Woo Who?
The Rox have won four games in a row on the road and scored 38 runs while allowing just 10.
Who are these guys?
Rockune!
It sure is swell to say something positive about the local lads.
Break up the Rockies!
They probably will.
Just a few days ago, after Clint Hurdle was dispensed with, the Rox plummeted 12 games under .500 and might as well have been 20,000 leagues under the sea.
The Rockies, it seemed, should have selected Dick Tracy, not Jim Tracy, to deal with the purple perps.
But JimBall, it seems, is succeeding.
The Rockies’ T-shirt in May should have read: “At least we’re better than the Gnats.”
Now the phrase could be: “It’s Taco Time.”
If the Rockies score seven runs or more, a fast-food chain offers free tacos, sort of (during a five-minute period at 2 a.m. if you buy a soda and a car, but I’m joking, sort of).
The Rockies are thinking outside the bun.
When it was recommended here that Hurdle be fired, the Rockies’ ownership, management and players reacted indignantly — because the jobs of managers and coaches in Our Town are as secure as, say, that of the Denver Film Society executive director.
But after a season-high four consecutive victories (blowouts all), the players are saying they’re more relaxed, having more fun, doing more things well and feeling less-intense pressure from above.
Where did these guys come from?
Pitching: The Aarons — Jason Aaron Hammel and Aaron Lane Cook — and the UnAarons — Jorge De La Rosa and Ubaldo Jimenez — have thrown back-to-back-to-back-to-back gemstones of 7, 6 2/3, 8 and 8 innings.
The Rockies haven’t been forced to rely on that Kerosene Korps in the bullpen.
Offense: Start with Ian Stewart, who must start. In the past five games, he’s 12-for-22 at the plate with four homers and 12 RB!s. During the string of victories, Clint Barmes is hitting .500 (9-for-18) with seven ribs and a home run. Emergency call-up catcher Paul Phillips went 4-for-5 with a home run Sunday, and Troy Tulowitzki returned from a hand injury with two hits (with runners in scoring position).
Defense: Imagine Willie Mays being cloned in the 1950s, and he and Willie II playing in center and left field. Dexter Fowler and Carlos Gonzalez are real deals in the outfield. Fowler made a running, diving catch, which normally would have been the No. 1 defensive highlight. Except that Gonzalez, on a ball crushed by Albert Pujols in the first inning with runners on second and third, made a running, over-the-head, impossible catch, then couldn’t keep from falling — and both runners scored (on a rare double-sacrifice fly).
The Rox have come a long (right) way from Willy Taveras, who misjudged a fly last week, costing Cincinnati two runs.
In physics, Fg is the force extended by gravity. In the Rockies’ outfield, FG is the same.
By July, people might pay to watch Fowler & Gonzalez more than on Fireworks Nights. Finally, some bodies to cover the vast reaches of Coors Field. Now, if they can only hit.
The Rox are 13 1/2 games out of first and aren’t threatening to win every game the rest of the season, but they do have a pleasant dilemma — what to do with these guys. Stewart, Fowler, Gonzalez and Barmes must play every day. Plus, Todd Helton (who sat) and Brad Hawpe are both hitting the weight of Broncos offensive linemen.
What to do?
I would trade Hawpe, Phillips, Garrett Atkins, Ryan Spilborghs, Manuel Corpas, Omar Quintanilla and Jason Hirsh, plus cash and a player or three to be named later, to the Blue Jays for Roy Halladay — Arvada’s own, who won a major-league-high 10th game on Sunday.
Call me crazy. Call me Dealin’ Drow. Call me, Blue Jays.
That trade might not work, but I would offer the same group to the Washington Generals, er, Nationals for a starting pitcher — either John Lannan or Shairon Martis, both young.
And I would promote infielder-outfielder Mike McCoy (the organization’s player of the month) and second baseman Eric Young Jr. (who is hitting .303).
The Rockies do have to move Atkins, Spilborghs and possibly Hawpe before June busts out and it is all over.
New youth rules. Who are those guys? Let’s find out.
But on the first Sunday of June, the Rockies could celebrate, finally, a modest streak and taste victories and tacos (12 and counting).
Who knew, Woo Hoo?
Woody Paige: 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com
