Destiny is all up to the players
Remaining schedule includes large dose of Colorado’s NL West division rivals
As the Rockies battled their way to a 30-16 record in a historic span that saw them play 46 consecutive games against teams with a better-than-.500 record, there was no easy stretch.
It was a gauntlet of scheduling adversity, but the Rockies — red hot coming off a four-game road sweep of the Atlanta Braves entering Tuesday’s homestand opener against the cellar-dwelling San Diego Padres – didn’t flinch. At risk of getting buried in June, the Rockies have put themselves in prime position for a playoff push.
“We embrace it,” shortstop Trevor Story said. “At the end of the day, we want to play against the best. If we can win close games, and win games like we did (in Atlanta), that’s going to be big for us in September and hopefully the playoffs.”
Colorado’s first-ever four-game sweep of the Braves in Atlanta this past weekend was characterized by strong starting pitching and timely hitting. The Rockies rallied late in two of the victories. And before that, Colorado split with the defending champion Astros in Houston and took three of four from the Los Angeles Dodgers at home. Their 8-2 mark over their past 10 games has the Rockies just a half-game back of the division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks and tied in the wildcard standings.
“When the coaches and I were going through the schedule recently, in a way we thought it was a good thing to play all those teams that are over .500 and in contention because it will really show what we’re all about,” manager Bud Black said. “It was a great test for us, and our guys responded.”
Indeed, Colorado has emerged from a brutal stretch in an advantageous position.
According to Fangraphs, the Rockies’ probability of making the playoffs stands at 44.1 percent — up dramatically from a 5 percent chance at the end of June — while the Dodgers and Diamondbacks have tougher homestretch schedules, with Los Angeles’ remaining opponents’ winning percentage (.609) much higher than Arizona’s (.497) and Colorado’s (.491).
But even if the schedule eases up slightly, the emotions and pressure will only intensify for a Rockies team laden with a mix of veterans and flashy young players.
“From now on, all the way down to the end, it’s going to be a playoff-like atmosphere for every single game,” veteran outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said. “If you want to be in the playoffs and fight for a championship, that’s how it’s got to be. We’ve shown a lot of fight, but we’ve got to continue to grow, and be more and more tough as we go down the road.”
Of the Rockies’ 38 remaining games, 26 are against National League West opponents, meaning their playoff destiny — and the possibility of a first division title in franchise history — remains firmly within their control.
“As long as we take care of our business within the remaining divisional series, it’s going to pan out – whether that’s winning the division, which is our obvious goal, or getting a wild card,” reliever Jake McGee said. “Playing well against the Dodgers and Dbacks is going to put us where we want to be, and we can go from there.”