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Gray, Rockies open 2nd half in NY vs. Mets By Nate Latsch / Special to MLB.com | 8:59 AM ET

Mets manager Terry Collins isn't sure how he is going to arrange his rotation for the start of the second half, but he does

know who will get the ball first: Jacob deGrom.

deGrom (9-3, 3.65 ERA) will face the Rockies in the series opener Friday at Citi Field, the start of a 10-game homestand

that includes three games against Colorado, four against St. Louis and three against Oakland.

The Mets' righty is coming off an impressive June in which he went 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA in five starts. He earned the

victory last Friday in St. Louis, despite allowing four runs (all solo homers) and eight hits over seven innings.

deGrom has been dominant against the Rockies, going 2-0 with a 0.95 ERA over four starts. In 28 1/3 innings, he's struck

out 28, walked eight and allowed just 14 hits.

For the Rockies, righty Jon Gray (2-0, 3.75 ERA) will start the series opener, followed by righty Tyler Chatwood (6-10,

4.42) and righty Jeff Hoffman (5-1, 4.15).

Three things to know about this game

MEDIA CLIPS – July 14, 2017

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• The Rockies haven't had much success against deGrom. Charlie Blackmon is hitless in 11 at-bats against him, while

Mark Reynolds is hitless in 12 at-bats. Nolan Arenado has one hit in 12 at-bats (.083 average) with three strikeouts, while

DJ LeMahieu is 2-for-11 (.182).

• Arenado posted a .118/.162/.206 slash line with one homer and three RBIs against the Mets in 2016. His four hits came

against Bartolo Colon, Matt Harvey, Jonathon Niese and Logan Verrett.

• Mets outfielder Jay Bruce hit .333 (10-30) against the Rockies in 2016 with four doubles, two triples, three homers and

eight RBIs.

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Rockies could deal for depth behind Holland By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | July 13th, 2017

DENVER -- During the 2 1/2 weeks until the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, the Rockies can focus on their main

need: the bullpen.

Historically, the club has sought to bolster its starting five, but rookies Antonio Senzatela, Kyle Freeland and Jeff

Hoffman proved themselves to be formidalbe when injuries hit the Rockies' rotation early in the season. Now righty Jon

Gray is back, having turned in two good starts after missing 11 weeks due to April foot surgery, and the rotation will soon

welcome back lefty Tyler Anderson (surgical cleanup of the left knee) and righty Chad Bettis (testicular cancer). So, it's

OK to look elsewhere.

Greg Holland leads the Majors with 28 saves. Lefty setup man Jake McGee and versatile lefty Chris Rusin have been

consistent, and righty Scott Oberg is growing into a weapon. But the Rockies' overall bullpen performance has teetered

because of slumps to two key relievers: Adam Ottavino and Mike Dunn.

Ottavino has battled control issues, while Dunn hasn't been the same since back spasms put him on the disabled list in

late April. The Rockies need and expect returns to form from both of them, but adding proven relievers would hedge that

bet and give manager Bud Black better options in the middle innings. Trading for two righties who are working the eighth

or even ninth inning for their current teams would be ideal.

TRADE SCENARIO

Trading for relievers shouldn't cost the Rockies a lot in the way of prospects, and they won't likely part with the Major

League starting-pitching depth they've spent years building, but they might have to take on a big contract.

Coming off the books next season will be the $22 million they paid Mets infielder Jose Reyes this year, and Carlos

Gonzalez will be a free agent, so the Rockies have the flexibility to take on payroll. Could that put White Sox closer David

Robertson -- earning $12 million this year and $13 million next -- in play? He and Holland could be a formidable duo in the

eighth and ninth, and the Rockies could be protected should Holland opt for free agency this winter. Other late-innings

arms the Rockies could pursue are Mets righty Addison Reed, Pirates lefty Tony Watson, Padres righty Brandon

Maurer or Phillies righty Pat Neshek.

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What would clubs want in return? Teams could covet hard-throwing righty Carlos Estevez or lefty Sam Moll, who are

finishing their development at Triple-A Albuquerque, or outfielder Mike Tauchman, also at Albuquerque after a brief Major

League stint. Teams that want starters could look at Double-A Hartford and righties Ryan Castellani, a second-round

Draft pick in 2014 who is ranked by MLBPipeline.com as the club's No. 3 prospct, and Yency Almonte, the Rockies' No.

11 prospect who has already been traded twice because clubs like his arm.

No reliever likely to be traded would merit giving up a blue-chipper the likes of infielders Brendan Rodgers (No. 1)

or Ryan McMahon (No. 4).

WHAT ARE THEY PLAYING FOR?

