Bad outing raises red flag for Rockies

Redman's future is in doubt after loss to Cardinals

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

David Zalubowski / Associated Press

Cardinals third baseman Troy Glaus reacts after tagging out Omar Quintanilla after he tried to stretch a double into a triple.

The Rockies have a week to decide about the future of left- hander Mark Redman on their major league staff.

He hasn't done much to make a case for himself.

While a ninth-inning flurry allowed the Rockies to at least make things seem close in their 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field on Tuesday night, the tone was set in the early innings.

Redman had to shoulder more than his share of responsibility, not only giving up all five runs with two out, but also giving up a two-out double to fellow pitcher Braden Looper that got a two- out, three-run rally in the second started, then a run-scoring single to Looper in the third that put the Cardinals up 5-0 and brought an end to Redman's night.

"They were going the other way, and I didn't make adjustments to pitch inside enough," Redman said.

It's not like that's a secret. Before the game, manager Clint Hurdle said pitching inside was the key for possible success by Redman, who has allowed 19 earned runs in 132/3 innings his past three starts and has a 7.84 ERA.

The number the Rockies have to crunch is Redman's $1 million salary. The contract he signed out of spring training included a 45-day clause, obligating the Rockies to only $250,000 instead of the full $1 million if they were to let him go within the first 45 days of the season, which is in one week.

The question is how the Rockies would replace him in the rotation. Could Jason Grilli, added from Detroit to provide a multi- inning reliever, be stretched out? Could Josh Towers be called up? Would the Rockies take a shot at pitchers other teams have given up on, such as Julian Tavarez in Boston or Josh Fogg in Cincinnati?

And it's not like there is one player - or even one aspect - that can be blamed for the Rockies having lost 13 of 16.

The offense had its own problems - failing to take advantage of a potential big inning in the first after inning-opening singles from Willy Taveras and Omar Quintanilla.

Matt Holliday failed to advance the runners, popping out to second, then Taveras fell victim to the first of two seeing-is- believing throws from center fielder Rick Ankiel, who, after hauling in a Todd Helton drive was able to throw out the speedy Taveras at third.

Ankiel also uncorked a throw from the center field warning track to erase Quintanilla trying to stretch a double into a triple with two out in the eighth.

"Ever seen anybody make a throw like that before?" manager Clint Hurdle said. "Sometimes you just tip your hat to a guy and say, 'Wow.' "

When it comes to the Rockies' offense, instead of wow, it's ow.

Too often this year, the Rockies have failed to come up with a big inning, particularly early in a game, wasting opportunities such as the first inning Tuesday.

"If we score five runs early, we take some pressure off the pitcher, but we haven't done that, we haven't let them relax," Hurdle said. "I'm not picking out one area and pointing a finger. It's just that you need all three facets - offense, pitching and defense - working together to make things happen."

Before the two-run triple by Chris Iannetta and run-scoring double by Clint Barmes, the Rockies were in such a funk that they had almost as many strikeouts (72) as hits (75) in 325 at-bats this season with runners in scoring position.

The big bats in the middle are as guilty as anyone. Holliday, Helton, Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe are a combined 36-for-136 with 33 strikeouts.

For Redman, he's at a stage of his career where each time he struggles, questions about the future loom.

He did, after all, bounce from Atlanta to Triple-A auditions with Texas and Toronto before hooking on with the Rockies in late August last year. He pitched well for the Rockies in September, feeling he had overcome the early-season challenges created by the fact he didn't sign with Atlanta and get a chance to go to spring training until mid-March.

That's why he jumped at the contract offer from the Rockies in the fall and looked forward to a full spring training to get ready for this season.

But the results haven't been there. He has two wins in six starts but managed to pitch only five innings in both. After earlier saying there was no residual problem from being hit in the foot by a Mark Kotsay line drive in his second start of the season, Redman brought that up when his inconsistent efforts were raised Tuesday.

"You can't put aside the injury I had and that I pitched with a foot problem, but lately that is no excuse," he said. "I have to take the ball and do the job."

Three keys

Three keys to the Rockies' 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night at Coors Field:

1 Willy Taveras and Omar Quintanilla led off the first with singles, but Matt Holliday popped up and failed to advance the runners and Todd Helton flied to center. Taveras was thrown out by a strong throw from center fielder Rick Ankiel trying to advance to third.

2 Cardinals starting pitcher Braden Looper not only had a two-out double that started a three-run rally in the second off Rockies starter Mark Redman, but he also singled home a run in the third, chasing Redman, who walked Ryan Ludwick to open the inning.

3 After retiring the first two batters of the game, Redman retired only five of the next 15 he faced.

Etc.

With the Rockies needing a reliever who can work innings after the abbreviated start by Redman on Tuesday, right-hander Alex Arias was called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs and left-hander Josh Newman was sent down. The move leaves closer Brian Fuentes as the only left-hander in the Rockies bullpen. . . . Chris Iannetta started at catcher for the third game in a row, the first time he has done that this season. He started back-to-back games only one other time. It was his 12th start of the season. . . . Center fielders Taveras and Scott Podsednik are a combined 20-for-21 in stolen bases, the most stolen bases by two teammates in the majors. Carlos Gomez and Delmon Young of the Twins have combined for 19. . . . Albert Pujols doubled in the first, allowing him to reach base for the 34th consecutive game, the longest season-opening streak of his career. . . . Clint Barmes was in the starting lineup for the first time in three games and went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI, showing signs of breaking out of a 4-for-34 slide.

ROSTER TALK

Right-hander Jason Hirsh threw a bullpen session Tuesday, and he felt good enough that he is expecting after one more bullpen session - in San Diego this weekend - he will get to face hitters.

If that's the case, Hirsh would stay in Arizona when the Rockies travel there and return to extended spring training to get the game experience before going on a rehabilitation assignment.

The hope is Hirsh could be activated by early June.

The Rockies have signed left-hander Aaron Fultz and will have him work out in extended spring training with the idea of adding him to the major league roster.

San Diego is looking for help in center field and has contacted the Rockies, who are deep at that spot.

WELLS SURGERY

Right-handed pitcher Kip Wells underwent a four- hour surgery to remove blood clots from his right hand.

Dr. Rob Thompson, who performed the surgery in St. Louis, did not perform additional surgery on the original shoulder bypass that Wells underwent for a blood clot in March 2006.

SKETCHY MEMORY

St. Louis broadcaster Al Hrabosky said he remembers losing a game similar to Monday, when the Cardinals' Albert Pujols scored the winning run from second base on an infield groundout.

Hrabosky said it was in Toronto, and Bob Bailor scored from second on a groundball third baseman George Brett fielded and threw to first baseman Clint Hurdle.

"I don't remember it and I usually remembered things like that because you felt so burned," Hurdle said.

The reason Hurdle didn't remember it was it didn't happen that way.

Hrabosky lost 3-2 in 10 innings at Toronto on Aug. 13, 1978, when Bailor scored from second on an infield out, but it was a grounder to Jamie Quirk, who was at third, and Quirk threw to U.L. Washington at second. Washington could not complete the double play and Bailor scored.