Cincinnati – Jose Mesa left the clubhouse alone Sunday, walking slowly toward the team bus. It seemed the perfect metaphor for the latest collapse, a seventh straight loss laid on the bullpen’s doorstep. Except, it’s not accurate.
General manager Dan O’Dowd, while not excusing the relievers, left disappointed with the team’s bats. The Rockies were outscored 21-14 in the series and went 3-for-30 with runners in scoring position over the past three games.
“Our offensive execution has been awful, especially in those situations,” O’Dowd said. “The quality of at-bats is totally different with runners on base.”
O’Dowd, who traveled with the team to Pittsburgh, said he’s prepared to make changes in a few days if improvement isn’t made.
“We have soft spots in the lineup that are really showing themselves up, too,” O’Dowd said. “That’s something we have to look at.”
O’Dowd didn’t discuss specifics. The most scrutinized hitters this season – shortstop Clint Barmes, center fielder Cory Sullivan and catcher Yorvit Torrealba – performed well in the series, going a combined 13-for-38.
However, Barmes, Torrealba and backup center fielder Choo Freeman all failed to put down sacrifice bunts, and Sullivan struck out for the 68th time Sunday, second-highest on the team, with a runner on second in the eighth inning.
No working Holliday
A few weeks ago, his stature growing in the game, Matt Holliday became the subject of a T-shirt. Todd Helton had “Every Day is a Holliday” gear made. Sunday, however, was Holliday’s first holiday. After starting 41 consecutive games, Holliday rested, giving way to Jorge Piedra.
“Clint’s the manager, and he’s got to make the best decision for the team,” Holliday said. “After three years up here I realize you need some time off.”
Omar over and out
Shortstop Omar Quintanilla ditched his crutches but likely won’t avoid the disabled list. The Rockies are moving cautiously with Quintanilla’s deeply bruised right shin after a similar injury cost Todd Hollandsworth his 2001 season when he returned too soon.
“I don’t know yet, but it’s looking more and more like that (he will go on the DL),” O’Dowd said.
The Rockies are deciding whether to call up Jason Smith or Josh Wilson today. Smith appears to have the edge; he is hitting well and played shortstop Sunday for Colorado Springs.
Footnotes
The number stands out, explaining the challenge Aaron Cook and Jason Jennings have encountered. Cook (3.59) has baseball’s third-lowest ERA among pitchers with six wins or fewer, a tick ahead of Jason Jennings (3.64). More shocking is the Rockies’ record when Cook pitches, 6-13, compared to 10-9 for Jennings. … Byung-Hyun Kim kept his arm in shape for today’s start by playing long toss with Jae Seo in Los Angeles during the all-star break.
Rockies recap
Behind Matt Holliday’s rest Sunday, there was an appealing statistic. The left fielder’s replacement, Jorge Piedra, owned a .438 average against the Reds. Piedra made manager Clint Hurdle look smart, blasting two hits – including a 428-foot home run off Elizardo Ramirez in the fourth inning. Piedra now is 9-for-19 lifetime against the Reds.
WARNING AHEAD: Friction surfaced in the early innings Sunday at Great American Ball Park after some errant pitches. Ramirez hit Garrett Atkins in the hand, and coincidentally, Josh Fogg plunked Edwin Encarnacion. Plate umpire Tony Randazzo issued a warning to each team.
PHANTOM TAG: At first glance, it doesn’t make sense. Cory Sullivan ran on Seattle outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and lived to tell about it, then Sunday was erased at the plate by Adam Dunn, known for his outfield clumsiness. Replays, however, showed Sullivan was safe, with catcher Javier Valentin missing the second-inning tag by a foot.
