Los Angeles – Brad Penny wasn’t being philanthropic, only applying wise logic. He felt great after playing catch Friday and told Los Angeles Dodgers manager Grady Little that he would like to pitch in today’s series finale on three days rest.
Exit Brett Tomko, enter Penny. It’s the equivalent of replacing Barney Fife with Dirty Harry. While the media guide lists the Monfort brothers, Penny owns the Rockies. He’s 7-0 with a 2.54 ERA against Colorado the past two years. It could be argued that he’s made two consecutive all-star appearances because of them.
“It’s one of those things like with San Diego’s Chris Young that is hard to figure out why,” Rockies first baseman Todd Helton said. “Penny obviously throws hard. He’s good. And he has just dominated us.”
The numbers are chilling. The Rockies are winless against Penny and 8-12 against other Dodgers starter.
“I don’t know what it is,” Penny said after his last win over the Rockies on July 26. “They have a good lineup.”
Manager Clint Hurdle, who has becoming nothing short of Ned Flanders when seeing the glass half-full, didn’t fret over the switch. He figures the Rockies “are due.”
If there is a sliver of hope, it’s that Penny has been more hittable since the all-star break, when he traditionally breaks down. The hard-throwing right-hander with the herky-jerky delivery has a 3.18 ERA, compared to 2.39 in the first half when opponents hit just .244 against him.
Stew stays
The Rockies showed confidence in rookie Ian Stewart, keeping him as a bench player over Clint Barmes. Stewart will play third on rare days that Garrett Atkins switches to first to spell Helton and serve as a key pinch hitter.
“I have seen most of the pitchers on TV, but I ask the guys questions to know what to expect,” Stewart said. “This is an important time of the year. I want to help this team get to the playoffs.”
Footnote
After vowing “to kill” an unnamed Rockies player for allegedly stealing signs then apologizing in a phone call to Hurdle for his outburst, Pittsburgh’s Ian Snell will miss Colorado this week at Coors Field. Everyone in the Pirates’ rotation will pitch except him, which is how his regular turn fell. … Mike DeJean hasn’t given up his comeback bid. But if he returns to the majors, it won’t be with the Rockies. Colorado released the 36-year-old from the Sky Sox roster Friday. “I feel too good to give up now,” DeJean said.
