PHOENIX —
As the midpoint of their season arrived Saturday, the Rockies found themselves in a familiar position.
They are cemented in last place in the National League West, have a sometimes potent but often inconsistent offense, and are crippled by a flawed pitching staff.
Their longest winning streak is a mere four games. An 11-game losing streak from April 28 through May 13, followed by a skid in which they lost nine of 10 games June 10-19, has made “playing meaningful games in September” sound like a bad joke.
Here is my rundown of the first half of the Rockies’ season:
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• MVP: Third baseman Nolan Arenado, in a landslide. He has played defense with bravado and passion and has emerged as a clutch power hitter. Entering Saturday, Arenado had slugged a career-high 24 homers — and his 68 RBIs led the majors.
• Biggest lineup disappointment: Right fielder Carlos Gonzalez, who, despite being healthy, has failed to live up to his star billing. CarGo heated up for a bit, but a recent skid leaves him hitting .238 with 10 homers and 28 RBIs. He’s hitting only .185 with two outs and runners in scoring position.
• Biggest pitching disappointment: I was convinced left-hander Tyler Matzek was on the verge of a breakout season. Matzek, 24, earned the honor to start the Rockies’ home opener after going 4-2 with a 1.55 ERA over his final six starts in 2014. Now, after his wildness returned and he failed to improve at Single-A, short-season Boise, Matzek is home in California, taking a break from baseball for the second time in his career.
• Best acquisition: Reliever John Axford has filled in admirably as the closer after Adam Ottavino was lost for the season because of an elbow injury. Despite the trauma of his son, Jameson, getting bitten by a rattlesnake during spring training, Axford has been a clutch performer. He has 13 saves with a .242 ERA.
• Worst acquisition: The Rockies gave right-handed starter Kyle Kendrick $5.5 million to come to Colorado for one year. He was never expected to be an ace, but he has failed to provide quality innings. The Rockies are 4-13 in his 17 starts, his 23 homers given up are the most in the majors and his 6.00 ERA is the worst among the Rockies’ starters. And get this: 14 of the 23 home runs allowed by Kendrick have been to right-handed batters.
• Best surprise: I was skeptical that Wilin Rosario could make the transition from inconsistent catcher to competent first baseman. I was wrong. The Bull has had a few hiccups, but he has done a nice job at first base. He’s still a powerful hitter — .304 average, five homers and 19 RBIs in 148 at-bats — and I would think the Rockies should be able to pull off a decent trade for Rosario.
• Most troubling stat: The Rockies are 17-22 at Coors Field. Only the Milwaukee Brewers (15-26) have fewer home victories among National League teams. The Rockies have absolutely no chance of ever making the postseason if they can’t dominate at home. Manager Walt Weiss has said the Rockies need to shoot for 50 home wins. They aren’t close to doing that.
• Most troubling stat, Part II: The Rockies have a .281 on-base percentage on the road, worst in the National League. They have struck out 362 times on the road and walked only 84 times.
• Most telling quote: During spring training, I asked owner Dick Monfort about new general manager Jeff Bridich’s game plan. Monfort replied: “I think when we first met, way back when, his job was to make this current team a winner. He’s not here just to start over and do what some people do. He did not come in to blow things up.”
I wonder if that still holds true? Will this team’s failures convince Bridich, and Monfort, that it’s time to change course?
Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denverpost.com or
Spotlight on …
Albert Pujols, first baseman, Angels
What’s up: The unique, wide stance is the same, and so is the concentrated glare that unnerves pitchers. But now, for the first time since he signed a 10-year, $240 million contract and began playing for the Los Angeles Angels in 2012, Pujols is hitting with the legendary power he showed in St. Louis. The Angels come to Coors Field for a two-game series starting Tuesday.
Background: Pujols was named the American League player of the month for June after hitting .303 with 13 home runs and 26 RBIs, tying the Angels’ record for homers in a month. It was Pujols’ first player of the month award since August 2010, when he was starring for the Cardinals. Pujols won the award six times with St. Louis.
Saunders’ take: With the Cardinals, Pujols staked his claim as one of the best hitters of all time. In 11 seasons he hit .328, averaging 40 homers and 121 RBIs, and finished in the top three in NL MVP voting eight times, winning the award in 2005, 2008 and 2009. But injuries dogged him after he left for the West Coast. A painful knee hounded him in 2012 and required offseason surgery. Then he tore the plantar fascia in his left foot, ending his 2013 season after just 99 games. He began playing better in 2014, and has become a force again this season at age 35. “I just feel great,” he recently told Sports Illustrated. “I continue to say that this game is hard already, even when you’re 100 percent. Imagine how hard it is when you’re injured. Especially my knee — I wasn’t able to push off it, I wasn’t able to put any weight on it.”
