Los Angeles – As Monday night’s 7-0 loss proved, runs often don’t come easily for the Rockies at Dodger Stadium.
Heading into Tuesday night’s game, the Rockies were averaging 2.3 runs a game at L.A. That’s substantially worse than the 5.5 runs they average at Coors Field, and nearly a run below their 3.2 road average.
An obvious solution is for the Rockies to run more. Through Monday, Colorado had 55 steals, 14th in the National League. Rockies opponents had stolen 95. First-base coach Dave Collins said the Rockies can become much more potent on the basepaths in 2006.
“I think we have some potential there,” he said. “But the thing you have to remember is that stealing bases, or just running bases well, is not just about speed. It takes experience to become a good base- stealer at this level.”
Collins, as well as manager Clint Hurdle, points to shortstop Clint Barmes, center fielder Cory Sullivan and left fielder Matt Holliday as the players with the best chance to steal 15 to 20 bases next season.
Sullivan and Holliday are tied for the team lead with nine steals each.
Footnote
Todd Helton’s second-inning double Tuesday drove in Barmes, giving Helton 900 RBIs in his career. This month, Helton slugged the 1,500th hit of his career, and Saturday he scored his 900th run. The first baseman is the Rockies’ all-time leader in all three categories.
