Houston – The real Todd Helton has yet to return.
He has made a few brief cameos – such as last Sunday when he clubbed a three-run homer against Houston at Coors Field, and when he banged out two crisp singles Saturday night in the Rockies’ win over the Astros.
But after an 0-for-3 outing Sunday against Astros ace Andy Pettitte, Helton admitted he’s not quite back from the acute intestinal ailment that put him on the disabled list from April 20-May 5.
“I’m still feeling for it a little bit,” he said. “I’m not to the point where I can just go out and take a swing and be where I want to be, but I’m getting closer.”
Said manager Clint Hurdle, “Yeah, he’s getting close, and when he gets there, you’ll know it.”
Since coming back from the DL, Helton has hit .250 (9-for-36) and his average has dipped to .306.
“That’s what this game is about, lulls,” Helton said. “It happens, and it will happen again. But I’ll get back from this.”
Helton lost about 10 pounds during his illness and has yet to gain it back.
“I still can’t eat the way I want to eat,” he said. “But I feel good, so that’s a good thing; that’s the main thing.”
As for the state of the Rockies, who have lost four of six to fall out of first place in the National League West, Helton said he’s not at all worried.
“We’re all right. We just got beat by some good pitchers,” he said. “We’re not down or anything. We’re still where we want to be.”
Kim decision pending
Sun-Woo Kim’s strong start Saturday for Triple-A Colorado Springs means a tough rotation choice between him and Josh Fogg is looming.
“We are going to have a tough decision to make, whenever we decide to make that decision,” Hurdle said. “That’s the way I look at it, but we just want to make sure we make it at the right time. If we add Sunny, somebody here has got to go. And I don’t envision messing with the bullpen.”
Kim, making his fourth rehab start, threw eight shutout innings, allowing just one hit and three walks while striking out five. His velocity was good, and he resembled the pitcher who tossed a complete-game shutout last season against the Giants on Sept. 24 at Coors Field. But before going on the disabled list April 18 with a bruised shin, Kim was struggling. The Rockies want to make sure they know which Kim will show up.
Fogg, scheduled to start tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers, also has experienced ups and downs. However, he’s coming off a gutsy performance in St. Louis where he allowed just one run on six hits in seven innings. Fogg didn’t get a decision, but considering how poorly he has pitched against the Cardinals throughout his career, it was an important performance.
Footnotes
The Rockies’ 2-4 road trip was their first losing road trip of the season. … Matt Holliday went 0-for-3 on Sunday, snapping his season-best eight-game hitting streak. …
Using pink bats to commemorate Mother’s Day and raise awareness for breast cancer, the Rockies’ Garrett Atkins went 0-for-3 and Brad Hawpe was 1-for-3. The Astros fared slightly better with their pink bats, with Craig Biggio going 1-for-4, Willy Tavares 0-for-4 and Lance Berkman 1-for-3 with a solo homer.
Rockies recap
Hoping to get more production out of the bottom of the order, manager Clint Hurdle started Eli Marrero at catcher Sunday. It was Marrero’s first start behind the plate since catching for St. Louis on May 8, 2003, at Chicago against the Cubs.
“It’s something I haven’t done for a while,” Marrero said. “It’s not easy to just jump into a game.”
It was Marrero’s first start for the Rockies since playing first base against Cincinnati on May 4, and he said it’s not an easy transition. “You know, (playing time) comes and goes, but it doesn’t make it any easier. I haven’t started for a while, and I think my timing may be off a little bit, but I’ll do the best I can.”
Like all of his teammates, Marrero struggled against Astros starter Andy Pettitte, going 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
Marrero was surprised he would catch for Jeff Francis, doing so for the first time. But Hurdle was comfortable with the move.
“I have complete confidence,” Hurdle said before the game. “Jeff pretty much calls his own game anyway.”
KILLER B: With one hit Sunday, Astros second baseman Craig Biggio got the 2,836th hit of his career, moving him three behind Charlie Gehringer for 41st on the all-time list. “He’s an ironman of his own,” Hurdle said. “I’m pulling for him to get 3,000 hits, because I’m a fan.”
