18 half thoughts, Colorado Rockies game reviews

 Is The Dark Knight the same without The Joker? The Los Angeles Dodgers play the role of antagonist better than anyone has in the history of the MLB. How good of a heel team are they? A 2-0 win in February by the Colorado Rockies will get referenced during the regular season! Bradley Blalock got his second start of spring training once again pitching two scoreless innings. Blalock only needed 20 pitches in his first outing against Arizona, he needed 50 to work through the Dodgers which included striking out the last three batters he faced. Gabriel Hughes' return from Tommy John was as the starting pitcher, today he came in relief. In today's second inning of work, after walking  leadoff batter Tommy Edman, Hughes would strikeout the side. With his pitch count low, he would come back in to start the 5th giving up a single and striking out Mookie Betts. Ryan Rolison, who was the Rockies first round draft pick 4 years before Hughes, came on to get the final two outs. In his previ...

 Scrolling through Rockies Bluesky accounts, Renee  Dechert posted, " Patrick Saunders wrote in a column this morning that “barring a significant setback,” he expects Chase Dollander to start the season in the Rockies rotation. That friends makes today's starter Ryan Feltner number 4 on the Rockies rotation, if everyone is healthy. Seems logical to give him the Philadelphia game in Philly over the rookie. Feltner gave up 2 runs on 3 hits after watching his offense collect a hat-trick of strikeouts. Nick Martini hit a homer to put the Rockies on the board in the top of the second. An underwhelming thus far Adael Amador, with 2-on and 2-out, hit his first 2-bagger of spring training putting the Rockies ahead. Fittingly, Feltner's second inning of work was a wonderful 3-up, 3-down effort. Anthony Molina came on in the third to pitch for the Rox. He struggled his first appearance giving up 3-runs so seeing him go through the inning only giving up a walk was nice. He'd watc...

An exaggeratory statement that is not an exaggeration, starting pitcher German Marquez is the linchpin to this team this season. Nevermind the Kris Bryant contract, put aside the hometown hero stuff Kyle Freeland gets, even more important than the budding cornerstones Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar, Marquez needs to be the ace of the staff. He needs to be healthy, he needs to be better than anyone on that has walked onto the Rockies mound the past seasons. And he probably needs to be traded at the trade deadline but the Rockies won't because they don't do that. Marquez pitched the first two innings of the game on Tuesday with two walks being the only blemish on his line. Good starting point.  Austin Gomber pitched the next two innings for the Rockies. After giving up a single to the first batter he faced, Gomber retired the next 6 batters in order picking up three strikeouts along the way. On the topic of Kris Bryant: 2025 starters written in ink on the gamecard are Doyle and...

 Skipping split squad games brings us to the soon-be-past Justin Verlander pitching against the soon-to-be Chase Dollander. TOP 1: Michael Toglia homers made Kate Upton sad but Rockies fans happy. BOTTOM 1: Dollander plays monkey see monkey do and gives up a 2-out homer. T2: All due respect to Braxton Fulford, Owen Miller and Aaron Schunk but even first outing of spring training Verlander is a smidge above their level. B2: Dollander gives up a 2-out single. There is hope here. T3: Zac Veen and Toglia are exciting. Strikeout number 2 of the day by Nolan Jones is not. B3: Tanner Gordon walks two. Very hard putting up a zero when you do that. T4: nothing burger served B4: a walk breaks up the elusive 3up-3down T5: 6 in a row set down, making everyone look like Verlander B5: Jimmy Herget bounces back from shaky first appearance with the clean inning! T6: Veen out here winning hearts with a single and a stolen base. B6: Zach Agnos with a clean inning and the Rox have retired 7 in a row....

Reminder baseball fans, scores do not matter in spring training.  TOP 1: Gabriel Hughes, the Rockies 1st round pick in 2022, pitching his first game since Tommy John Surgery in 2023: 3up-3down! BOTTOM 1: Thairo Estrada grounds out in his first Rockies at-bat which is better than striking out. T2: A walk would be the only blemish on Hughes' outing today and if that doesn't make you happy then go touch grass. B2: Nick Martini's first at-bat as a Rockie he gets hit by a pitch. He gets shaken but not stirred. There, that joke is out of the way now. T3: If Diego Castillo can turn the clock the back to his Tampa Bay Rays days, he will allow a youngster more time to season in the minors cause we all know Buddy Black prefers experience over youth until he is forced to use youth and this won't be the last time you read that rant this season. B3: Drew Romo, part of the hat-trick of catchers vying for the backup spot draws a walk. He needs his offense to win the spot while his com...

  Top 1: 3 strikeouts is an inauspicious way to start your offensive season. Bottom 1: Hello Bradley Blalock, 3-up, 3-down innings are always a treat. T2: There was only strikeout, huzzah! B2: Leadoff single that doesn't leave first base is a win. T3: Pitcher 3 for Arizona gives up 2 2-out walks loading the bases but the No in Nolan Jones strands them. B3: Anthony Molino on the mound has no fun. T4: Adael Amador keeps the line moving with the bases loaded them Brenton Doyle brings everyone home with a grand slam. B4: Alec Barger walks one facing three major leaguers. T5: Yanquiel Fernandez, the 2024 4th rated prospect subs in, flies out. B5: Jimmy Herget does not introduce himself well to Rockies fans. T6: deep into below replacement player talent on the mound, Amador the only Rockie to not strikeout. B6: Jack O'Loughlin gets only major leaguer he faces to ground into double play. T7: #3 2024 Rockies Prospect Zac Veen doubles collecting a RBI and restarting the gauge...