KISZLA
starting rotation is closer to a dumpster fire than anyone would care to admit, manager Bud Black really had only one choice when he broke glass in case of emergency. He reached in, grabbed Lambert from the minor leagues and told the team’s second- round pick in the 2015 draft to go get ’ em.
On a late- spring evening with a hint of autumn in the air, Lambert allowed the Cubs nothing more damaging than a solo home run by Jason Heyward in the second inning. In two outings against Chicago, his earned run average is a sterling 1.50, with 12 strikeouts and three walks.
But what you have to dig most about Lambert is the take- noprisoners fight in his approach. There’s a little bit of the swagger that made LoDo fall in love with Kyle Freeland a year ago. Although Lambert doesn’t wear emotion on his sleeve in the manner of K- Free, you’ve got to admire a rookie who fearlessly spins 76 mph breaking balls in the thin air of the Mile High City.
What’s more, Lambert plunked Cubs star Kris Bryant not once, but twice, with a pitch while trying to work the inner half the plate, much to the dismay of the partisan Chicago crowd at Coors.
And maybe most impressive of all: In the fourth inning, Lambert went running, diving and sliding after a weak popup off the bat of Wilson Contreras with such gusto he left the ugliest divot I’ve seen in the grass since the last time I made the mistake of taking the 2- iron out of my golf bag.
Can this rookie win 10 or 12 games for the Rockies in 2019? Is that too much to dream?
With a 35- 31 record, Colorado is back in the playoff conversation, because the wild card means never having to say you’re sorry for a flawed 25- man roster. Going forward, necessity will force Black to lean heavily on pitcher German Marquez ( age 24), outfielder David Dahl ( 25), second baseman Brendan Rodgers ( 22) and Lambert ( 22). While third baseman Nolan Arenado and shortstop Trevor Story are the established stars of this team, how much noise the Rockies can make this summer will largely depend on the kids in the clubhouse.