'Same old story' for Rockies' Reynolds

Top pick in 2006 draft knocked out in third by Padres

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published September 15, 2008 at 9:27 p.m.

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David Zalubowski © AP

Rockies manager Clint Hurdle takes the ball from starting pitcher Greg Reynolds as catcher Chris Iannetta looks on during Monday night's game vs. the Padres at Coors Field.

Photo by David Zalubowski / Associated Press

UP San Diego shortstop Luis Rodriguez jumps over the sliding Brad Hawpe after forcing him out at second base in the sixth inning Monday.

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It is that time of season for the Rockies where the magic numbers have become tragic.

It is not about the status of their postseason hopes but instead how many of their wins and San Diego's losses does it take for them to avoid a last-place finish in the National League West.

And whether they can find that one last spurt that will allow them to bounce ahead of San Francisco and climb into third place before the end of the regular season Sept. 28.

It is a chance to get a few peeks at players who could be a part of the future.

But Monday night, the future looked a lot like the present.

It was, admitted 2006 first- round pick Greg Reynolds, a disappointment.

Given a chance to return to the majors and create a better impression than he did earlier in the season, Reynolds fell short of his hopes in the Rockies' 11-5 loss to the Padres at Coors Field.

Troy Tulowitzki gave the Rockies their offensive hope with the second grand slam of his career at the expense of rookie Wade Le Blanc.

But LeBlanc still was able to claim his first major league victory in his third start.

Tulowitzki cut the Rockies' deficit to 9-4 in the fourth, but the only other run the Rockies could manage was Chris Iannetta's leadoff home run off Mike Ekstrom in the eighth.

The loss left the Rockies one-half game behind the third-place Giants but 10 games in front of the last-place Padres with 11 games remaining.

Reynolds had a pleasant development in the second half of the season with Triple-A Colorado Springs.

He was given the start in place of struggling veteran Livan Hernandez and was given an endorsement from manager Clint Hurdle before the game.

"He went down to get better, not get bitter," Hurdle said of Reynolds' response to being sent back to Colorado Springs earlier in the season.

Maybe next time - which Hurdle indicated there likely could be at some point in the final 11 games of the season.

Not this time, which Reynolds readily admitted after being charged with seven runs, including all six of the batters he faced without getting an out in the third inning.

"There comes a time when there are no excuses," Reynolds said. "It's a matter of getting the job done. I felt really good. I felt good about giving the team a chance to win. That's why this (game) was more frustrating."

The Padres got to him for two first-inning runs. Will Venable led off the game with a double, and with one out, Brian Giles singled home Venable and scored on a double by Adrian Gonzalez.

Then came the third inning. Luis Rodriguez and Giles singled. Gonzalez drove an 0-1 pitch to straightaway center field, his 33rd home run of the season. Kevin Kouzmanoff tripled. Chase Headley doubled. Jason Hirsh, who spent the summer in Colorado Springs nursing a strained rotator cuff, was summoned to take over for Reynolds.

It was a lot more like the Reynolds the Rockies saw during his earlier major league opportunity, when he went 2-6 with a 6.71 ERA and failed to reach the sixth inning in six of 11 starts.

It wasn't the Reynolds who went 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in six starts for Colorado Springs after being sent back down.

"I try to stay away from expectations," Hurdle said. "We want to give them an opportunity to go out and pitch and see what they do. . . . There is a large gap between Triple-A and the big leagues. These guys are aware of it."

And the Padres proved it. Reynolds retired six batters. He gave up hits to nine, including five extra-base hits. He threw 31 strikes out of 46 pitches, but as the results showed, they weren't good strikes.

"You have to claw and scratch and battle," Hurdle said. "It is a challenge at this level. The hitters let you know what does and doesn't work."

The left-handed hitters, in particular, had a message for Reynolds. They were a combined 7-for-9 with three doubles and the Gonzalez home run, his 33rd of the season.

"It was the same old story for me," Reynolds said. "I keep the ball down and I get groundballs and outs. I start to creep up, and my sinker flattens. It's not good."

The Padres reaffirmed that Monday.

• September 15, 2008

  11:42 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  RDenver writes:

  Let me get this right....the Brewers fire Ned Yost with a record of 83-67 and the Rockies keep Hurdle with a record of 68-83. And Hurdle has but one winning year since he has been manager. The management and ownership of this team is horrible. Nothing changes if nothing changes!

• September 16, 2008

  7:19 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  fjv1026 writes:

  I completely agree. I would really like to see the compromising photos of O'Dowd or the Monforts that Hurdle has because there is NO WAY this clown should still be the manager. Starting a single-A quality reliever (at best) proves just how out of touch he is with the baseball world. FIRE HURDLE!

• September 16, 2008

  10:45 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  joered writes:

  The game last night was a parade of the 'Rockie Horror Pitching Show.' Line up the disasters: Reynolds, Hirsh, Vizcaino, Herges, Spier and Register. When any of these O'dowd selections have pitched during the season, the other teams scored runs. Last night they were all on display. But it wasn't so bad. They only gave up 11 runs.

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