Preview: Rockies are Confusing, but Capable

The Brewers return home from the All-Star break to host the ever-confusing Colorado Rockies. The trade deadline is nearing and despite the fact that they are embedded firmly toward the bottom of a brutally difficult division, they have vocalized that their plan is to stand pat. As such, a decidedly and deservedly mediocre baseball product is set to take the field against the Crew to initiate the unofficial second half of the 2022 season. Let’s check out the match-ups.

Friday July 22nd
Antonio Senzatela (3-5 4.95 ERA) 
Corbin Burnes (7-4 2.14 ERA)
The Brewers have an auspicious enough start to this city. The ace who’s authoring yet another Cy Young worthy season is going up against a weak offense. The opposing arm is Antonio Senzatela, a roleplaying arm having a season exemplary of the Rockies as a whole. Senzatela is returning from the 15-day IL thanks to a shoulder ailment. Making things look even worse for the Rockies is Senzatela’s 6.86 ERA on the road, good enough for zero wins. Putting matters frankly, the Brewers should feast in this game.

Saturday July 23rd
Jose Urena (1-1 2.05 ERA)
Brandon Woodruff (7-3 3.93 ERA)
There is some mystique in this game. Normally when you hear the words “former Brewer” you recall fond memories from some player who left in free agency or was traded season’s back, but Jose Urena’s tenure in Milwaukee began in March and ended in late May. Since then he’s been putting up some vengeful excellence for the Rockies. Three runs in 18.2 IP for a 1.47 ERA make his absence a little uncomfortable, and his presence on the opposing mound even more so.

Sunday July 24th
TBD
Eric Lauer (6-3 3.64 ERA)
The Rockies have yet to announce their starter, but Eric Lauer has been a compelling arm over his last several starts. The long ball that has haunted Lauer all season did make an appearance in his last game, but it was a solo shot off the ball of Darin Ruf , proving as the only consequential offense that could be mustered off the crafty southpaw over seven innings.

Monday July 25th
TBD
Aaron Ashby (2-7 4.57 ERA)
With an ERA creeping toward five, it’s hard to imagine Aaron Ashby will have a particularly long leash in the Brewers rotation. The potential is there, the nascent hints of truly nasty stuff is there, but the results just aren’t. The Rockies subpar offense should give Ashby fertile ground for a confidence boost, but with the trade deadline and Freddy Peralta’s return looming, it wouldn’t be surprised to see him pitching out of the pen after this start.

Players To Watch
Daniel Bard: More than just a charming comeback story, Bard returned from a seven year hiatus to return as a 35-year-old suddenly capable of solid numbers. After a shaky 2021, Bard is back and looking legitimately elite. It goes without saying that a 2.02 ERA is impressive regardless of circumstances, but that kind of production from a 37-year-old pitching Colorado’s thin air is jaw-dropping. 

C.J. Cron: The Rockies journeyman first baseman is in his eighth season and is making a career year out of it. Often, bad teams are forced to throw out their best reliever or some categorically undeserving position player to represent their team, but the Rockies actually have legitimate talent in Cron. 21 home runs to this point in the season put him just nine short of his career high, and July isn’t over yet. Let’s see if the Rockies defy their standard course of action and trade the 32-year-old now while he’s at peak value or retain his talent through his contract, which includes next season.

Woodruff: Having been sharp since a return from the IL, I don’t think it’s any stretch to say that if Woody can maintain his trajectory in this next start that it’s possible that he goes toe-to-toe with Burnes for best Brewers pitcher for the rest of the year. If the extended rest from the All-Star break galvanizes an even stronger version of Woodruff, he should absolutely dominate.

Predictions
The Rockies front office paid another team to take Nolan Arenado off of their hands and then signed Kris Bryant. They retained Trevor Story only to let him walk in free agency. Despite the confounding handling of this caliber of talent, the Rockies are merely mediocre and not a true bottom-of-the-barrel team. The seven games below .500 belie the talent to an extent. Cron has been an imposing offensive force and big free agent signing and former MVP Bryant is looking more comfortable at the plate, batting .356 since returning from the IL in late June. Still, mediocre isn’t good, and I think the Brewers win the series 3-1.