2011 Colorado Rockies mid season review

The Colorado Rockies have a 51-56 record and that puts them in third place in the National League Central. They are in that position in large part to a 21-25 record against their four divisional opponents. They did have a 7-5 record in interleague play, but that was not enough to get them up in the standings. They have spent 32 days in first place, but I think their management has thrown in the towel on this season as they traded SP Ubaldo Jimenez to the Cleveland Indians for some very nice prospects. We should expect to see those players with the Rockies come the September call ups.

The Rockies offense has scored 480 runs on 925 hits. Those numbers rank this team in the top third offensively of the 16 senior circuit clubs. The team batting average is .255 and that ranks the seventh in their league. We could rule these numbers as a by product of where this team plays, but with 101 home run hits they are just sixth in the NL. I don’t think playing 81 games at Coors Field can explain their offensive production away. They are pretty good offensively, as the majority of their regular nine starters are batting in the high .200’s.

The pitching staff doesn’t look as good without Jimenez, but has given up 486 runs on 936 hits. The staff ERA is 4.23 and that is the third worst among the NL teams, and that was with Jimenez. Granted he may have been slightly over valued, but hopefully they have a replacement in mind within their organization. Rockies pitchers have struck out 745 batters and issued 352 free passes. Both of those numbers are in the bottom half of the NL.

In the end I don’t think the Rockies were good enough to compete this year, and that is why the Jimenez trade is a good one. They can make a respectable showing now, and hopefully they have got a lot better for the future.

Related Links:

•Colorado Rockies news and notes
•Joshua lobdell.com