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Reinforcements chipping in for Rockies

Offense of Baker, Quintanilla back Francis' victory

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published June 18, 2008 at 9:46 p.m.

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Colorado's Jeff Baker, right, is congratulated by Chris Iannatta after hitting a solo home off Cleveland starting pitcher Aaron Laffey in the fourth inning of Wednesday night's interleague game at Coors Field. It was the second night in a row Baker homered.

Photo by David Zalubowski © Associated Press

Colorado's Jeff Baker, right, is congratulated by Chris Iannatta after hitting a solo home off Cleveland starting pitcher Aaron Laffey in the fourth inning of Wednesday night's interleague game at Coors Field. It was the second night in a row Baker homered.

The Key . . .

Moment: With the Indians having pulled to a run, two out and Kelly Shoppach on second, right- hander Jason Grilli intentionally walked Grady Sizemore and struck out former Rockies infielder Jamey Carroll, who had doubled home the Indians' initial run in the sixth inning.

Player: Rockies second baseman Jeff Baker scored three runs. He was driven in by Omar Quintanilla twice, after doubling with one out in the second, and after reaching on a fielder's choice and stealing his first base of the season in the sixth. Baker also homered leading off the third. It was his third home run of the season, all three in the past 10 games.

Stat: 5 pickoff throws to first base and five pitches to hitter Ryan Spilborghs after Willy Taveras led off the seventh with a single on a chopper to shortstop before Taveras not only stole second on ball three to Spilborghs, but continued to third when catcher Shoppach's throw bounced into center field. Spilborghs then brought Taveras home with a sacrifice fly.

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By Friday, the Rockies expect shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to return from the disabled list, and three days later, second baseman Clint Barmes is scheduled to rejoin the active roster.

"Those are two big cogs we are going to get back," Jeff Baker said. "Right now, (Omar Quintanilla) and I are just trying to play as well as we can to help the team. It's fun to go out and play, especially when the team is playing well."

The Rockies are playing pretty well of late, and Baker and Quintanilla, the primary replacements for the injured Tulowitzki and Barmes, have become key reasons for the successes.

While left-hander Jeff Francis gave the Rockies a strong starting effort in a 4-2 victory against Cleveland on Wednesday night at Coors Field, it was Baker and Quintanilla who teamed up not only for solid defense in the middle of the infield but also to produce the Rockies' first three runs.

They will get another chance tonight when the Rockies go after what would be only their second series sweep of the season, having already clinched their fifth series victory in a row. They have taken two of three in each of their four previous series. Their lone sweep came April 7-9 against Atlanta.

"Our goal before each game in a series is just like last September, we want to win a series," Baker said. "We win the first two games and it gives us a chance for a sweep. It simplifies things."

It certainly makes things easier when the pitching is solid, which has been the case more often than not for the Rockies in their previous 14 games, 10 of which they have won.

Francis, who equaled a franchise record with 17 victories last season, avoided early problems that have plagued him this year, carrying a shutout into the sixth en route to earning only his third victory in nine decisions.

"I don't think I did a lot of things differently than I have been," Francis said. "It's amazing when a few things go well for you early, and the next thing you know you are in the fourth, fifth inning and are building confidence."

Things like the second inning, when Ryan Garko, after a towering flyball that was just foul, singled to lead off the inning, then was erased on the front end of a double play thanks to Jhonny Peralta's shot directly at third baseman Garrett Atkins.

"That ball is a foot to the left or a foot to the right and it's a base hit," Francis said. "I got a well- placed groundball."

But then Francis had good placement, too. He did not walk a batter for only the second time in 15 starts, allowing five hits, four of which were singles.

He also received just enough offensive support thanks to Baker and Quintanilla, with a late-inning assist from Willy Taveras, who manufactured the Rockies' final run in the seventh.

Taveras beat out a groundball to shortstop and not only stole second but wound up on third base thanks to catcher Kelly Shoppach's one-hop throw into center field, allowing Taveras to score on a Ryan Spilborghs sacrifice fly.

Baker and Quintanilla, meanwhile, continued their recent offensive surges.

Baker doubled and scored on a double by Quintanilla in the second. Baker led off the fourth with a home run, his third of the season, all of which he has hit in the previous 10 games. He then reached on a fielder's choice, stealing his first base of the season and scoring on Quintanilla's two-out single in the sixth.

What's more, the left-handed- hitting Quintanilla had both his run-producing hits off Indians left-hander Aaron Laffey, adding to the significance of getting run production from the eighth hitter with the pitcher on deck.

"Omar has quietly jumped his average in the last 10 days," manager Clint Hurdle said in reference to a 13-for-35 effort that has bumped Quintanilla's average 49 points to .271. "He had three hits (Tuesday) and a couple big hits (Wednesday), which is big out of the eighth spot, left-on-left."

