The Rockies can taste the playoffs. It shapes manager Jim Tracy’s decisions and influences the players’ preparation.
Everything is about winning that game, that day. That’s when you know a team gets it. Nobody is griping. Why whine with a postseason share at stake?
The schedule howls that the Rockies are the wild-card favorites. Beginning today against the Cubs, they play 30 of their final 51 games at Coors Field. The schedule, however, is too simple an explanation of why the Rockies might make it.
Two factors will determine their fate: how they play against the Giants, and their record when Aaron Cook and Jason Marquis pitch.
The Rockies have 10 games remaining against the Giants. Six of those are on the road. The winner of those games will reach the playoffs. Manager Jim Tracy basically said as much after Saturday’s game, stressing how important it has been for the Rockies to hold their ground against the likes of the Phillies and Cubs.
It must be noted there is a wrinkle involving the NL Central. For the Rockies, it would work out better if the Cubs win the division because Colorado plays the Cardinals in a three-game set at the end of September with a chance to eliminate them.
If the Central resolves itself, it all comes back to the Giants. The Rockies must split six at AT&T Park and win three of four on Blake Street.
The only way this happens is if the Rockies play better when Cook and Marquis pitch. When Colorado made the 2007 postseason, manager Clint Hurdle correctly predicted that the performance of the Rockies’ fourth and fifth starters would be critical. On cue, Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales gave the magic carpet ride a hemi engine.
Cook and Marquis are more salient this season because of their injuries and recent spat of bad luck. The Rockies are 26-19 in their games. They have roughly 20 starts left. The necessary record? Try 13-7.
There was a time in July when it seemed like they could fall out of bed and accomplish that. But the Rockies are just 4-5 in their last nine starts. Even more concerning, Marquis has been bothered by a blister while trying to exorcise his career second-half demons.
And Cook’s sprained big right toe is officially an issue. Today’s scheduled start was pushed back to Saturday. With all due respect to everyone else on the team, if Cook lands on the DL, the Rockies aren’t making the playoffs.
Marquis and Cook are recent all- stars. This team, if you haven’t noticed, is built on pitching and defense. They don’t need a dragon slayer. They need Giant killers.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
