Pittsburgh – It’s a cruel reality, this Rockies season. For all the hope they have inspired, for all the words they’ve forced critics to swallow, the Rockies haven’t accomplished anything.
When the paper arrives at their hotel rooms today in Phoenix, they will sit in last place in the National League West. Same as they were when last season ended. The difference is they don’t need a go, go Gadget arm to reach the contenders, sitting five games behind the first-place San Diego Padres.
And yet, this road trip has done nothing but foster doubt about their legitimacy, a 6-5 loss Wednesday to the Pittsburgh Pirates the latest evidence that the Rockies are better, but will be hard-pressed to play meaningful games in September.
How much losing can a team take that fashions itself as a threat? Does dropping a series to the Pirates, the National League’s poster boys for mediocrity, leave a postseason run too ambitious?
The Rockies’ clubhouse was littered with inquiries afterward that help explain why Colorado has lost nine of its past 10 games. The overriding question is, where is that superstar whose excellence makes mistakes irrelevant?
It became an issue again Wednesday afternoon when Pirates closer Mike Gonzalez struck out the side in the ninth inning, including two hitters with the bases loaded.
“When you are in a situation where you can help the team and you are not able to come through, it stings,” said cleanup hitter Matt Holliday, who fanned for the second out in the final inning.
Don’t misunderstand. This loss wasn’t on Holliday or even Ryan Shealy, whose otherwise spectacular debut was tainted by his inability to make contact in the ninth. It’s about a bigger issue, the Rockies finding that certain someone who can take the game by the nape of the neck and shape the outcome in one moment.
Sound trite? Does anyone debate the impact of Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey’s interception against the Chargers last season? When he arrived in the end zone, the playoffs welcomed him with open arms.
During the Rockies’ crippling stretch, that impact player has not materialized.
Two innings illustrated the problem. In the sixth, the Rockies clawed to a 4-3 lead, their offense pelting Pirates starter Zach Duke. But Jason Jennings couldn’t hold it, surrendering three runs with two outs.
“It’s frustrating,” Jennings said. “It just seems like right now it’s always something.”
It’s easy to blame Jennings; the box score screams as much. He’s partly responsible, but when the Rockies needed a big play in the sixth, Joe Randa’s blooper fell in when Holliday and center fielder Choo Freeman didn’t get good jumps.
“He took a big swing and when he hit it I took a step back,” Freeman said.
It was a difficult play, but one that could have shifted momentum. Manager Clint Hurdle pointed out another from the ninth when Jamey Carroll froze at second base on Garrett Atkins’ single up the middle, leaving him to advance only to third base. Carroll watched helplessly from there as Holliday and Shealy struck out.
“I was too cautious,” Carroll said. “If I score there, it’s a different ballgame.”
Individually, all their shortcomings were defensible. Collectively, they were not, the players realizing that “special” needs to replace “practical” if they are to do anything but play golf in October.
Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-820-5457 or trenck@denverpost.com.
