San Francisco – The darkness is no longer the same. There are crescents of light, flashes of hope that help explain the anger.
The Rockies lost to the Giants 5-3 on Wednesday, nothing unusual given they have forever melted like Ghirardelli chocolate in San Francisco.
What made this different was the reaction, how it hinted at raised expectations. Past defeats at SBC Park were treated with glazed eyes and haunting numbness. The Rockies were genuinely upset they didn’t win their fifth consecutive road series, mad they couldn’t finish off the Giants.
“We’ve raised the bar and we’re disappointed,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “We’re not going to accept being OK.”
Hurdle chose stability in his coaching staff Wednesday, inviting all members back. In explaining the decision, he spoke about the importance of continued improvement.
Hurdle measures progress in chapters. The Rockies finished August 15-14, their first monthly winning record this season. They remain the National League West’s best team since June 1, sitting at 37-46, just ahead of the 36-46 Giants.
Nine games under .500 is nothing to celebrate, but it suggests something significant for a franchise that will secure its fifth consecutive losing season with its next loss: the chance, if not the quiet goal, to become competitive next season.
“Everybody talks about this team being good in two to three years, but I believe it’s going to be sooner than that,” said reliever Mike DeJean, whom the team is focused on re-signing. “These kids are freaking good.”
The math indicates once-embarrassing thresholds should be eclipsed. Flirting with the 1962 Mets’ abyss after three months, the Rockies need 11 wins during their final 29 games to avoid 100 losses; 15 to match Las Vegas’ over-under for victories. Seven wins over the last 16 road games are necessary to avoid the team’s worst mark, established in 2003.
No step forward was taken Wednesday. The Giants ripped rookie Jeff Francis. They tagged the left-hander for four home runs, providing the difference for a Giants team that started five rookies.
“Solo home runs usually don’t hurt you,” said Francis (12-10). “But when there’s four they do.”
Todd Linden’s carried more weight, if not distance, coming moments after a spectacular defensive play. With two runners aboard, Todd Helton hammered a Brett Tomko fastball to right field in the sixth inning. It appeared set to whistle over Linden’s head, before he successfully stabbed it, holding on as he crashed to the turf.
“Given the situation, a (3-2) game, and Todd Helton, one of the best hitters in the league up, it was big,” Linden said. “I had to make that play. I was excited about it.”
The Rockies’ enthusiasm after their 5-4 trip was tempered. Which, in and of itself, said a lot.
“We are maturing as a team and figuring out how to win close games, especially in the division,” general manager Dan O’Dowd said. “But it won’t matter if we don’t continue playing good.”