The Rockies trail the National League West-leading Dodgers by 9 1/2 games -- not insurmountable, but not an easy lead

to overcome. However, the Rockies have a 7 1/2-game lead on the Cubs for the second NL Wild Card. The D-backs hold

the top Wild Card spot, two games ahead. Barring a collapse, the Rockies are most likely battling for home-field

advantage against the D-backs in the NL Wild Card Game.

THE ROAD AHEAD

After visiting the Mets for three games, the Rockies have an important homestand from July 17-22 -- three games each

vs. the Padres and Pirates. July finishes with a road trip of heat, humidity and competitive teams -- the Cardinals from July

24-26 and the Nationals from July 28-30.

KEY PLAYER

All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado practiced for pressure when he played for Team USA's World Baseball Classic-

winning team. It'll be nice if Carlos Gonzalez, who has slumped badly all year, and free-agent signee Ian Desmond, who

has been on the disabled list twice (currently with a right calf injury, although he should be back soon) can produce

offensively. But it is Arenado time.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH

McMahon, 22, dominated at Hartford and has continued to hit at Albuquerque, where he is hitting .390 with eight home

runs and 15 doubles in his first 32 games. He spends most of his time at first base, where he is learning quickly. But he

was drafted as a third baseman and took to second base when it was added this year.

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Bettis fans three in two innings in rehab start Rockies righty recovering from testicular cancer By Austin Laymance / MLB.com | July 13th, 2017

Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis made the next step in his return to a Major League mound, pitching two innings for

Double-A Hartford in a Minor League rehab start Thursday. Bettis is working his way back from testicular cancer.

Bettis struck out three and allowed one unearned run in two no-hit innings against Trenton, the Yankees' Double-A

affiliate. He made 31 pitches (19 strikes) and faced eight batters.

Bettis makes return from cancer

Chad Bettis, who is recovering from testicular cancer, makes his first rehab start in his return to the mound

It was the first rehab start for Bettis, who has progressed from a simulated game and three bullpen sessions earlier this

month.

Bettis was charged with an unearned run in the first inning. Yankees No. 4 prospect Jorge Mateo reached on an error,

then stole second base. With one out, New York's No. 29 prospect Thairo Estrada reached on a fielder's choice, with

Mateo taking third. Bettis then allowed a sacrifice fly before a strikeout ended the frame.

Bettis retired the side in order in the second inning, striking out two and inducing a grounder to second.

In the first inning, Bettis retired Yankees All-Star second baseman Starlin Castro on a liner to third. Castro also began a

rehab assignment Thursday.

Bettis has not pitched for the Rockies this season and is on the 60-day disabled list.

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Rookie starters aim to hone put-away pitches Freeland, Senzatela ready for next step in learning curve By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | July 13th, 2017

DENVER -- Rockies rookie left-hander Kyle Freeland's strikeout of Willy Garcia to end the eighth inning of Sunday's 10-

0 victory over the White Sox might have been his Major League "got it" moment.

The 2-2, two-seam fastball left Garcia twisting his upper body and hands enough that the eighth of Freeland's nine

strikeouts Sunday registered as a swing. The pitch eliminated the chance of a foul-off, much less hard contact. Becoming

consistent with put-away pitches is Freeland's important next step. On Sunday, he ended strikeouts with sliders and

fastballs, mostly four-seam.

If Freeland, who went 8 1/3 hitless innings before yielding a Melky Cabrera single on his final pitch, truly has grasped the

art of the strikeout, then the lessons of the first half are learned. Also, the next-gen stats that have so far attached a "yeah,

but …" to his accomplishment aren't as relevant.

Righty Tyler Chatwood is the only current rotation member beyond his second full season, so most pitchers are learning.

But Freeland and righty Antonio Senzatela, who never threw a Major League pitch before this year, must learn this skill

in a playoff race. The Rockies begin the second half 7 1/2 games up on the Cubs for the second National League Wild

Card.

Freeland, 24, is 9-7 with a 3.77 ERA in 18 starts; Senzatela, 22, is 9-3, 4.63 in 18 games (15 starts). Both win with the

ground ball -- Freeland forces them 57.4 percent of the time, Senzatela 46.5 -- but can use the strikeout to eliminate

unpredictable contact.

"I'm getting there," Freeland said before Sunday's start. "In college and the Minor Leagues you can get away with stuff

you can't here. That's a learning curve I'm still on, really bearing down and getting a strikeout."

Freeland and Senatela have the lowest strikeouts per nine innings on the starting staff -- 5.5 for Freeland, 6.9 for

Senzatela, who had his last three appearances in the Rockies' bullpen and will start Friday for Triple-A Albuquerque,

before returning to the rotation.

