The Rockies face an interesting choice with their lineup tonight.
Who will serve as the designated hitter? Will it be Jason Giambi? Seth Smith? Melvin Mora?
Giambi appeared a lock a few weeks ago, but with Ryan Spil- borghs temporarily taking over left field, will Smith get the call?
Rockies manager Jim Tracy wasn’t prepared Sunday to answer the question about his DH.
Regardless of who fills the slot, the Rockies have a chance to feature their best lineup to date because shortstop Troy Tulowitzki insisted he will return tonight against the Minnesota Twins. He sat out the previous two games with a strained right groin as a precaution and a concession to the wet field in Denver.
“I feel fine now. It’s good,” Tulo- witzki said Monday.
The Rockies’ lineup appears to finally be gaining traction. After a numbing 2-5 stretch against the last-place Diamondbacks and Astros, Colorado swept Toronto over the weekend. Colorado outscored the Blue Jays 16-6, including a 10-run outburst Sunday.
For much of the season, only three players have been consistent — Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez and Miguel Olivo. But over the weekend, Todd Helton started to simmer, driving the ball with more authority than he has all season. And Spil- borghs is scorching, going 7-for-12 against the Blue Jays, including three home runs.
Is the offense on track at last?
“You would hope so, but you never know,” Tulowitzki said.
Hammel misses out.
Jason Hammel picked the wrong time to have a great week. He was nominated for National League player of the week after going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, but had the misfortune of going up against Nationals rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg. Strasburg picked up the prize after totaling two wins and 22 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings.
Footnotes.
The Rockies are the only NL team with a winning record in interleague play since 2006. They are 44-25 during that span, including 5-1 this year. Only the Twins, Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox have a higher winning percentage in interleague play during this stretch. . . . Target Field is not the Metrodome. The Twins are playing well there but have hit only 17 home runs in 33 home games, leaving them on pace for 42. They clubbed 96 home runs at the Metrodome last season.
