10B The Denver Post gg Sunday, July 9, 2006 ROCKIES HOW THE WEST WILL BE WON The Rockies roll into the all-star break as one of the National League’s most surprising teams. Picked by most to hold up couch springs in the NL West, they have been flirting with first place for months. Can this magic carpet ride continue? The Rockies never have won a division title and this season’s roster, from most baseball executives’ opinion, was built to win next season as the young core matured. As the buzz picks up at Coors Field, Denver Post national base- ball writer Troy E. Renck looks at five major questions that hold the key to claiming the West. Can Martin and King ease Mesa’s burden? Has this bullpen been a plop, plop, fizz, fizz, leaving him on pace for 86 appearances. Mesa tease, tease? Entering Saturday, the Rockies’ wants the work, but remember, the Rockies are bullpen ranked fourth in the NL and 10th overall trying to take the crown, so they need quality, with a respectable 3.99 ERA. Only the White not quantity. This is where Mike DeJean’s Sox’s relievers have thrown fewer innings, absence might be felt, particularly if Ramon which speaks to the remarkable transformation Ramirez loses his patent on this year’s of the games at Coors Field, which used to be Cinderella story. where relievers’ arms went to die. And yet, there Manager Clint Hurdle wants to reduce Mesa’s John Leyba The Denver Post are warning signs for a team whose players will burden, magnifying the importance of Tom accept nothing less than a division title. Forty-year-old Jose Mesa, who is on pace to pitch 85 games, Martin and Ray King, both of whom have needs a little help from the bullpen to avoid a flameout. Jose Mesa appeared in 45 of the first 85 games, pitched well in September for past contenders. So where are the reinforcements? From Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi to Angels shortstop Orlando Cabrera, many in baseball like the Rockies’ homegrown roster. The Rockies are contenders because they rank in the top three in the NL in pitching, defense and hitting. Given the team’s inexperience, it’s easy to argue general manager Dan O’Dowd should add reinforcements through a trade. The most obvious area is the bullpen, where acquiring a veteran at a reasonable price could safeguard against a prolonged Andy Cross The Denver Post slump for rookie Ramon Ramirez and Jose Clint Barmes must take an oc- Mesa’s workload. Nate Field and Steve casional walk to bolster his Colyer represent in-house options, with on-base percentage. Ubaldo Jimenez and Juan Acevedo providing starter depth. But if O’Dowd Can they get can swing a fair-value trade for Pirates reliever Roberto Hernandez or the Cubs’ more offense Ryan Dempster, bolstering middle relief, from SS, CF it could add swagger in a clubhouse already swelling with confidence. and C? Center field and catcher are also areas The offense, on too many that bear watching. If Cory Sullivan, Choo nights, appears short at the Freeman and Yorvit Torrealba haven’t hit bottom, most notably at Coors their stride by month’s end, it’s fair to wonder if they will this season. Field. It’s not hard to figure out why. The Rockies have not O’Dowd won’t make a trade just to make a gotten enough production from deal. But the Rockies have to make every shortstop, center field or attempt to buy wisely because it’s a given catcher. the Padres, Giants and Dodgers will add parts — expensive pieces in the case of John Leyba The Denver Post In defense of Clint Barmes, his the latter two. Stepping up at the plate is just what the Rockies need from Todd Helton in the second half. hits have been meaningful, driving in 42 runs. But he must hit at least .260 in the second Can Todd Helton half, bunt more, and as he has carry the offense? done lately, take the occasional Will Jennings and Cook walk. It’s always been a theory about Todd Cory Sullivan is a premier deal aces? Helton that he would perform better in a defender and has performed division race, his intensity meshing Jason Jennings and Aaron Cook have taken fine offensively on the road. But perfectly with the important games. encouraging steps in