Colorado Rockies Should Not Panic, They Have Time and Geography on Their Side

This is not how the Colorado Rockies drew up their plan for the 2012 season.

The team that won the 2007 pennant out of nowhere looked like they had a great plan for the future. The Rockies made the postseason in 2009, made a big charge for a 2010 Wild Card spot and looked like contenders for years to come.

They also looked like the smartest kids in the room.

They traded Matt Holliday and managed to steal Carlos Gonzalez in the deal. They kept Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki in town for long-term deals and had a great pipeline of solid talent coming into Denver.

Remember how they were going to have a homegrown team winning a vulnerable division year-in and year-out with a core of players that the fans could relate to?

And on May 5 of 2011, the Rockies had a four-game lead in the NL West. Everything was working perfectly.

They are 79-110 since then.

Tulo is hurt. Michael Cuddyer is starting to hit, but his numbers are way down. Todd Helton is no longer an elite hitter and the pitching looks like someone has shut off the humidor.

And the Denver fans not trading in their Tebow jerseys for Manning shirts are calling for manager Jim Tracy's head.

They are falling like a rock and only the Padres, Twins and Cubs are keeping them from being the worst team in baseball.

That being said, the Rockies should not do anything drastic. And that includes keeping Jim Tracy in his job.

First of all, there is hope for this team.

They could do a patented Colorado run for the Wild Card. Plus, the Dodgers may be hot after a sweep of Philadelphia, but they could go super cold. And nobody knows what the Diamondbacks, Giants and Padres are going to be at the end of the season.

But the best thing they have on their side is geography—more specifically playing in the National League West.

The West is a wildly unpredictable division.

In 2006, it looked like the Padres were going to win it for the foreseeable future. Then in 2007, it looked like the Diamondbacks had it figured out. Then in 2008, it was the Dodgers for years and years. Then in 2010, the Giants staked a claim.

A turn around isn't too crazy of an idea.

Gonzalez is still hitting and Tulowitzki should return soon. Plus,  there are many young players like Wilin Rosario, Alex White, Jhoulys Chacin and Drew Pomeranz who could make their mark. Third baseman Nolan Arenado could be up in Denver before the season is over.

There is no reason to scrap the team or change course because of a bad 365 days. The best thing the Rockies can do is provide some consistency and that includes management.

Very few people picked the Rockies to win the 2012 NL West, so they should use that to their advantage and lay the foundation for 2013. Besides, it might be their turn to be the surprising team.

What they were creating was a stable franchise with an identity and a certain kind of player wearing a Rockies uniform. And of course, a few stars that the fans can call their own.

Trust me, the balance of power changes in the NL West changes from year to year. Be prepared when it is the Rockies' turn.

Don't fire Tracy and don't shuffle the deck.

Something good is going to happen. Just wait.