Rockie Mountain High : How The West Will Be Won

The National League West Division is up for grabs... and it's up to the Colorado Rockies to win it.

Two months ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers seemed to have the division in the bag. The Dodgers had a comfortable lead on the Rockies, and looked liked they were to cruise on to a division title uncontested. 60 days later, that all has changed. The "darkhorse" Colorado Rockies have come from out of nowhere. In June, the Rockies were 12 games back, and it looked like they were playing for pride for the rest of the season.

Currently, the Los Angeles Dodgers are 74-52, and doing their best to hold on to a two game lead against a red hot, charging Colorado Rockies Ball Club. The Rockies are 72-54, and are 10-3 in their last 13 games.

Coming off a nail biter against the Dodgers last night, the Rocks managed to squeak out a 5-4 victory over Division Leading Los Angeles. Troy Tulowitzki was the hero for Colorado, with a walk off single in the 10th to give the Rockies a much needed win.

The Colorado rotation has been on point of late, and their starters are looking to prove they are more than just a one trick pony. Huston Street ( 3-1 )  leads the majors in saves with 33, blowing just one. Jason Marquis is having another solid year as the Rockies ace right hander. He is 14-8, with a respectable 3.47 era, 84 k's,  two complete games thrown, and one shutout. In his last 8 decisions, Jason is 5-3.  And then there's Jorge De La Rosa. Jorge is having the best year of his career, and is among league leaders in strikeouts with 145. His 12-8 record is nothing to sneeze at, and has array of "nasty" pitches in his arsenal. De La Rosa is 8-1 in his last nine decisions, and will be a vital piece of the Rockies rotation if they hope to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Amidst the recent success the Colorado Rockies are having, let us not forget a part of the team that is often overlooked, the Manager. Jim Tracy has his Rockies on a tear in the last couple of months, and he deserves a lot of credit for whipping his team back into shape. Two months ago, Rockies fans, writers, and baseball enthusiasts alike would have not given the Rocks any attention. They were down, they were out, and second fiddle to mighty Los Angeles Dodgers. The tables have turned, and the Rockies have become the feel good story of the year in baseball, something for all fans to cheer about.