Rox Bottom

Enough! I realize this blog has been nothing if not optimistic, but I've had enough of this pitiful, heartless Rockies team. How do you have a sixth-inning, five-run lead against one of the worst offensive teams in either league, and lose the game 15-8?!?

The entire bullpen (with the exception of Buchholz) is a mess, nobody can be counted on to get an out. The rotation is hanging on by their fingernails. Hurdle needs to manage the All-Star team in a Rockies uniform, and then get the boot. Thanks Clint, but you clearly don't have what it takes to manage a team expected to contend. Hurdle keeps putting the bat in Willy Taveras' hands, and Willy keeps disappointing. He continues to platoon Torrealba and Ianetta, when Chris has been more productive even with fewer at-bats. And he keeps giving the damn ball to Fuentes. Get rid of 'em all. These guys are an embarrassment to themselves. We know they're better than this, we've seen it.

And finally, after years of defending him as his stats decline, I'm finally ready to start giving Todd Helton his share of grief. He's cost himself a shot at Cooperstown with a steady plunge to mediocrity the last four seasons... everybody knows he's lost all his power, but his overall hitting has fallen off drastically, too, and it's especially obvious this season. He's striking out a ton. He's not hitting any line drives at all. He has 29 RBI halfway through the season, which places him 29th among MLB first basemen. Some of that's because nobody hitting ahead of him can get on base, but still, 29th? There's only 30 teams, Todd. Even doubles, which even after he stopped hitting homers were still showing us he could hit the ball hard, have dried up; he's barely on pace to hit 30 this season. Todd Helton is killing us at the plate, and his contract is killing any hopes of retaining Holliday. If Helton's the leader of this team, we can see why they're playing the way they are. Come on, Todd... nobody expects you to hit 40 HRs and 140RBI anymore, but either show some pride out there, or hang them up.

Sigh. In happier news, Spilborghs has continued the evolution of The Beard, and after a week or so of growing it out, has again trimmed it back to the very-spiffy Three Musketeers look! Spilly continues to be a bright spot in a dull season, as one of the most productive pinch-hitters in the league. And after the Rockies in their infinite wisdom trade away their best player, Matt Holliday, Spil will likely be a starting outfielder.