The bullpen appearances may have helped Senzatela, who fanned five in five relief innings.

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"We put the hitter away quick, and I was thinking, 'Get out of here in two or three pitches, and dominate,'" said Senzatela,

whose strength is he can hit his fastball at all quadrants of the strike zone, uses a slider for weak contact and might

develop his changeup as a swing-and-miss pitch.

Additionally, according to Statcast™, with two strikes, the pair gives up the highest percentage of hard-hit balls in play

(exit velocity minimum 95 mph) among Rockies starters -- 33.96 percent for Freeland, 31.82 percent for Senzatela. The

MLB average is 19 percent.

It would be nice for everyone to enter the Majors immediately finishing hitters the way lefty Tyler Anderson (who hopes to

return soon from a left knee injury) did last year, with 7.79 K/9, but that's not the norm.

Righties Jon Gray, German Marquez and Jeff Hoffman all took their lumps into the offseason and had time to improve.

A rough experiment in the bullpen in 2014 educated righty Chad Bettis, who made his first Minor League rehab

startThursday night after battling testicular cancer during the first half of this season.

And with a former pitcher as manager, in Bud Black, plus pitching coach Steve Foster and bullpen coach Darren Holmes,

the Rockies could possibly shorten the learning curve for Freeland and Senzatela.

"Once a pitcher identifies who he is, what type of pitcher he is, how he gets his outs, pitch selection and all those things

become clearer for them," said Black, who said he wants to help Minor League staffers teach pitchers to identify their

strengths quicker. "Some pitchers, it takes a while."

Happily for Freeland and Senzatela, they can learn from the current rotation.

• Gray (9.0 K/9) yielded a.269 slugging percentage with two strikes when he was called up for nine starts in 2015, but

dropped that to a team-leading .229 last season. It's at .240 this year. He has become aggressive with his slider, which is

his best finishing pitch.

• Marquez (7.0 K/9) saw opponents slug .643 with two strikes in three starts last year, but reduced it to .261 this year. He

had forced hitters to swing over his slider and curve with two strikes, but has used the fastball outside to avoid being

predictable. Like Freeland, Senzatela and even Gray, he is developing a changeup that could make him even tougher.

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• Hoffman (8.0 K/9) gave up a .446 two-strike slugging percentage in six starts last year. By making his curve and slider

appear like strikes out of his hand, only to see them dive, he has reduced the figure to a team-best .186 this season.

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Rockies’ inconsistent offense is major concern as second half begins “I think our offense has probably been the most roller coaster aspect of this team,” general manager Jeff Bridich said. By Patrick Saunders / Denver Post | July 13th, 2017

NEW YORK — The Rockies are feeling pretty good about themselves as they open the second half of the season here

Friday night against the Mets at Citi Field.

Forget that they lost 13-of-18 games before the all-star break. They’re focusing on the upbeat note that they took two of

three from the Chicago White Sox last weekend. It was their first series victory since their June 15-18 sweep vs. San

Francisco, and it was capped off Sunday by rookie Kyle Freeland’s near no-hitter and a 12-hit attack in a 10-0 victory.

“It was a big deal, it was a big series, because we hadn’t won one in a while,” third baseman Nolan Arenado said a couple

hours before he played Tuesday in his third All-Star Game. “Games like that make you want to play the next day. So it

was almost like I didn’t want to take a break with the way we were hitting and the way Kyle pitched.”

Adding to the purple-tinged optimism are two realities. One, Colorado’s 52-39 record is a franchise-best at the all-star

break. Two, although the Rockies’ quest for a National League West title seems like little more than a fantasy now, what

with the Los Angeles Dodgers leading the Rockies by 9 ½ games, the Rockies do hold a 7 ½-game lead for the second

wild-card spot. Plus, they trail Arizona by just two games for the top wild-card spot.

Still, an undercurrent threatens the Rockies’ playoff aspirations. Their offense is not producing nearly as well as expected.

That’s been the case for much of the season.

“I think our offense has probably been the most roller coaster aspect of this team,” general manager Jeff Bridich said.

“Sometimes it looks great and sometimes it seems to completely disappear.”

A cursory glance makes everything seem all right. The Rockies’ .270 batting average ranks second in the National

League behind powerhouse Washington (.277); and their 5.07 runs per game ranks third behind Washington (5.52) and

the Dodgers (5.14).

But other statistics are troubling. The Rockies are averaging 1.14 home runs per game, 11th in the National

League. Carlos Gonzalez‘s power outage has been a big part of the problem. He has only six home runs and 22 RBIs in

263 at-bats, prompting manager Bud Black to bat him seventh last Sunday, the lowest Gonzalez had batted in the order

since batting eighth Aug. 13, 2009 vs. Pittsburgh.

