Who’s the closer? Not such an easy decision
MILWAUKEE» My head’s still spinning from the Rockies’ wild, 5-4, 11-inning win over the Brewers on Sunday, and from a seven-game road trip in which the Rockies lost three games in walk-off fashion and barely escaped a fourth heartbreaker.
But I’ve tried to collect my thoughts in a coherent manner to pass along a few thoughts and observations.
• Closing big-league games is a different beast, and it’s sure not for everybody.
On Friday night, after Wade Davis blew his second consecutive save, I asked manager Bud Black if he was going to take Davis out of the closer role, at least temporarily. His answer was a blunt no, and Black and I’ve had a running debate about it since.
Many fans, of course, wanted Adam Ottavino to take over the role. I get that. Ottavino has been sensational this season and has a 1.66 ERA. But he’s not a bullpen Superman, and that was revealed in the ninth inning Sunday.
Mike Moustakas hit a leadoff homer
off Ottavino in the ninth, and Ottavino gave up an RBI double and a wild pitch that scored a run. Granted, catcher Tom Murphy made the inning a mess, getting called for catcher interference on Ryan Braun’s at-bat and then failing to handle strike three in the dirt on a pitch to Erik Kratz that should have ended the game. Nonetheless, it’s clear that removing Davis, a proven closer, from that difficult role is not as cut and dried as it might seem.
• That said, the Rockies’ bullpen remains the team’s biggest worry as it tries to stay in the race for a wild-card spot or the National League West title.
• Shortstop Trevor Story is bursting onto the baseball scene like a supernova. He hit his 24th home run of the season Sunday and drove in four of the Rockies’ five runs. He mashed home runs in the final three games of the road trip and finished the season series against Milwaukee with seven home runs and 18 RBIs over seven games. And since June 2, Story is batting .339.
“He’s been carrying us,” said Nolan Arenado, who hit the game-winning solo home run in the 11th. “His approach has been unbelievable.”
Story, as usual, was pleased but low-key about his performance.
“Really, I’m just trying to keep things simple and not complicate it,” he said. “A lot of it is about preparation.”
Then Story tipped his cap to Arenado.
“That homer was huge,” Story said. “He’s our best player, and he showed why right there. That was a big-time spot by a big-time player.”
• Colorado needs more production from its catchers, and Black is very aware of it. Murphy went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts Sunday, and the combination of Chris Iannetta, Tony Wolters and Murphy was a no-show with the bat the entire road trip, going 1-for-23. The trio has only five hits since July 14.
“I think you could say (we need more), and they would be the first to admit it,” Black said. “We have talked about them being mired in a little offensive slump. These guys are better offensive players than that.”
• Jon Gray is pitching like he must if the Rockies are going to make the postseason. He has pitched seven-plus innings for a career-high fourth consecutive start. He’s the first Rockies pitcher to do that since Jhoulys Chacin did it twice in 2013.