Several expert analysts have very recently picked the Colorado Rockies to win the NL West. I have disagreed with them through and through, but the body of work the Rockies are putting together here in September makes for a pretty compelling case against me.
Today, the Rockies completed a sweep of the first-place Cincinnati Reds to extend their winning streak to six games. The Padres were too busy sweeping the Dodgers for the Rockies to gain any ground in the division, but they did pick up a game on the Giants. Currently, the Rockies trail San Diego and Atlanta by 4.5 games. Surpassing either of those teams would earn the Rockies a playoff spot.
How is it that the Rockies manage to be in the playoff discussion every September? There is something to be said about the Rockies' magic in the second half of the season. They always seem to make a big run down the stretch. This year, it's due in large part to the contributions of Carlos Gonzalez, who is threatening for a triple crown and making waves as one of the best hitters in the game. In fact, CarGo needs just four home runs to leap Albert Pujols for the NL lead and capture the triple crown. I've said for a while now that Joey Votto is the MVP of the National League this year, but Gonzalez is certainly giving him a run for his money in my book.
The thing is, if the Rockies do win the NL West or even the wild card, that will be all they really have to celebrate, because they're not going anywhere in the playoffs. That's what makes it even more remarkable that they are able to string together so many wins in such a short period of time. You just can't count the Rockies out anymore. Year in and year out, they're in the hunt, and after being the NL West favorite in many people's minds at the start of the season, they may just meet expectations after all.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment