The final two weeks of July are like no other time in the baseball season. There’s nervous anticipation. Players ask about trade talk, wondering if they’re going to show up the next day with a stranger by their locker.
The door was revolving Saturday, not over transactions but position switches. With Todd Helton sidelined indefinitely with a back injury, the Rockies shifted Garrett Atkins to first base, presenting Ian Stewart with his first extended look at third.
There were no second thoughts as the revamped lineup buried the spiraling Pirates 7-1 at Coors Field.
“For me, it’s a better flow defensively, and offensively it’s a better fit,” manager Clint Hurdle said of the changes.
It amounts to experimental urgency. The Rockies arrived at the all-star break as one of the National League’s worst teams, a knot still in place at the end of their rope only because of a ridiculously poor division.
Change has been constant during the past few days, with starter Mark Redman and second baseman Jayson Nix the latest victims. There is hope in rearranging parts for a simple reason: It’s not like the Rockies played well in writing their first-half resume. Change a few parts, get fresh looks at some old faces, and who knows what might provide a spark?
On a skin-bubbling night — the 96-degree temperature was second-hottest night game in team history — the Rockies microwaved Pirates starter Yoslan Herrera. The right-hander was torched for five first-inning runs on five hits.
For all intents and purposes, the game was over, only statistical inflation and free beach towels to enjoy for the paid crowd of 44,565. Scott Podsednik, starting in center as the club eases Willy Taveras’ workload to help his left quadriceps injury heal, tied a career-high with four hits. Three were doubles, matching Podsednik’s previous season total.
“Of course, it’s a big confidence boost,” Podsednik said.
Atkins and Stewart went a combined 2-for-7 with three RBIs. Both made a seamless transition defensively. The position switch frees up Hurdle to use Jeff Baker at second, third and in the outfield. For Stewart, it’s a ripe opportunity to establish himself at the plate.
“We definitely aren’t out of this thing,” Stewart said as the Rockies remained seven games back in the division race. “For them to let me play during this time means a lot.”
For this season to have any significance beyond drawing conclusions on players, the pitching must continue trending upward. The rotation posted a 5.33 record in the first half. In three straight wins, the starters own a 2.89 ERA, Jorge De La Rosa working six innings of one-run ball Saturday.
“You look at where our ERA ranked in the league and that’s not going to get it done,” Hurdle said.
De La Rosa, who’s just keeping the seat warm until Jeff Francis returns from his rehab assignment, survived a bases-loaded first-inning mess, permitting just one run.
“I have had good games, then bad games,” De La Rosa said. “I slowed down and wasn’t overthrowing after that inning.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
