Some observations as the Rockies enter the final third of their season.
• A few weeks ago, manager Bud Black asked me why I kept writing about the Rockies being on track for a 100-loss season. I told him I thought it was a relevant measuring stick regarding the direction of the team because the team has never had 100 losses. I’m not sure he bought my argument.
As I write this, the Rockies own a 43-66 record and are on pace to finish 64-98, which would tie the 2012 club for the worst mark in franchise history. The Rockies face a difficult August schedule — the Brewers, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Rays, Orioles and Braves are all good teams — so a 100-loss season still looms.
• The Rockies are averaging 32,343 fans per game at Coors Field. They are essentially on pace to match last season’s average of 32,467. Given that the Rockies are in the midst of their fifth consecutive losing season, it’s remarkable how the fans keep flocking to Coors. I weighed in on that topic two weeks ago.
• In case you missed it, left-hander Kyle Freeland delivered the most honest quote of the season after Colorado’s 11-1 loss to the Padres on Wednesday.
“It’s very frustrating,” said Freeland, who signed a five-year, $64.5 million contract extension in April of last year. “The second year into this contract, it’s definitely not how I pictured things going, for myself or this team. It’s tough.
“We all want to win and we all want to have success and we all want to be in the playoffs playing meaningful baseball. Right now, it seems like every time you look down that tunnel, looking for that light, it just keeps getting further and further away.”
A few things to point out. First, the fiery Freeland is clearly tired of all of the losing and it was refreshing to hear a veteran on the team say so. Second, Freeland did not throw anyone under the bus, especially since he understands that he hasn’t pitched up to his own standards. Third, Freeland has received minuscule run support and it’s a big reason why he has not won a game since May 14, but he’s never used that as an excuse or pointed the finger.
• Despite all of the injuries and the losses, two rookies have emerged as future All-Stars: shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and outfielder/first baseman Nolan Jones. You don’t have to watch every Rockies game to see that they are special players. They play with confidence and flair.
In the tradition of Troy Tulowitzki and Trevor Story, Tovar makes all the routine plays, and increasingly, the highlight reel plays, too. His ability to gobble up grounders up the middle is remarkable, as is his ability to charge balls hit to the left side, barehand the baseball, and hit the bullseye with his throw. The defensive metrics confirm what we are seeing. Tovar’s 1.7 defensive WAR (Baseball Reference) is tied for fourth in the National League.
After a slow start at the plate, Tovar has become a much better hitter and there is more to come. Since May 20, he’s hit .284, raising his average from .211 to .257. He ranks first among National League rookies with 24 doubles and his 37 extra-base hits rank third.
Jones has made a number of excellent plays in the outfield, a position he’s still learning. Everyone I talk to says that Jones is an enthusiastic student of the game. As I noted in my recent feature on Jones, his athleticism and baseball skills give Jones a chance to be special.
Yes, he still tends to be streaky at the plate, but he leads the team with a .367 on-base percentage and a .489 slugging percentage. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting .405 (15 for 37) with three home runs.
My prediction: Both Tovar and Jones will be All-Stars by 2025.
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