Coors Field went dark at 9:27 p.m. Wednesday, a concession that the rain had won. Jeff Francis’ return, a chance to make up ground in the National League West, another opportunity to talk about the acquisition of Livan Hernandez, all were interrupted by the spitting clouds.
The Rockies will play a doubleheader today beginning at 1:05 p.m. The second game will start 25 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Only tickets for today’s regularly scheduled game are valid, while Wednesday’s can be exchanged for today or any other remaining home game.
Beyond Francis’ anticipated return, there is one thing certain: Garrett Atkins will be in the lineup.
He has started more games than any Rockies player this season and has appeared in all but three. The twist is that he selflessly shifted from third base to first base three weeks ago when it became obvious that Todd Helton’s back injury would sideline him indefinitely.
“It was what the team needed. It helped us put our best lineup out there,” Atkins said Wednesday. “I think anyone else in here would have done the same thing. It’s not about the individual.”
Atkins has reached a point in his career in which he could have raised a stink. Only Alex Rodriguez, David Wright and Aramis Ramirez have more RBIs at third base since 2005 than Atkins. But he borrowed Jeff Baker’s glove and went from having his best defensive season to being a work in progress at a new position.
“We have a lot of guys in here who are team players, and Garrett obviously has shown that. He hasn’t said anything about it,” ace Aaron Cook said. “Speaking for myself, I know I am real comfortable with him over there. He played it in the minor leagues. I think he’s doing a great job.”
Atkins admitted that it has not been a seamless transition. Reading the bat off a different angle takes time. And learning which groundballs he can reach to his right has been a challenge.
“I get in a hurry to get to the bag and give a good target,” Atkins said. “But first is my position, that’s the way I have to look at it until Todd goes out on a rehab assignment and gets close to coming back.”
Since moving to the opposite corner, Atkins has homered just once while his batting average has dipped from .306 to .294. That, said Atkins, is a coincidence, not a correlation.
“Obviously you don’t like slumps, ever. It’s just a timing issue. I am not seeing the ball well,” Atkins said. “The season isn’t much longer, so I hope to get into a hot streak and ride it out the rest of the year.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
TODAY: Nationals at Rockies, 1 p.m., no TV
Jeff Francis (3-7, 5.67) became a pitcher interrupted. His long-anticipated return to the rotation will now come this afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader. He faces Jason Bergmann(1-8, 4.13), who is among a growing list of Matt Holliday’s home run victims.
Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
TODAY: Nationals at Rockies, Game 2 of DH
Ubaldo Jimenez (8-9, 3.61 ERA) has gone from a perplexing sophomore to a sneaky ace. So good is Jimenez that he’s mixing in new pitches. He used a sidearm slider against friend Hanley Ramirez to wriggle out of a jam last weekend. Since July 1, the right-hander is 6-1 with a 1.49 ERA. The Nationals’ Odalis Perez (4-8, 4.16) will try to hand Jimenez his first home loss since June 16.
Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
Friday:
Padres’ Jake Peavy (8-7, 2.59) vs. Rockies’ Glendon Rusch (4-3, 5.47), 7:05 p.m., FSN
Saturday:
Padres’ Greg Maddux (5-8, 4.17) vs. Rockies’ Aaron Cook (14-7, 3.68), 6:05 p.m., FSN
Sunday:
Padres’ Chris Young (4-4, 4.06) vs. Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (5-6, 6.55), 1:05 p.m., Ch. 20
Monday:
Off day