Baker, meanwhile, not only is hitting .414 in his previous 10 games, raising his average to .276, but he has seven doubles and three home runs among his previous 16 hits, providing answers to questions about what he might do if he got regular playing time.

"I don't play to show what I can do," Baker said. "I play because I enjoy the game, and like being part of the team."

The question is how much he and Quintanilla are going to get to play a week from now.

"Let's see how things play out in the next week," Hurdle said.

The past couple of weeks, things have been playing out quite well for the Rockies, in general, and Baker and Quintanilla, in particular.

Comments

  • June 19, 2008

    5:12 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jr_mcmillin writes:

    You've got admit, This is a nice "Tough" decision Hurdle will have to make when he gets Tulo and Barmes back from the DL. To have these back-ups playing so well and producing is going to make it tough to take them out. It's great to see the Rocks coming to form and playing up to expectations.

  • June 19, 2008

    8:21 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    tjeerdsma23 writes:

    I definitely agree! I think the pressure of performing may have been too much at the beginning of the year. Hopefully we can get into cruise control and stay hot! I will be getting to watch the Rockies-KC game on Monday so I am pretty stoked to hear that I may see the injury free lineup, with Francis pitching well again.

  • June 19, 2008

    8:40 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    arvada_mark writes:

    Too bad Omar & Baker have significantly less skill than Tulo & Barmes do. I like those guys, but we miss our bad boys. Tulo is a force in the clubhouse, & Barmes, well, everybody seems to like playing with him. Both play great 'D,' they both hit for moderate to good power, & they both will end up being .300 career hitters. If they played in NY, they'd already be hall of famers. Can we package Baker & Hirsch for a 5th starter, or maybe some real power of the bench?

  • June 19, 2008

    9:07 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    tjeerdsma23 writes:

    I think Baker is worth keeping over Omar. I do agree we could use a little more power on the bench. Do you think Bucholz will ever get the opportunity to start a game? 15 out of 16 of his appearances have been scoreless. Hopefully Tulo's bat is back on track for his return.

  • June 19, 2008

    9:09 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Blind_Pete writes:

    If the Rocks can just win 61% of their games from here on out, they can still win a division where nobody is running away with it. If they are hot for the playoff, they could be the miracle team two years in a row. It's a big hole they dug, but they can do it.

  • June 19, 2008

    10:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Hambone writes:

    I think that Baker may be the piece that makes trading Atkins easier to swallow. With both him and Stewart to compete, there you have your trade bait for a decent starter and maybe a lefty reliever.

  • June 19, 2008

    12:05 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    tjeerdsma23 writes:

    I think trading Atkins would be a very, very bad idea.

  • June 19, 2008

    6:59 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    wilburM writes:

    "Too bad Omar & Baker have significantly less skill than Tulo & Barmes do. I like those guys, but we miss our bad boys"

    sorry. ennnnnnnnntttt! wrong answer.

    Baker shows every time he gets meaningful playing time that he's the real deal as a hitter. on top of that, he's playing a decent 2nd base in his first season doing so at any level. Barmes is a nice luxury to have as a utility infielder. I think Omar, Atkins, Hawpe, and Taveras could go. Helton could theoretically go, but it's hard to imagine any team taking his salary for a stretch run, so why trade him when you could keep him as a part-time player/bench guy. that's where he's headed, to any pair of eyes that don't wear purple-colored glasses.

    in order for this thing to work, you have to make room for the minor league guys who have a chance to be special. The Rockies parted ways with Gallaraga and Walker when both were playing at a higher level than Helton is over the course of the last year and a half. Why? Because they had young guys who needed to play every day.

    Spilly
    Baker
    Stewart

    and more to come. Got to move the older models to make room for the new.

  • June 19, 2008

    10:27 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Yarbs02 writes:

    Ok that could have been the worst comment I've ever read. You're gonna talk about getting rid of Quintanilla, Atkins, Taveras and Hawpe... No way...

    Lets start with Quintanilla, they guy can play anywhere, he's got soild D, and a great bat... One error all season I might add.

    Next Atkins, have you even watched the last few games, he's dove left, right, barehanded balls. Great D... No way to get rid of him.

    Taveras, I can kinda agree with, he's not playing like he could and Spilly would be great to have in the everyday line-up.. But he's fast, he has range...and tell me can you bunt and still get on base then steal 2nd and 3rd on consecutive pitches?

    Hawpe, too solid all around can't get rid of him...
    Oh and you spoke about Helton... You take him out, you take the soul of this team... He is the Rockies... Never gave up when everyone counted him out... And he loves it here... It's good to have all these players waiting in the wings... You never know when an injury will happen. We have been plauged with them all season, in a matter of a month we lost our two main middle infielders oh and these guys get tired during a season... they need a break from time to time, why not have great players to come in and help in that time....