT
No one has Helton’s back, ex-teammate says
Indians second baseman Ronnie Belliard thought his ears betrayed him. He heard Todd Helton was batting .255 entering Tuesday’s game and couldn’t believe it.
He pointed to the Rockies’ lineup when offering a theory on Helton’s month-long slump.
“He doesn’t have (Larry) Walker around. Walker was so dangerous,” said Belliard, a former Rockie who made two spectacular defensive plays in the Indians’ victory. “Without him, there’s no way that teams will let Helton beat them.”
Miceli closing in
Reliever Dan Miceli is pitching for the Sky Sox, and given the June 25 out date in his contract, he will likely be promoted soon.
Gen Rx
Second baseman Aaron Miles (lower back spasms) took batting practice Tuesday and hopes to begin a rehabilitation assignment later this week. Starter Aaron Cook will throw a bullpen session today and a simulated game Saturday.
He will have at least one more supervised session before heading out.
