March 8, Colorado Rockies Spring Training Heartbreak

 Living in the moment that is baseball in the first week of March, Saturday's game broke a lot (well at least mine) of Rockies fans hearts. The belief among many Rox fans is that Chase Dollander has been pencilled into the starting rotation beginning this season against Tampa unless he played his way out of that spot. He was pulled in the second inning with two out and the bases loaded. Dollander walked four batters in the outing, three of which were in the second inning. He also gave up two doubles.

One of the feel good stories of camp has been Bradley Blalock, used exclusively as starter until he came in relief of Dollander today. The relief effort did not go well as four runs would cross the plate making it 6-0 for the Athletics. Blalock did come out for the third and was in and out in four batters. The collective we will just presume he is not the guy to call into the game with runners on base and move on from this experience. The irony is for the hope that Dollander would fill a spot, Blalock is likely the one taking it over if Chase makes himself Chase.

Offensively it was nice to see Ezequiel Tovar back in the lineup after being pulled on Thursday after being hit by a pitch. Unfortunately his first at-bat would result in a LIDP - line-out into double play. Thairo Estrada would get hit by a pitch in the bottom of the second but would stay in the game. Even got to advance to third base on a Nolan Jones single. Jones' batting average is now up to .154 which is only worrisome when you remember he has no minor league options left.

Jaden Hill came in for his fourth appearance in the fourth inning. Hill would allow a 1-out single then strikeout the next two batters. It's now three consecutive scoreless innings for Hill. Tyler Kinley is now up to 4 scoreless innings and 6 strikeouts after retiring the Athletics in order in the fifth inning. 

In the bottom of the 5th, Doyle would get on base ahead of Tovar's at-bat once again. This time Tovar hit a double breaking the shutout. Ryan McMahon would also draw his second walk of the game. Aside from these three it's been doom and gloom on the offensive side of the ball until now with seven strikeouts already collected.

Victor Vodnik can say he retired the A's in order in the 6th inning. Unfortunately he'd given up a 2-run homer prior to doing so. Vodnik has given up runs in two of his four appearances.

Luis Peralta collected his second consecutive clean inning of work in the 7th. Seth Halvorsen worked around a leadoff single to post a zero in the 8th. Diego Castillo, who was not sharp his previous two outings, had a leadoff walk erased by a double play to help post a much needed zero of his won.

Offensively, catcher Drew Romo got a hit raising his average to .133. Todays starting catcher Hunter Goodman went 0-2 dropping his average to .375. Veteran catcher Austin Nola is batting .353. With the Rockies tooting their own horn about their defense, it's a real fear that Nola starts the season as the backup catcher.

31 year old Sam Hilliard's batting average dipped under .100. Zac Veen struck out twice. BUT 34 year old veteran Nick Martini drew a walk. Again, the fear the rebuilding Rockies may be older than they should be on Opening Day grew a little today.

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