If the Rockies miss the playoffs, an increasing likelihood after two gnawing losses last week, they shouldn’t look back to one game, but one run.
Their record in one-run contests weighed against their division rivals reveals a fatal flaw. The Rockies are 14-19 in those games, including a forgettable 6-17 on the road. Compare that to the 32-18 for the division-leading Diamondbacks, 27-18 for the Dodgers and the Padres’ 23-23 mark.
What makes Colorado’s failure confusing is that this team leads the National League in defense and its bullpen has been among the league’s most effective in the second half.
“Sometimes numbers are what they are and you can’t put your finger on everything all the time,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It’s an unfortunate number that we have carried with us.”
Hurdle traced the statistic back to execution that in many cases goes beyond the box score. The inability to turn a double play or move a runner into scoring position with less then two outs. Those missteps are magnified on the road, where the Rockies score one fewer run – 4.6 compared to 5.7 at Coors Field – and play nearly 30 games in stadiums (San Diego, San Franciso and Dodger Stadium) less conducive to hitting.
Mining for gold
Todd Helton is a big reason the Rockies have committed the fewest errors in baseball this season. At 34, he’s bidding to win his fourth Gold Glove and first since 2004. He has just two errors in 138 games.
Helton has made concessions to age, positioning himself a little differently depending on the batter and count.
“Maybe I have lost a hair of range. There’s no wizardry in what I am doing,” Helton said. “But I feel like I have made some good plays.”
Footnotes
Right fielder Brad Hawpe grounded out in his only at-bat Friday, ending a run of 26 consecutive games with a strikeout. According to Retrosheet, Hawpe is just the third player since 1957 with such a streak, joining Mike Cameron and Geoff Jenkins. … Second baseman Kazuo Matsui took batting practice and ran in the outfield, testing his sore right hamstring. He could be ready to play by Tuesday. … Elmer Dessens plans to throw a bullpen session today and said his hamstring feels “the best it has since I got hurt.”
