Who are the Rockies?

After scoring 17 runs over the course of eight games, the Rockies scored 12 runs in one inning on Friday night in a 17-2 rout of the Cubs at Coors Field.

The eighth-inning outburst set club records for hits in an inning, 12, and consecutive hits, with 10.

When was the last time a pinch hitter recorded two hits in the same inning? Melvin Mora came in with two outs to pinch hit for Rafael Betancourt. He lined a single to right field and came around to score. Later in the inning, Mora came back up and recorded another hit and run.

The inning came as a huge relief for Rockies fans who have been dealing with frustration that boiled over when the Rockies dropped to nine games behind the Padres with consecutive losses to the Pirates, a team that contains less talent than many Triple-A clubs.

The win, coupled with the Padres’ loss to the Marlins, gives Rockies fans a small sliver of hope that the 2010 season is not over yet.

Rockies fans have learned to hold out hope for as long as possible due to the team’s propensity for late-season comebacks, despite being far behind the leader of the pack.

Figuring out these Rockies would give professional psychologists fits. Momentum means nothing to this club…or maybe it means everything.

Streaks seem to be commonplace for a club that either overperforms or underperforms every single time they take the field. The Rockies are the only team in the league who everyone is still trying to figure out.

Are the Rockies the team that went 8-2 on the final home stand before the All-Star break, or are they the team that went 2-9 on the road trip immediately following the break?

Are they the team that won 92 games in 2009 or are they the team that played nearly .500 ball throughout most of April and May in 2010?

The Rockies need to decide for themselves who they are. If they decide that they are the team that showed up at Coors Field on Friday night, then they have quite the hill to climb.

If they decide that they are a team that plays well at home but cannot win on the road, then they can coast into the off season and start to get some younger guys much-needed reps.

If the Rockies do turn things around and go on a winning streak, is it too late to think that they can make the playoffs?

The problem with giving up on this team is that their history suggests that they can accomplish things that have never happened in big league history.

The answer to that question may be yes, however, the Rockies playoff hopes would require a winning streak at some point as long as their losing streak. With 59 games to go, the Rockies must make up an eight-game deficit.

The Rockies must close the gap from eight games to four games before the end of August. Then they will have to once again outplay the rest of the division throughout the month of September, possibly winning 18 or 19 games in the month to win it.

Either way, the Rockies can guarantee one thing. Being their fan requires a love for drama. They simply won’t commit to winning or to losing. Depending on the attitude, that could be a good thing or a bad thing.

 

For more on the Rockies visit RockiesReview.com

 

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