.500

[Old Sweater]

Well there all you Rockie fans down here. What is your opinion of the Rockies that are 44-44 at the AS break?


I like our offense with Taveras and Matsui at the top and we can match most teams with our 3-6 hitters. And what about that kid Tulowitzki? Most impressive rookie I have ever seen in a Rockie uniform.

If our starting pitching and the bullpen get more consistency I actually believe the Rockies can finish above .500 for the first time since 2000.

[linkmaster]

I think the Rockies will do much better in the second half of the season. They have the talent. They just need to mesh, and I think that will happen. I found a good article with mid-season recaps of every team, and it pretty much sums up the way I feel about the Rockies going into the all-star break:


Rockies Mid-Season Recap (http://www.sportsmemo.com/handicappers/dc/blog/2506/)

1st Half record: 39-42

Projected 162-game record: 78-84

Offense: Five of the eight players in the everyday lineup hit at least .300 in the first half for the Rockies. Outfielders Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe are both on pace to drive in at least 110 runs for Colorado. After a slow starts, Garrett Atkins has begun to hit while franchise player Todd Helton continues to be a difficult out in the lineup. Wily Tavarez and Kaz Matsui have been solid table setters while rookie Troy Tulowitzki is a star in the making.

Pitching: Lefty Jeff Francis has emerged as the clear ace of the staff after a fine first half. There is a clear dropoff in the rotation behind Francis. Aaron Cook, Rodrigo Lopez, and Jason Hirsh have been decent in the middle of the rotation. However, each of these starters has been very inconsistent. On any given start, they can be above average or they can get hit around pretty good. While the rotation is better than some of the recent staffs, it may not be good enough to move the Rockies into the playoff race. Despite his All-Star berth, closer Brian Fuentes ended the first half in a major funk. He blew four saves in an eight-day period on Colorado's last road trip in the first half and has six blown saves for the year. Still, the bullpen's overall work has been solid as the Rockies setup relievers have produced quality results to support Fuentes.

1st Half Stats and Notes: The Rockies are 18-24 on the road this season...Colorado is 6-0 in home starts made by Lopez...The Rockies are 14-3 to the under in the 17 starts made by Francis.

Better or Worse in 2nd half? Better. The Rockies are 5-2 in the second half and are at the .500 mark at the All-Star break. This is clearly the best team that Clint Hurdle has had to work with during his tenure as manager of the Rockies. With the exception of the catching position, Colorado is able to run out at a quality bat at the other seven positions. The thunder in the lineup lasts awhile with Helton, Holiday, Atkins, and Hawpe. The pitching has also improved as Francis continues to emerge. The Rockies are still trying to learn how to play more consistently away from home. Colorado is able to offset the road woes with winning streaks at Coors Field. The lack of consistent pitching will likely leave Colorado a little short of a playoff bid in 2007 but this team is the biggest sleeper in the NL playoff race in the second half.