As pointed out in a blog yesterday, the Colorado Rockies need stability more than a franchise-record win streak -- and it's a good thing, since the Rocks were clubbed to death in a 12-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays last night, halting them one victory short of a best-ever twelve triumphs in a row.
Now that the run is done, however, the Rockies must not rivert to their old, pre-streak ways and go into the tank for a week or two. That makes their schedule for the rest of June into early July absolutely critical. The ballers play fourteen games in fifteen days, including eight in a row starting tonight; the slate includes two more against the Rays and three versus the Pittsburgh Pirates at home, followed by three road stops featuring the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (hate the altered, ridiculously elongated name), the Oakland A's (where they'll face off against old cohort Matt Holliday) and the Manny-free but still-smokin' L.A. Dodgers. The Rockies need to win more than they lose during this marathon, with the idea of emerging from it at or above .500. An 8-6 mark will accomplish this goal, and it's entirely realistic if the hometowners have actually found their form. We should know by early July.
