Lambert in rotation, but is that the right call?

Ifigured Peter Lambert’s rookie season was over. Moreover, I thought it should be over. I saw no sense in the Rockies’ 22-year-old right-hander continuing to get hammered.

But it appears that Lambert is going to ride out the storm and will start on Sunday at San Diego.

“Nothing is really drastically changing,” manager Bud Black said Tuesday. “All these guys will get an extra day’s rest (on Thursday), so as of now, we’re keeping him on the same (schedule).”

In Colorado’s 16-9 loss to the Dodgers Monday night, Lambert lasted only 1M innings, getting blasted for six runs on eight hits. From upstairs in the press box, I thought he looked shellshocked and was a shadow of the confident you man who impressed everyone so much in spring training.

After Monday’s game, I asked Black if there comes a point when continuing to pitch Lambert becomes “counterproductive.” Black answered: “There is that point. Whether that point is approaching, I’m not sure. That’s a tough one to answer. My conversations with Peter about what’s going on are productive. We’ll see.”

So, for now, Lambert remains in the rotation and the Rockies are keepbelieves

ing the faith.

Lambert opened his big-league career with two impressive wins against the Cubs, but he has not won a game since June 11. The Rockies are 2-12 in his last 14 starts, he owns a 7.19 ERA, a 1.729 WHIP and has served up 17 home runs in 76M innings. Over his last six starts, he has a 10.36 ERA.

But Lambert, a young man who looks you right in the eye and speaks with self-conviction, made it clear he wants to finish off the season.

“The only way to learn is if you keep pitching,” he said. “I’m learning a lot right now, and that’s best for me.”

Lambert has known mostly success in his professional career. Last season, he went 8-2 with a 2.23 ERA in his first 15 starts at Double-A Hartford. That earned him a promotion to Triple-A at age 21. But has his rocky big-league baptism rocked his confidence?

“No, not at all,” he said. “I know I’m struggling right now, but the Dodgers are one of the best teams in baseball and these things are going to happen. The only way to learn is to work through it.”

The Triple-A season has ended, of course, so there is nowhere for Lambert to go except to the bench or back out to the mound.

Black acknowledged that Lambert is making too many mistakes. Monday night, for example, Lambert had Dodgers leadoff hitter Joc Pederson down 0-2 and was supposed to bounce a curveball to Pederson on the third pitch. Instead, Lambert hung a 77 mph curveball over the plate and Pederson hammered it into downtown Los Angeles.

Black, however, clearly Lambert has the right stuff.

“That (confidence) is part of his strength and part of his constitution,” Black said. “That toughness, that’s what we love about him. That mindset.”

Tap time. As expected, outfielder Raimel Tapia was reinstated from the 10-day injured list after recovering from a bruised left hand. Tapia was hitting .365 in his last 15 games before going on the IL (retroactive to Aug. 24).

Black is eager to see what Tapia can do over the final 23 games.

“We want to see good, consistent quality atbats,” Black said. “That means not expanding the strike zone … sometimes his swing can get too big.”

As for Tapia’s play in the outfield, Black said: “His initial breaks and reads are better. We keep an eye on that, each and every play. … Is he a finished product? No, he has to continue working on all phases of outfield.”

Roster moves. The Rockies selected the contract of catcher Drew Butera from Triple-A and recalled infielder Josh Fuentes. To make room for Butera on the 40-man roster, outfielder Noel Cuevas was designated for assignment. The Rockies have a full 40man roster and 31 players on the active roster.