NEW YORK — If the Broncos report to training camp and the Rockies win a few games, do the Rox make any noise? This summer, I’m pleased to report, they do. After beating the Mets 6-1 Friday night, the Rockies’ record after the all-star break improved to 11-4 and they have won eight of their last nine — with their starting pitchers posting a 1.74 ERA.
They entered Saturday night’s game against the Mets one game under .500 and five games behind the National League’s second wild-card spot.
“Big deal, the Rockies will slide soon enough,” the cynics will snicker. Given the club’s track record, it’s hard to blame them. I’ll confess that I never thought the Rockies would be on the fringe of the playoff conversation as August approached. After all, I picked them to win 72 games.
Switching from pessimist to optimist for a moment, what must the Rockies do to become a true playoff contender in August and September?
Here’s a short list:
— Dominate at home. This is a no-brainer, but the Rockies must make Coors Field a house of pain for opposing teams. Given their schedule, it won’t be an easy task. Currently, the Rockies are 25-24 at home. Their playoff bench mark is usually a minimum of 50 home victories, they face a tall order. They have 32 games remaining in LoDo, including three important games against the Dodgers beginning Tuesday. Even if Colorado finished the season 20-12 at Coors, that still might not be good enough. The home schedule in the final two months is extremely difficult because it includes 23 games against legitimate playoff contenders: Dodgers (six games), Marlins (three), Rangers (two), Nationals (three), Cubs (three), Giants (three) and Cardinals (three).
— Pitch better at home: For all of the accolades the starters are getting now, they have to perform better at Coors. While rookies Tyler Anderson and Jon Gray are taming the beast, veterans Tyler Chatwood (5.69 home ERA), Chad Bettis (5.47) and Jorge De La Rosa (5.65) have been playing with fire.
— Fix the bullpen. The Rockies are getting there. I think rookie Carlos Estevez has the firepower, off-speed stuff and toughness to close tight games. The more he does it, the better he does it. The return of Adam Ottavino has been important, and I think he’s getting stronger. Scott Oberg has been brilliant since getting called up from Triple-A, and I don’t think that’s an aberration. But the Rockies need one more bridge to get to the eighth and ninth innings. Left-hander Jake McGee has not proven up to the task, and while Boone Logan has been excellent, he remains primarily a left-on-left specialist. Logan is being courted by a a number of other teams, and if the Rockies trade him, it will make sense for the future but it would really hurt them now. I wonder if the Rockies would consider bringing up lefty prospect Kyle Freeland for bullpen duty if they really are in the hunt?
— Sluggers must slug: It would be hard to ask sluggers Carlos Gonzalez, Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story to hit much better. But there are future games when they are going to have to carry the offense on their broad shoulders. Arenado is currently in a rut. He’s hitting .229 with a .757 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) in July. His body language at the plate — fidgeting, lunging at the ball — are signs that he’s struggling. I’m sure he’ll snap out of it soon. He has to, because the Rockies will need his big bat and RBIs if they want to make a run.
Saunders’ Spotlight
Corey Seager
Spotlight on the Dodgers shortstop
Whatap up: It’s been a season of turmoil and injuries for the Dodgers, but after their 9-7 victory over Arizona Friday night, they sat just one game behind the Giants in the National League West. When they come to Denver on Tuesday to begin a three-game series, they’ll bring a talented lineup and a rotation still missing injured ace Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers’ newest star is Seager, a favorite to win National League rookie of the year. He entered Saturday’s play hitting .307 with 17 homers. He has also played a solid shortstop, with a .970 fielding percentage.
Background: Seager, 22, was the 18th overall pick in the 2012 draft out of Northwest Cabarrus High School in Concord, N.C. Despite his youth, Seager has played with a veteran’s poise this season. He had a terrific May, hitting .301, with seven home runs and 15 RBIs. He had an even better June, batting .343, busting eight home runs and driving in 13 runs. Those numbers landed him in the All-Star Game and earned him a spot in the Home Run Derby.
Saunders’ take: At the all-star break, Seager appeared to be a lock to be named the NL’s top rookie. Now, however, the race is wide open and three shortstops lead the pack — the Cardinals’ Aldemys Diaz, Colorado’s Trevor Story and Seager. July has not been kind to Seager. He failed to get out of the first round of the Home Run Derby, missed three games with a nasty stomach ailment and had not hit a home run through Friday’s play. Story, meanwhile, is making a big push for the red-hot Rockies. While his .270 average trails Seager’s .307 mark, Story’s 27 home runs far outdistance Seager’s 17. Story has a .908 OPS vs. .884 for Seager. Story’s WAR is 3.2, while Seager’s is 3.2. Story’s .977 fielding average and 1.0 range factor are better than Seager’s .970 and 0.3. In other words, the race for NL rookie of the year is on and it will be on full display this week at Coors Field.
3 Up, 3 Down
UP
1. Blue Jays: Routed Orioles on Saturday afternoon to take over sole position of first in the AL East.
2. Rockies: Have won 11 of 15 games since the all-star break based on quality starts throughout rotation.
3. Tigers: Offense is roaring to life as Detroit puts heat on Cleveland in AL Central.
DOWN
1. Royals: Edinson Volquez on trading block as defending champs tumble to 7-17 in July.
2. Giants: Lost 11 of 13 since the all-star break, but they did get Hunter Pence back Saturday after two months on DL.
3. Orioles: Losing two of three to Rockies at home last week began the Birds’ fall from first place.
