Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu, usually the most stoic of players, was searching for a solution to his team’s troubles after a doubleheader loss Wednesday stretched their losing streak to seven games. “Everyone wants to start punching people,” he said. “You know, just do something to help the team.” He was kidding, of course, but there was not much joy in his humor.
“We’re just disappointed,” LeMahieu said. “No one’s pointing fingers. No one’s blaming anybody, and I don’t think anyone’s making excuses, either. It’s just a really rough stretch. Everyone’s frustrated. We just haven’t found that rhythm.”
On April 15, the Rockies beat the Giants 4-2 to finish off a three-game sweep in San Francisco. They were 7-2 and in first place in the National League West. Since then, they’ve collapsed, going 4-13 to fall into the NL West cellar.
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“We’ve played some bad baseball,” star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said bluntly. “It’s kind of the method (to our) losing. When we do hit, we don’t pitch, and when we pitch, we don’t hit. The bottom line is we have to play better baseball.”
If only it were that simple.
True, the team leads the National League with a .273 batting average, but even that figure is misleading. The Rockies’ on-base percentage, a mediocre .314, is on pace to be the worst in franchise history. And the Rockies’ offense overall is lackluster, as evidenced by the 107 runs scored, 11th in the NL.
Right fielder Carlos Gonzalez, who won the batting title in 2010 when he hit .336 and blasted 34 home runs, is hitting .202 with two home runs and six RBIs in 89 at-bats, a deep slump that has seemingly extended over from a season ago. That’s a big concern, especially because CarGo insists he’s healthy, unlike a season ago.
“It’s not often this offense doesn’t put up a handful of runs,” right-hander Jordan Lyles said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if we’d go on a tear next week and start putting up big numbers. But we aren’t going anywhere unless our starters, myself included, pick it up some — a lot, actually.”
But even Lyles’ assessment is an understatement as to the depth of the Rockies’ issues. The starting pitching has been nothing short of a disaster, with a total of only five quality starts (six innings, three runs or fewer) this season. Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Zack Grienke already has six quality starts.
Colorado’s starters have a 5.59 ERA, by far the worst in the majors. Boston Red Sox starters are second with a 4.86 ERA.
When Jeff Bridich took over as general manager in October, he said upgrading starting pitching was a top priority. “We absolutely 100 percent need to address our rotation,” he said.
And yet, his biggest offseason pitching acquisition was signing former Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Kyle Kendrick to a one-year, $5.5 million contract. The veteran is 1-4 with an 8.73 ERA in six starts. He’s served up 10 home runs, the most in baseball. As of now, there are no plans to bump him from the rotation, in part because there is no viable replacement.
“Maybe being the veteran, older guy here, maybe I came in trying to do too much,” said Kendrick, who starts opposite Greinke on Sunday. “I think I have to get back to just being me and focusing on what I can do.”
Last year, the Rockies were 28-28 at the end of May, then nose-dived with an 8-20 June. This year the Rockies are 11-15, but facing a much earlier collapse until they find some answers soon.
“Any team that’s under .500 early in the season, they’re going to ask themselves some questions: ‘Are we a better team than this?’ ” Tulowitzki said.
Right now, the Rockies do not appear to be.
Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denverpost.com or
Headed south
The Rockies (11-15) enter their three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in last place in the National League West, having lost seven consecutive games and 13 of their past 17. A look at some ugly numbers behind their slide:
5.23
Team ERA, last in the National League. Again.
5
Quality starts, by far the fewest in the NL. Atlanta has the second fewest, 11.
95
Innings pitched by the Rockies’ bullpen, the most in the NL. That includes a 4.72 ERA (second worst) and a .280 batting average against (worst).
4.12
Average runs scored per game, on track to be the fewest in franchise history. By comparison, the 2007 World Series team averaged 5.28 runs per game.
.314
On-base percentage that is on pace to be the lowest in franchise history.
.982
Rockies’ fielding percentage, which ranks ninth in the NL.