their development this to warrant starting ahead of Bench coach Jamie Quirk witnessed those season, anchoring an impressive rotation. No Choo Freeman, Sullivan has to traits in 2003 when Helton went off as longer are Cook and Jennings satisfied with dramatically crank up his home Colorado briefly courted a wild-card six innings and three runs allowed. Jennings numbers — a .214 average and berth. Helton is a career .349 hitter after has flirted with no-hitters and Cook with .270 on-base percentage must the all-star break and he’s usually hotter shutouts, yet they have a combined 12-13 become a .300 average and .360 in August than a swimsuit calendar (.379, record, victimized by poor run support. OBP. 51 home runs). Helton slowly has regained The reality is no division champion will finish his strength and some of the weight lost Yorvit Torrealba has a season with a losing record from its top two from his stomach ailment. The issue with demonstrated flashes of power, starters. It’s not fair to expect Josh Fogg to Helton is not numbers, but thunder. and with more at-bats should keep impersonating Greg Maddux. regain his timing. The Rockies, The Rockies, if they are going to win this So, with apologies to “Spinal Tap,” Jennings thing, don’t need him to be Tony Gwynn though, can’t be patient at this and Cook need to find volume 11. If it takes or even Jamey Carroll. They need doubles position forever. Torrealba, JD winning 1-0 or 2-1, that’s going to have to suffice Closser, Miguel Ojeda and Dave Einsel The Associated Press and home runs from Helton, power that if this team is to avoid an Oct. 2 tee time. Danny Ardoin have hit a Aaron Cook has stayed consis- Brian Bahr Getty Images has resurfaced in the past two weeks. He The magic number: The duo must combine combined .215 in 298 at-bats tent with a 3.65 ERA at home Jason Jennings has thrown needs 40 extra-base hits in the second half for 20 second-half wins, somehow. to throw the offense on his back. with 39 RBIs. That’s not going and a 3.57 ERA on the road. two complete games this year. to cut it. No falling Rockies ahead Second-half schedule Date Opponent Time Aug. 22 at Milwaukee 6:05 p.m. July 13 at Cincinnati 5:10 p.m. Aug. 23 at Milwaukee 6:05 p.m. If the Rockies are to win the National League West, they must navigate critical stretches over the last half of the July 14 at Cincinnati 5:10 p.m. Aug. 24 at Milwaukee 12:05 p.m. season. If Las Vegas projections are correct — oddsmakers had the Dodgers winning the division with 85 wins — the July 15 at Cincinnati 4:10 p.m. Aug. 25 San Diego 7:05 p.m. July 16 at Cincinnati 11:15 a.m. Aug. 26 San Diego 6:05 p.m. Rockies must win at least 41 games the remainder of the way, essentially matching their first half. Here’s a look at the July 17 at Pittsburgh 5:05 p.m. Aug. 27 San Diego 1:05 p.m. July 18 at Pittsburgh 5:05 p.m. Aug. 28 Off critical stages ahead: July 19 at Pittsburgh 10:35 a.m. Aug. 29 New York 7:05 p.m. July 20 Off Aug. 30 New York 7:05 p.m. July 21 at Arizona 7:40 p.m. Aug. 31 New York 7:05 p.m. July 13-23 at Cincinnati (4), at Aug. 4-10 at San Francisco (3), Sept. 18-28 vs. San Francisco July 22 at Arizona 7:40 p.m. Sept. 1 at Los Angeles 8:40 p.m. July 23 at Arizona 2:40 p.m. Sept. 2 at Los Angeles 8:10 p.m. Pittsburgh (3) at Arizona (3) — at Los Angeles (4) — It’s one of (3), vs. Atlanta (4), vs. Los Ange- July 24 St. Louis 7:05 p.m. Sept. 3 at Los Angeles 2:10 p.m. July 25 St. Louis 7:05 p.m. Sept. 4 at San Diego 7:05 p.m. The Rockies open the season’s sec- the most puzzling elements of the les (3) — The final homestand. July 26 St. Louis 1:05 p.m. Sept. 5 at San Diego 8:05 p.m. ond half with a grueling 10-game, season. The Rockies dominated in- Over the past several years, it was July 27 San Diego 7:05 p.m. Sept. 6 at San Diego 8:05 p.m. July 28 San Diego 7:05 p.m. Sept. 7 Washington 6:35 p.m. 11-day road trip. In years past, this terleague play — an NL-best 11-4 — lowlighted by a funeral procession July 29 San Diego 6:05 p.m. Sept. 8 Washington 7:05 p.m. would scream trouble. But with the and have eaten tacks against the around the field, thanking diehard July 30 San Diego 1:05 p.m.