HOUSTON — It is getting late early for the Rockies.
A quarter into the season, a picture of a team has begun to develop. The Polaroid is unsettling. The Rockies have shown resilience and little else.
The injuries are a legitimate issue. It’s obvious with each passing day that Colorado needs closer Huston Street, reliever Taylor Buchholz and starter Jorge De La Rosa. Not because the pitching is bad — because the Rockies can’t score any runs.
The offense is uninspiring, unproductive and under the gun. The Rockies had scored 22 runs in their last eight games. Call them the Blake Street Bummers.
“I wish I had the answer,” shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said.
Luckily, I do.
What this team needs is a star to put them on his back, to wade them through the quicksand. There are two players capable of pulling this off: Brad Hawpe, a slugger with streaky power, and Tulowitzki.
Yes, Carlos Gonzalez and Ian Stewart deserve consideration, but both are slumping. Think back to last season. It turned around in earnest when Stewart turned into Babe Ruth in a sweep of the Cardinals last June.
Tulowitzki has not possessed his good swing for much of the season. He’s been jumpy, impatient, leading to too many pitcher’s counts. Yet, he’s hovered around .300. His three-run home run off Roy Oswalt on Thursday showed that his extra cage time is paying off.
“I have been working my butt off to get this right,” said Tulowitzki, who homered again Saturday. “I am getting close.”
When he plays well, the team follows suit. He hit 27 of his 32 home runs last season after May 28. Here’s what I liked about last week: The chip on his shoulder is back. I understand he needs to show more maturity — nobody gets better from throwing equipment or breaking bats. But he can’t blunt his passion, either. He got into it with the plate umpire Thursday, not once, but twice. He fired throws to first base as if there was a radar gun in the stands.
The Rockies need this guy. They need Tulo. Not mellow. Or Melo, for that matter. When he’s a little angry, the Rockies take defeat a little more personally.
This edge is required while GM Dan O’Dowd determines how much longer he can stick with Clint Barmes at second base and Dexter Fowler in the outfield rotation. But whether Eric Young Jr. or Johnny Herrera get time at second or Seth Smith earns extra at-bats in the outfield, it is not going to change the course of the season.
Stars make planets align. It’s time for Tulowitzki to become the center of the universe.
Trade winds blowing.
Houston, you have a problem. Roy Oswalt, one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history, wants out. He requested a trade last week. This is different from saying he would waive his no-trade clause. This means he’s ready to have his e-mail forwarded.
A lot of Rockies fans understandably want the team to make a play for the ace. It won’t, however, be easy for Houston to move Oswalt. For starters, the right-hander has a history of back issues. He also has roughly $30 million left on his contract. And the Astros are going to want to win any deal so they can sell it to their fans.
The number of teams that can take on the money and give up top young players is limited. The Rockies are in this group, but they would be wise to see how Jeff Francis pitches for a month before pursuing this bold stroke. The reality is Colorado may need a bat more than an arm in July.
Footnotes.
It’s not Willie Mays with the Mets, but it’s close. Milwaukee’s Trevor Hoffman, the most accomplished closer ever, has hit the skids. He has a 13.15 ERA, allowing 21 hits and seven home runs in 13 innings. It would be cool if Hoffman could go out gracefully. But there’s no easy way for a former exclamation point to deal with being a team’s biggest question mark. . . . In spring, I saw a White Sox team spangled with athletes, ready to rebound. Apparently, I was looking through beer goggles. The White Sox aren’t making the playoffs. . . . Kazuo Matsui makes sense as a no-risk, high- reward signing for the Rockies. It would be a great story if he could return to Colorado, but I am just not sure he has anything left. . . . The Red Sox are monitoring Chris Iannetta’s situation in Triple-A. They need a future catcher and would be interested if the Rockies make the Rhode Island native available.
Eye on …
Hideki Matsui, DH, Los Angeles Angels
Background: This is the latest example of why executives must have warm hearts but cold blood. It would have been easy for the Yankees to give in and re-sign the 2009 World Series MVP, but general manager Brian Cashman resisted, not wanting to commit too much money to a soon-to-be 35-year-old slugger who has no position. Matsui signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Angels and has struggled in his adjustment to a new team.
What’s up: MatsuiLand — not to be confused with Disneyland — lasted a few weeks before Hideki realized Angels Stadium is not the “Happiest Place on Earth” for hitters. Matsui is batting .155 this month with one home run and seven RBIs. Manager Mike Scioscia has preached patience, and has tried to ease the pressure on the veteran by dropping him from the cleanup spot to the six hole.
Renck’s take: Matsui is suffering from a common ailment: old age. He has always had a statue-like batting stance, while pulling off the ball. But he used to line shots up the middle or to the gap. Now, he’s popping up weakly to the left fielder or hitting slow rollers to the shortstop. The problem? Anything faster than 90 mph is giving him fits. He has to cheat to get to the inside heater, leaving him vulnerable to outside off-speed pitches. This is the same issue Larry Walker encountered during the final years of his career. The body just doesn’t do what it used to do.
At issue
Benching teaches Ramirez a lesson in humility
What: Florida Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez benched star shortstop Hanley Ramirez for failing to hustle after accidentally booting a ball into the outfield.
When: The shameful incident unfolded in the second inning Monday when Ramirez lightly jogged after the ball as two runs scored. Gonzalez benched him, creating three days of drama.
Background: Ramirez is widely considered one of the game’s best players. In talking to some ex-teammates, the prevailing opinion is that he’s a great player but a poor teammate. That Ramirez had been benched for lackadaisical defense and had his toughness and work ethic questioned in the past didn’t help his case Monday.
Renck’s take: This could be a turning point in Ramirez’s career. Initially, he acted childishly, saying he had lost respect for Gonzalez, who “had never played in the big leagues.” That card touches a nerve whether managers play it against reporters or players play it against their bosses. But sanity intervened when Ramirez embraced the message of accountability delivered by Hall of Famers Andre Dawson and Tony Perez in a closed-door meeting. Ramirez then apologized to his teammates individually. Ramirez showed real contrition. That’s a huge step. This represents a watershed moment in his career, a clear chance to move forward and become known for his statistics, not his selfishness.
Ups and downs
THREE UP
1. Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw fuels a run to the top of the division, allowing a total of just two runs in his last three starts.
2. Rays: They entered the weekend with more road wins (17) than five teams have wins, period.
3. Tigers: Miguel Cabrera is a fire-breathing monster in visiting parks, where he is hitting nearly .400.
THREE DOWN
1. Mets: The team holds organizational meetings and decides that Luis Castillo is a problem. Yeah, let’s go with that.
2. Brewers: Manager Ken Macha is under fire over this underachieving team.
3. Athletics: Earth, Oakland. Oakland, Earth. You knew their start was too good to last.
