Bud Black evaluates the Colorado Rockies, offers improvement areas for success

Monday represented the perfect opportunity to ask any manager about the state of their team as four months remain and the season is roughly one-third complete.

As the baseball adage goes, one doesn’t worry about the standings until Memorial Day.

The unofficial start of summer was greeted with a come-from-behind victory over the Miami Marlins to open a seven-game homestand and put the Colorado Rockies at 22-26. 

Bud Black discussed the three-legged stool required for a balanced, successful baseball club: pitching, hitting and defense.

“I think we’ve seen some good things from this club. Good out of the gate. And most recently, we haven’t synced up the pitching and hitting,” Black said on Monday morning ahead of the afternoon’s Memorial Day contest. “As far as the defense, that hasn’t been up to our standards either.”

Pitch Perfect (or at least league-average)

“The strength of our team is starting pitching and that’s been inconsistent. It’s frustrating for us as coaches and for our rotation.”

The veteran starters entered the year as the backbone of the organization. During the 16-11 start to the year, that group was holding up its end of the bargain.

Pitching to a 4.05 ERA (115 ERA+) through May 7, the rotation was on pace to break the franchise mark of 4.14 ERA (112 ERA+) set in 2010.

Of course, four weeks does not a season make.

Starters also helped the club take the top spot in ground ball double plays (37) through that point in the season. However, since recording an average of one per game, the team has turned two only 12 times in the last 21 games entering Wednesday.

And the rotations’ earned run average? That, too, has seen a reversal of fortune, ballooning to 5.72 since May 8.

Outside of his first start, Germán Márquez has struggled to post the same dominant outings that made him an All-Star last season. His 6.30 ERA for the season rose to 6.71 following a Game 2 performance where he tied a career-high three home runs surrendered to the Marlins.

The bullpen has also suffered from a similar fate in regards to polar opposite results. 

After allowing only three earned runs through the first seven games of the season for the best mark in MLB – a microscopic 0.86 ERA – the Rockies ‘pen has been 30th by a full run with a 5.98 ERA.

Tyler Kinley has been exceptional (0.95 ERA), while Daniel Bard (3.12 ERA, 11 saves) and Alex Colomé (3.52, 2 saves) are the only relievers with a sub-5.00 ERA.

That Hits The Spot

“We have some guys having good years, our first baseman is having a monster year. And I think there’s other guys who think that their production will increase as we get into these last four months. I think their track record shows that, so that’s encouraging.”

C.J. Cron is atop the National League leaderboard in the Triple Crown categories and a decent candidate to earn his first All-Star Game selection. Entering Wednesday’s doubleheader, he was tied for second in home runs (13), fourth in batting average (.307) and fifth in runs batted in (37).

José Iglesias has also been a bright spot at the plate, particularly at the bottom of the order. He’s posted a .317 batting average, a notable stat considering the franchise high for a shortstop is .315 by Troy Tulowitzki in 2010.

Brendan Rodgers has been at the top of his game after struggling in April to the tune of a .078 (4-for-51) batting average. Once the calendar turned to May, he batted .347 (33-for-95) with seven doubles, two home runs and 18 RBI in 24 games.

“I’ve said many, many times,” Black reiterated about his lineup. “Offensively, we need five or six guys swinging the bat well because there’s always going to be two, three or four guys who are not. It can’t be the other way. It can’t be.”

While players like Yonathan Daza and Connor Joe have had long stretches of above-average play and veterans Charlie Blackmon and Ryan McMahon have contributed to varying degrees, Colorado has simply not had the requisite five guys swinging the bat well at the same time. 

The loss of vaunted free agent signing Kris Bryant to a back strain for 29 games has not only removed a game-changing bat from the lineup, but impact of having him in the on-deck circle, on the bases and coming off the bench has also been missing. 

Overall, the team is striking out just 20.1% of the time (6th-best , MLB). On the flip side, they’ve not been as adept at drawing walks. Their 7.8% walk percentage is 22nd in MLB. 

But in 2022, the long ball reigns supreme.

“For us to win, we’ve got to hit homers,” Black said, point-blank.

The Rockies’ 43 home runs in 46 games is 11th-best in the 15-team National League.

Of the 12 MLB clubs currently in position to make the postseason, only the San Diego Padres are not in the top 20 for team home runs. Seven of the 10 teams to reach October in 2021 were top 10 in the category. 

“Power is such a big part of this game and you’re rewarded with power. Power does help you win, for sure. And we talk about that as a group.” Colorado’s sixth-year skipper added, “I think we have those types of players who have that ability from their track record.”

Defensive Indifferences 

Trailing only the Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles, the Rockies are tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third-most errors (37) in the sport.

Their fielding percentage (.979) is second-worst in MLB and FanGraphs’ defensive metric has them at second-worst in the National League.

The organization that has prided itself on not giving away any outs with their gloves in the most relentless ballpark in the land has fallen short of expectations.

After leading the world in defensive runs saved in 2021, Ryan McMahon has made ten errors so far in ’22, most in MLB and more than he was charged with in 151 games last season.

Though the middle infielders have been integral in keeping the team towards the top of the standings in double plays, Iglesias (5) and Rodgers (5) have made more than their share of errors, extending innings and opportunities for their opponents.

With the return of Bryant uncertain, the minor league reserves thin on upper-level talent and little-to-no trade activity in the league to suggest a swap of players could solve these issues, the encouraging potential of the 2022 Rockies will have to come from the current roster.

And soon. Or else our eyes, mind and heart will begin to turn towards 2023.