A debate over which Rockies player was most valuable usually ended without discussion. For years, it was Larry Walker or Todd Helton.
The MVP now is neither Canada’s finest nor the first baseman with a Tennessee street named after him.
Ask many of the fans who zipped up their coats and sipped hot chocolate at Coors Field on Saturday night and they would vote for left fielder Matt Holliday, the hulk who everyone once figured would make a living as an NFL quarterback.
His towering home run and groundball single were responsible for shoving the Rockies past the ragged Washington Nationals 9-5.
The Rockies surrendered to irrelevancy late last month after a winless road trip through New York and Milwaukee. They are 6-23 since the all-star break in visiting ballparks, which goes a long way in explaining why September for them is about reaching .500, not the playoffs.
It is that time, then, when personal statistics take on added significance. In a season stained by a second-half plunge, Holliday and Garrett Atkins have taken giant steps forward. An argument could be advanced for either as the team MVP.
“Opposing teams are spending a lot more time on those two in their scouting meetings,” Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said after his team won a third consecutive game for the first time since Aug. 5. “They are making their presence known.”
Atkins, hitting .325 with 103 RBIs, made a slight adjustment to his swing this season. He consistently puts his body in better position to drive the ball, loading up on his back leg to increase his power. He blasted his 24rd home run against the Nationals, who delivered a more respectable outing one night after manager Frank Robinson held a firm one-hour postgame meeting.
Holliday counters with 27 home runs, 92 RBIs and a .333 average that leaves him just seven points shy of Pittsburgh’s Freddy Sanchez in pursuit of his first batting title.
“To get 30 home runs and 100 RBIs, and have a shot at a (batting crown) that would be cool,” said Holliday, who has 20 RBIs over his past 15 games. “But there would also be disappointment because of the way things have gone since the all-star break.”
Perhaps the slide would have been avoided had Holliday just launched more seat-seeking missiles. The importance of his power can’t be dismissed. The Rockies are 16-9 when he homers. Even so, his most significant at-bat Saturday came in the seventh inning. Washington, whom Atkins has worn out like a pair of jeans, intentionally walked the third baseman to load the bases.
Holliday took it personally. But after falling behind 1-2, he leaned on intelligence, not anger. On an inside pitch – one he too often grounded to shortstop earlier this season – Holliday got his hands through the zone and shot a single into center field, scoring the go-ahead runs.
“He was on Team USA in the WBC and made the All-Star Game for a reason. He’s a special player,” Rockies second baseman Jamey Carroll said. “Every time they talk about the league MVP, all they put up are the numbers. When it comes down to it, Matt and Garrett are going to have some really good numbers.”
Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
