Just a Typical Game at CF

For the second time in eight games, CF produced a 3-2, 11-inning Rockies win last night. So far this season, the average runs scored in games at CF is 9.38. In 2005, the average was 11.09. Not a drastic shift, but a favorable trend as Rox officials try to normalize the game at their home park. This is also a reverse trend from the rest of the league. In 2005, the average runs scored in NL games was 8.89, meaning an average of 2.20 more runs per game were scored at CF than the rest of the league. The average runs scored in the NL so far in 2006 is 10.25, so CF is actually yielding .87 runs per game less than the league. The staff at DITR will be monitoring this trend throughout the season.

One of the benefits of being in a tie ballgame last night was the non-factor of Trevor Hoffman. In Monday's game, Hoffman recorded a save, which got me to wondering how many saves he has in his career against the Rox. Here are the top five opponents for Hoffman's career in saves, save opportunities and home runs allowed.

Saves
LA-49
COL-42
SF-41
ARI-30
CHC-27

Save Opportunities
LA-51
SF-48
COL-46
ARI-34
NYM-30

Home Runs Allowed
COL-12
PHI-8
LA-7
ATL-5
CHC-5
NYM-5

It's no surprise to see NL West teams on these lists given the return of the unbalanced schedule. It certainly doesn't seem to me like we have hit 12 homers and blown four save opportunities for Hoffman, but he is human after all.

During the telecast last night, they mentioned how good the bullpen has been this season. Overall, the bullpen ERA is 3.35, but S. Kim has been truly awful and if you subtract his performances, the pen's ERA is 1.33. The Rox are 4th in the NL in ERA at 4.19 while last season through 14 games the team ERA was 6.83. The most pleasant surprise so far this season has been Josh Fogg, who may just be playing himself into a permanent job in the rotation.

Until next time, Go Rockies!

Two For Two

The Rox have won two road series. We were not able to say that in 2005 until August 4. Today is April 14. You don't have to be an analyst, which I'm, to understand there's a big difference. The Rox won their fifth road game last season on May 26. That is 43 days away. The Rox have won their fifth road game a full 43 days earlier than they did last year. The comparisons of this season and last season may grow old if the current trend continues, but it is so remarkable that at this point it still bears mention. August was the first month of the 2005 season that the Rox won five road games, going 9-6. Aside from a couple missed plays Tuesday the Rox could have easily swept the entire road trip. The phrase "sweeping a road trip" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue of a Rox fan and isn't something we generally even contemplate, let alone nearly witness. Time will tell if our performance is a result of solid play or the fact that our opponents have been fellow members of the NL West.

One thing I was glad to see and give Clint credit for, was the benching of Holliday and Ardoin for their parts in losing a run Tuesday night. It shows that Hurdle expects accountability and isn't afraid to publicize his displeasure with a player by sitting him down.

Brad Hawpe started the season slow, but is now one of the hottest hitters going. He was batting .222 after five games and now is hitting .382 with a .950 slugging percentage and has 10 rbi in the last four games. Hawpe can tie the franchise record of five straight games hitting a home run with one tonight against Philadelphia at CF.

I have added a season summary on the website. Here you will see various statistics and splits, updated regularly. Check it out and let me know if there is something else you'd like to see as part of the summary.

I have accepted a job with the Regional Transportation District, the public transit agency for the Denver metro area. The HQ for RTD is at 16th and Blake in downtown Denver, just four blocks from the glorious home of our beloved Rox. The proximity to CF isn't listed among the fringe benefits, but it should be.

Until next time, Go Rockies!

Unusual

First of all, I'd like to expand on yesterday's post. My friend Scot asked the question about how many road sweeps the Rox have had as a franchise. So, each of us began our own research and then compared results. The bottom line is that the weekend sweep of the Padres in SD was the 13th sweep of a road series of three or four games. The most in a season has been three in 1997 and the Rox had zero sweeps in 1995, 1996, 2002, 2003 and 2005. The Rox have swept LA three times; Arizona, San Diego and Montreal/Washington twice.

The Rox kept their current winning streak alive last night with the 6-5 win against the snakes. They did put one streak to rest though. The first six games of the season saw the Rox give up at least one run in the first inning of every game. Last night they didn't allow a run in the first. However, the way they avoided it was very unusual. With the bases loaded and one out, Jackson hit a line drive to Holliday that was trapped. With the runners on first and second frozen to see if the ball was caught or not, Holliday threw to third for a force and then Atkins threw to second for a double play. The play was originally ruled a run-scoring play since DeVanon crossed the plate before the third out, but the umpires changed the call since a run cannot score on an inning-ending double play. Unusual!

Again, I know it is early, but the Rox are fourth in the NL in ERA at 4.29 and tied for first in home runs allowed at four. Last year after seven games the Rox' ERA was 7.91 and enthusiasm was waning rapidly. Also, last year after seven games the bullpen had already lost three games and blown four saves. This year they have yet to do either. What a difference a year makes, at least to this point. The Rox also lead the NL in total bases with 146. This isn't a total surprise, but they have done nearly all of the damage on the road. Unusual!

In looking at the team stats so far, I noticed that the Braves are last in the NL in ERA at 6.85. Unusual!

Home, Home on the Road

It's too early to really make anything out of the way this season has started, but one thing can be said for sure, it has started in strange fashion. Get this, the Rox start the season at home, in a park referred to some as a joke for its' offensive tendencies, against Arizona, a team only marginally better than the Rox, if that. What do the Rox do, but score 10 runs while hitting only one home run and getting just eight extra base hits, in the entire three game series. The Rox then head to San Diego, to Petco Park, generally considered the best new pitcher's park. One would have fully expected the Rox to fall flat on their face after the recent performances at CF. Instead, what the Rox did to the Padres was not only impressive, but historical also. The Rox scored 32 runs, hit eight home runs and collected 24 extra base hits in the three game series, scoring in double digits each game and sweeping the Padres. This is the most runs an opponent has scored in a series in the relatively short life of Petco Park. This is also the most runs the Rox franchise has ever scored in a three-game road series. The Padres had to be stunned. I imagine the majority of Rox fans were too. I know I was.

Now, let's look at this compared to 2005, a season in which the Rox' road performances early on could best be described as Pathetic with a capital P. The Rox did not win a road game until their 7th try, beating Philadelphia 7-4 on April 20. They did not earn their third win on the road until their 17th try, an 8-3 win vs. Florida on May 8. The first road series they won was July 18-20 against Washington and the Rox did not sweep a road series the entire season.

At this time last year, the Rox were in the midst of what would be a seven game losing streak after winning opening day in dramatic fashion. Last year the Rox spent a total of two days in first place, one day in second, one day in fourth and 175 in fifth place. So far this season the Rox have spent seven days in first place and one day in second.

Congratulations to Garrett Atkins for being named the inaugural NL Player of the Week for the 2006 season.

Until next time, Go Rockies!