Colorado Rockies: Why Pitching Isn’t the Only Problem

Jun 22, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies manager Walt Weiss (22) relieves starting pitcher Tyler Matzek (46) from the game as catcher Wilin Rosario (C) looks on during the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies are currently in the middle of a free-fall. Remember that sweep of the Giants in San Francisco? Yeah that was fun.

It seems like that sweep was a lot longer than just a mere week ago. The Rockies have lost 6 straight since then and with the Cardinals coming to town it seems like that streak will continue to grow.  And what makes it worse is that the Rockies have now become the laughing-stock of the league after the infamous wild pitch by Christian Friedrich that allowed three runs to score. The Rockies have just been playing bad baseball.

Fans seem to blame the pitching year after year for the Rockies lackluster play, but I am starting to gather that it is more than just that. Sure fans could say that it is the 11 different starting pitchers the Rockies have had this season or even their lack of depth but it is something so much bigger than that. It is the entire Rockies organization.

From the owners to the GM to even the fan base, we have started to expect the Rockies to lose. There is absolutely no desire for a winning ball club. Sure fans will follow their club to the end of the season regardless of the outcome, but there is a certain point when we all throw our hands up and say “well, there is always next season.” It seems like this is the type of attitude that the owners have as well.

Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but if the owner of the Yankees had the same mentality toward their ball club there would be an uproar. There would be demands that he needs to be relieved of his duties and someone else brought in to bring them back to their winning ways. But that isn’t the case. The Steinbrenner brothers, the owners of the Yankees, want to win and they will do anything and everything in their power to do so.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am a Rockies fan until I die, but this team has got me shaking my head in disgust. Saturday’s game against the Brewers was one of the most pitiful professional baseball games I have ever witnessed. You could even tell that Drew Goodman and the entire Root Sports crew couldn’t believe what they were watching.

Until the Rockies front office figures out that unless they stop letting their team play mediocre baseball and not caring that they do so, the Rockies are not going to make it anywhere. Until Dick Monfort figures out that mediocre baseball is no fun for anyone and that Dan O’Dowd is in no way deserving of keeping his job as GM of the Rockies, there won’t be any October baseball in Denver.

I love the Rockies and everything about them, from the atmosphere of Coors Field to the likability of the players, I will bleed purple and black for the rest of my life. But I am sick of losing so much and so is every other Rockies fan out there.

Something needs to change in the culture of the Rockies organization. But until that happens, I guess there is always next season.