SWEEP in Philly: Colorado Rockies Slide Continues

The Colorado Rockies continue their losing ways with a three game, 33-10 drubbing at the bats of the Philadelphia Phillies.

The defending National League champions have struggled on the road this entire season with only a small improvement when home at Coors Field in Denver.

With a current record 20-33, 13 games below .500, the team is on pace to lose 100 games this year unless something happens to turn them around.

Rockies’ manager Clint Hurdle continues to scratch his head and muse about technique, injuries and missed opportunities as the slide continues.

Yes, a point can be made that when many of your top starters are on the DL, there will be a slump of sorts as players from Triple A are brought in to fill the gaps, but that is certainly not the Rocks only problem.

Remember, the losing attitude took root when most of those starters were healthy and on the field. So, the question has to be asked, are the injuries causing the slump, or is the slump leading to the injuries?

Pitching has definitely suffered from the growing injury report, and the Rockies have one of the least experienced cadre of starters around the National League.  In games with losing scores like 20-5, or 6-1, it is not only the winning number that counts.

Youngsters, such as Greg Reynolds’ effort last night, are struggling to find their rhythm, but veterans are lagging as well. Jeff Francis, last year's ace, is deep in the losing rut, with Aaron Cook the only bright spot on the staff.

Nonetheless, regardless of how poor or great a hurler performs, if the sticks are silent, the game is lost.

In Wednesday night's game in Philadelphia, a strong Phillies team, where players' hitting, pitching, and fielding seem to actually be in sync, a Rocks near collision in the outfield hints at the dysfunction now plaguing the Colorado team.

Taveras and Spilborghs, legs tangled, allowing Phillies Geoff Jenkins to take second base on the error. Not a technique issue, this is pure and simple, selfish baseball.

Add to that, hitters who refuse to clutch or contact hit but are always swinging for the headlines, and it adds up to a selfish ball club, destined to continue losing.

In the run for the pennant last year, this was a cohesive, well tuned machine where each player played for the glory of the game and the success of the team. Never before has the saying, 'There is no I in team,’ been more fitting.

Rather than focusing on the season at hand, the discussion centers around Holliday's new agent and other efforts for personal salaries and stats.

Homeruns matter more than successful small ball and a strong team effort. A recipe that never fails to fail!

So, c'mon Skipper. 

Lets do whatever is necessary to put away this selfish game being played, even if it means benching some grand-standers and demanding that players earn their keep by putting wood on leather, bunting when appropriate, allowing the and pushing runs across as a team! 

We might continue to lose for the moment, but losing honestly would be a better game than watching pathetic individual antics fuel another painful loss.

This is a World Series caliber baseball team, with a World Series caliber manager, with or without those players currently out of action. It is well past time of them to act like winners, support each other and put aside the distractions.

They cannot wait for the return of Tulo, Hawp, and Holliday before starting to gel. If they try, this season will be a decidedly poor defense of their 2007 National League title.

C'mon boys, let's play ball!