Hurdle ejected; Colorado rejected

Morales struggles as San Francisco earns shutout win

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Monday, April 28, 2008

Eric Risberg / Associated Press

Rockies manager Clint Hurdle argues with home plate umpire Paul Emmel after Emmel called a balk on Franklin Morales two batters into the first inning in San Francisco on Monday. Hurdle was ejected for arguing the call, his first ejection of the season.

There are 136 games remaining in the season.

The month of April isn't even over yet.

But Rockies manager Clint Hurdle admits it's not too early for the Rockies to be concerned.

A season that had so much anticipation in the aftermath of the Rockies earning their first National League pennant has become an ongoing frustration.

The struggles of rookie left- hander Franklin Morales, compounded by veteran Kip Wells' inability to throw a strike, left the Rockies 4-0 victims of the Giants at AT&T Park on Monday night, the Rockies' eighth loss in nine games, dropping them to 10-16.

That's the same record they had after 26 games a year ago, but there's a big difference. This time, Arizona is off to baseball's best start (19-7), which means the Rockies not only are sharing last place in the NL West with San Diego at 10-16 but face a bigger deficit (nine games) than they did at any point last season.

Hurdle - ejected by home plate umpire two batters into the bottom of the first by Paul Emmel over questions about a balk call on Morales - let it be known before the game he's not trying to downplay the struggles the Rockies are facing.

"I'm not so sure you can win a pennant in April, but you can put yourself in dire straits if you don't acknowledge where you are coming up short," Hurdle said. "We can't say this is insignificant because it is significant and we have to admit that to improve."

There's no magic fix to what ails the Rockies.

They have had breakdowns in all areas, evidenced by the first meeting of the season with the Giants.

The Rockies weren't just 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. They were 2-for-16 with a runner on base - with one of the hits coming on back-to-back two-out singles by Jeff Baker and Yorvit Torrealba ahead of a Morales groundout in the second.

And Matt Holliday, after a two- out single in the third, was picked off to end the inning before another player even got to bat.

The Giants didn't tee off on Morales or the bullpen, but then they didn't need to. They scored two runs in the first when Emmanuel Burriss beat out a one- out bunt, took second on a balk and scored on a bloop single by Ray Durham. With two out, after Durham stole second, Aaron Rowand singled in the second run.

Then there was the fifth-inning fiasco.

Morales, bailed out of the third and fourth innings thanks to double plays, walked Randy Winn to start the inning and after Burriss' sacrifice bunt, Morales walked Ray Durham and Bengie Molina, loading the bases and prompting his replacement by Wells.

In the process of walking Molina, Morales was saved a wild pitch because Winn and Durham were breaking on the pitch that went to the wall behind home plate so they wound up with stolen bases.

Wells wasn't the answer. He threw nine pitches, one for a strike. Rowand and Rich Aurilia were credited with RBI walks.

Now comes another decision for Hurdle - whether to stay with Morales in the rotation.

Much like he has done with Ubaldo Jimenez, Hurdle has had a one-on-one conversation with Morales, who walked five and gave up six hits while retiring 13 Giants batters. He has walked 17 in 251/3 innings.

"I believe in letting the coaches coach, but there comes a point in time where I have to go hands-on and let them know what time it is in the season, that we have to get things right," Hurdle said. "And that is where we are. They have a window of opportunity, but that window closes if they don't step forward."

A complication for Hurdle is finding viable alternatives.

It would be one thing if Morales was the only one having problems. But he is not alone.

Right-hander Aaron Cook, who goes into tonight's game against the Giants having won his past three starts, and right- hander Jeff Francis, who has worked seven innings without benefit of a decision in each of his past three starts, have been the two bright spots in the rotation.

Morales, Ubaldo Jimenez and Mark Redman have each struggled.

Three keys

Three keys to the Rockies' 4-0 loss against the San Francisco Giants on Monday night at AT&T Park:

1 Left-handed pitcher Franklin Morales faced four batters in the fifth, walking three and getting a sacrifice bunt. Kip Wells, who took over for Morales with the bases loaded, then threw one strike out of nine pitches, forcing home two Giants runs.

2 Morales was called for a balk after Emmanuel Burriss' one- out bunt single in the first, prompting manager Clint Hurdle's first ejection of the season and setting up what became a two-run Giants first.

3 Brad Hawpe and Troy Tulowitzki had back-to-back one-out walks in the fourth -- Tulowitzki working his way back from an 0-2 count -- but on a 3-2 pitch, Jeff Baker lined into an inning-ending double play.

Etc.

Second baseman Jayson Nix, who was designated for assignment Saturday, has remained with the Rockies and works out with them before games while he waits to find out what the future holds. The Rockies have asked waivers on him. If he clears, he will be assigned to Triple-A Colorado Springs, where he figures to play every day. ... Pitching coach Bob Apodaca arrived in time for the game. He had remained in Los Angeles overnight because of his mother's funeral. ... Marcel Lachemann, special assistant to general manager Dan O'Dowd, is with the team for the series against the Giants, which is the norm. Lachemann lives near Sacramento and is based out of the Bay Area. ... Rockies pitchers have worked 245 innings this month, four more than the previous record set in 1998 with two games remaining. That number is boosted by five extra-inning games, including a franchise- record 22 innings in San Diego. ... Carney Lansford, hitting/third base coach at Colorado Springs a year ago, is the hitting coach for the Giants. ... Ray Durham stole two bases and Randy Winn and Eurgenio Velez stole one, giving the Giants 31 this month, three more than the previous record for a month for the franchise in its 50years in San Francisco. The Giants had 28 stolen bases in April 1999.

NUMBERS GAME

63 of the 135 runs the Rockies allowed in their first 25 games came with two out - 46.7 percent of the total.

The only other major league team that has allowed 63 two-out runs is Pittsburgh, but the Pirates had given up 154 runs overall, so that was only 40.9 percent of the total.

REPETITION

Clint Barmes is the Rockies' primary second baseman in light of the removal of Jayson Nix from the roster.

But on Monday, Jeff Baker made his second start in a row at second base - only the fifth start of his career at the position.

"I want to give him a string of at-bats," manager Clint Hurdle said of Baker. "He's the only position player who has not started back-to-back games. (With the decision on Nix) it is a chance to mind more at-bats for 'Bake.' "

Baker has been in limbo since a year ago when as a rookie he had only 144 at-bats.

IN RELIEF

Barry Zito is only in the second year of his seven-year, $126 million contract, but the Giants are trying to find a way to salvage the deal. Zito has started the season 0-6 - only the third pitcher in the last 100 years to lose six April decisions - and Monday was put in the bullpen, at least for the time being.

The Giants have a luxury in the rotation in that they are off Thursday and Monday so they won't need a fifth starter against until May 10.

Manager Bruce Bochy said he would like to think Zito could be ready to rejoin the rotation by then, but scouts are doubtful. They say Zito's arm speed has faded and he has little difference be- tween his fastball and change-up.

HE SAID IT

"I couldn't wait to get to the park today. I'm not afraid of adversity,"

Hurdle, on the team's challenges.