Rockies At Midseason: Bullpen Needs To Step Up
DENVER (The Sports Xchange) - In the first half, the Rockies used eight starting pitchers who were a combined 29-35 with a 5.07 ERA. The latter figure was the second highest in the National League.
But the Rockies are hopeful the current rotation can be more stable and more productive in the second half. Colorado will come out of the All-Star break with Jorge De La Rosa, Chad Bettis, Jon Gray, Tyler Anderson and Tyler Chatwood lined up to start.
"The best I've had here, no doubt," Walt Weiss, who is in his fourth season as Rockies manager, said of the rotation. "Gives me a lot of optimism about the second half, having these five guys healthy, taking the ball every fifth day. I really like where our rotation's at."
The bullpen is another matter. The relievers' 5.09 ERA is the second highest in the NL and there is considerably less cause for optimism than with the rotation. Offseason acquisitions Chad Qualls, Jason Motte and Jake McGee have struggled. Since Qualls is not a vital back-end piece, his 5.84 ERA is less cause for concern, although he has been a disappointment.
Motte and McGee were supposed to compete for the closer's role. Motte began the season on the disabled list and didn't make his 2016 debut until May 25. McGee began the season as the closer but lost that role June 10 and then went on the disabled list for three weeks with a left knee sprain.
McGee gave up two costly home runs in the four-game series with Philadelphia leading into the break. Of more concern, he's topping out at 91-92 mph with his fastball, not what he or the Rockies expected. In 29 games, McGee has a 6.12 ERA and has allowed five homers and 32 hits in 25 innings.
Motte has a 4.76 ERA in 21 games and has yielded five homers in 17 innings, the latest a mammoth three-run shot to Philadelphia's Maikel Franco that soared 471 feet and broke the game open.
"We've got to get those guys right," Weiss said. "Hopefully this break here will be a little bit of a reprieve, and we'll come back strong after the break. We've got to get some things ironed (out) back there."
Adam Ottavino made the first of his three appearances this season July 6 and is easing his way back from Tommy John surgery May 7, 2015. Weiss will determine when Ottavino is ready for high-leveraged innings but doesn't want to rush that process. That said, Ottavino could help the solidify the back end of the bullpen.
Left fielder Gerardo Parra is recovering from a high ankle sprain and should be back by the end of the month.
"I just feel with the pieces that are healthy and the pieces that we're about to get, we're going to continue to get better as the season goes on," Weiss said. "I think eventually getting Parra back is going to help just because of (him being) another left-handed bat that can be productive. I feel good about the offense, but I do think we have to reach a higher level of consistency."
