The Rockies’ quest to win the NL West is in big trouble.
It’s not because the Rockies entered Wednesday night’s game in San Diego hitting .235, the second-worst team average in the majors. We all know the Rockies’ bats will heat up. No need to panic there.
And it’s not because the Rockies’ starting pitching has been wildly inconsistent, following a disturbing trend that began in spring training. Talented youngsters Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales remain in no-man’s land. They’re hard throwers with great stuff, but they’re not polished pitchers. And Jeff Francis’ perplexing start is an unexpected red flag.
Nope, the biggest reason the Rockies are in big trouble is the Arizona Diamondbacks.
A young, talented team with excellent chemistry, a good manager in Bob Melvin and better starting pitching than the Rockies, the Diamondbacks won again Wednesday, improving to 11-4.
Ace Brandon Webb is 4-0 with a 1.86 ERA. He’s just part of what’s fast becoming a triple-headed monster. Micah Owings is 3-0 with a 2.29 ERA. Dan Haren is 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA. If Randy Johnson’s fragile back holds up for 20 to 25 starts, the Diamondbacks’ rotation will be even scarier.
Arizona leads the NL with a .273 team batting average and 24 homers. Just as the Rockies are bound to heat up, the D-backs are bound to cool off. But as youngsters such as Chris Young and Justin Upton mature, Arizona’s offense will be much tougher than last year.
The Diamondbacks were outscored 731-710 last season, but they still led the National League with 90 wins. They learned how to win last season and they’re putting that education to work now.
The Rockies certainly aren’t dead this early in the season, but they’re already playing catch-up to a team with better starting pitching.
The Rockies have played just 14 games of a 162-game schedule, so it would be preposterous to bury them because of their poor start. But I’ve seen enough from the Diamondbacks — last year and this year — to know that a 95-win season is within their reach. Can we expect the same from the Rockies?
