The Rockies

The Rockies are bad, historically bad, on the road this year. Which is fun for us, because while everyone else gets their "rivals" in interleague play, we get the Rockies. The Yankees and Mets, the Cubs and Sox, the Angels and Dodgers, the 'Stros and Rangers, Oakland and San Fran. All the "natural" rivalries are played out this weekend, and yet somehow we aren't "natural rivals" with the Indians. You know, Pittsburgh and Cleveland? Just a couple hours apart? We have that whole football rivalry thing going on? Nope, turns out the Reds and the Indians are "natural rivals" and every year we get stuck with the Brewers, the Tigers, and now, the Rockies. The people that run baseball are stupid (you know, the same people that are sending us to Yankee Stadium this year where 75% of the people there aren't sure we still exist when given the opportunity to have the Yankees come here and let us make a big deal out of things and sell some tickets). But anyways, the Rockies.

This is an important series. The troops must be rallied after two awful, gut-wrenching losses to the Cubs. I'm afraid one loss is already on the books for this weekend with Ollie starting on Saturday. I really don't think he's OK, but I guess we'll see. If he's ever going to pitch well, it'll be against the Rockies in Pittsburgh. Our de facto ace, Mark Redman, is taking the mound tonight and his clone, Dave Williams, is suiting up on Sunday. This weekend also launches the twenty games in twenty days push for our Buccos, one that will probably define the early part of this season. Once the Rockies are out of town, there are no more gimmes (except maybe the Reds). We take a midwest swing for three against the Cards and four in Cinci, then come home to welcome the Marlins (for four), Braves, and Orioles, in that order. If we spend too much time with our tails between our legs from the Cubs series, we are going to be buried below that .500 mark in a hurry. Tonight is especially key, Mark Redman can put an exclamation point on how much of a steal he was in the Kendall trade with a good outing tonight.