Ringolsby: Why Vegas is more bullish on the Rockies than when the season began

For the Rockies fan, it’s been a frustrating start to the 2018 season.

From afar, the vision of what’s happening for the crew from Coors apparently is promising for what lays ahead in 2018.

The folks at www.Bovada.lv send regular bulletins listing Vegas odds, and the missive that came in the email this week showed that the Rockies, who opened the season at 40-to-1 to win the World Series had cut the odds to 30-to-1.

And that was back when the Rockies were sitting on a .500 record – 15-15 – and despite the fact they are only 5-7 at Coors Field, where they are supposed to have the biggest home-field edge in baseball.

That’s with a team that was sitting No. 30 out of 30 MLB teams with a batting average barely above .200.

But then, that’s what makes this team so intriguing to the oddsmakers, and such a concern for the teams still on the Rockies schedule.

Here’s the deal, for all that has gone wrong with the Rockies offensively this season they have kept their collective head above water because that young pitching staff of a year ago has shown signs of taking a step forward.

That’s right. The Rockies pitching staff has been the stalwart.

What long-term Rockies fan would have ever imagined that?

But consider:

• Jon Gray has put April behind him, and as bad as it appeared to Rockies fans, he actually won two games in a month in which he had never previously won a game. He will most likely take the mound at Coors Field next Tuesday against the Angels in the homestand opener, coming off back-to-back victories in which he allowed one earned run in 13 innings. His ERA dropped from 7.09 to 4.99, and the batting average against went from .319 to .269 over the course of the two games.
• Chad Bettis, a year removed from his battle with testicular cancer, is 2-1 with a 2.43 ERA six starts into 2018, having allowed a .202 batting average.
• New closer Wade Davis has a 2.19 ERA. He has converted 11 of 12 save opportunities, and the one time he failed he only gave up a tying run, and the Rockies rallied to win.
• Charlie Blackmon is conquering the road, where he has hit nine of his 10 home runs.
• And Nolan Arenado, after hitting one home run in his first 15 games of the season returned from a five-game suspension for his part in a bench-clearing with the Padres to have hit six home runs in his last 12 games.

Translation: The pitching has been all the Rockies could hope for, and anyone who has ever watched this team knows it can hit–and not just hit home runs.

There are five keys to a resurgence that will take the Rockies into the post-season in back-to-back seasons for the first time ever:

• The return of right-hander Jeff Hoffman, who opened the season on the disabled list, and after an initial rehab assignment in the minor leagues was activated and assigned to Triple-A Albuquerque. Hoffman had his first strong start on Wednesday in Tacoma, giving up three walks and that one run in 5 2/3 hitless innings in which he struck out eight. Rest assured the Rockies current five-man rotation will need help at some point, and Hoffman is that steadying addition.
• Adam Ottavino reevaluated his career in the off-season and is making up for two lost seasons in a hurry. In 17 innings, he has given up one run and allowed four hits while striking out 31.
• The Rockies have a losing record at Coors Field of all places (5-7), where they have played only 12 of their 32 games. This is a team that has been propped up by winning – get ready for this one – on the road, where they are 12-8.
• Trevor Story is growing up. He stumbled out the gate to hit .177, but the average is up to .235. Take his defense, and in his power and a .250-or-so average and he is an impact shortstop.
• And Ian Desmond is hitting .173. Somebody is going to pay. He is the ultimate professional, and he has hit .274 or better in each of the last six seasons.

That’s why the folks in Vegas see a rainbow over Coors Field, and it’s why the Rockies faithful have a legitimate reason for hope in the remaining 130 regular-season games.