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According to FanGraphs, the Rockies have hit the ball hard just 29.5 percent of the time, ranking 13th in the NL. Despite

playing their home games at Coors Field, the Rockies’ .759 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging) ranks just sixth in

the National League.

It’s not just Gonzalez who has struggled. Trevor Story, who slammed 27 homers in 97 games as a rookie last season, has

batted only .224 with 11 homers and has struck out an alarming 39 percent of the time this year. Ian Desmond, who

missed significant time with a broken hand to begin the season, and is now on the 10-day disabled list with a strained calf,

is slashing at only .283/.321/.388. The Rockies were no doubt expecting more from a player they signed for five years and

$70 million.

Leadoff hitter Charlie Blackmon, the team’s first-half MVP who’s batting .321 and leads the team with 20 homers, is

confident the Rockies’ offense can turn things around.

“I think our offense can pick it up a little bit,” he said. “I feel like we haven’t done a great job playing team offense — one

through nine. With situational hitting, I feel like we have probably left a few runs on the table. I’m kind of expecting the

whole team to elevate its game.”

On the plus side, outfielder Gerardo Parra gave the offense a boost when he returned from a quadriceps injury, hitting

.538 (5-for-13) with three doubles in the three-game series against the White Sox. Also, outfielder David Dahl, out of

action since the second Cactus League game in spring training, has begun his minor-league rehab assignment. He could

provide a boost when he’s ready to join the big-league team.

Looking ahead

Rockies RHP Jon Gray (2-0, 3.75 ERA) at Mets RHP Jacob deGrom (9-3, 3.65), 5:10 p.m. Friday, AT&T SportsNet

(formerly ROOT); 850 AM

Gray has won both of his starts since returning from a broken foot that wiped out most of the first half of his season. He

also hit a 467-foot homer in his last start. If the Rockies are going to stay in the playoff hunt, they need Gray to shoulder a

big part of the load. All-star third baseman Nolan Arenado says deGrom is one of the toughest pitchers he faces. Arenado

is only 1-for-12 vs. deGrom, and the Rockies have hit just .165 against him. DeGrom is on a roll, having won five

consecutive starts. He allowed four solo home runs against the Cardinals last Friday, but he managed to make it through

seven innings. — Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post

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Rockies’ Chad Bettis pitches two strong innings in first rehab start with Yard Goats Bettis, 28, is currently on the 60-day disabled list. By Patrick Saunders / Denver Post | July 13th, 2017

Chad Bettis’ next big step was a big success.

The Rockies right-hander, working his way back from testicular cancer, made his first rehab start Thursday night, pitching

two innings for Double-A Hartford against Trenton, the New York Yankees’ Double-A affiliate.

Bettis struck out three, gave up no hits and allowed one unearned run. He faced eight batters and threw 31 pitches, 19 for

strikes.

Bettis, who underwent chemotherapy this spring and summer, has been working out with the Rockies and slowly building

himself back into form. He began his comeback with bullpen sessions and then threw a simulated game last week.

Bettis was charged with an unearned run in the first inning. Yankees’ No. 4 prospect Jorge Mateo reached on an error by

Yard Goats third baseman Josh Fuentes, then stole second base. With one out, Trenton’s Thairo Estrada reached on a

fielder’s choice, with Mateo taking third. Bettis then allowed a sacrifice fly to Billy Fleming before striking out Zach Zehner

to end the inning.

Bettis pitched a one-two-three second inning, striking out two and inducing a grounder to second.

Bettis, 28, is currently on the 60-day disabled list. He was 14-8 with a 4.79 ERA last season, and led the Rockies with 186

innings pitched. Colorado was 21-11 over his 32 starts.

There is no specific timetable for his return to the Rockies, but it could be before the end of the month.

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Colorado Rockies second half preview: Key series and playoff odds What the Rockies will face in the second half of the 2017 season By Eric Garcia McKinley / Purple Row | July 13th, 2017

It’s time for the Rockies to hit the reset button. After starting the season 47-26 and competing tooth and nail with the Los

Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks for first place in the National League West, the Rockies limped into the

All-Star break having lost 13 of the final 18 games of the first half. But that’s over now. All-Star festivities in Miami have

wrapped up, most of the team has gotten some well deserved and well needed days off, and it’s time for part two of the

2017 season. Here’s a glimpse at what’s to come.

The games and opponents

The Rockies played 91 games in the first half of 2017 for a record of 52-39 (.571 W%). The team has a run differential of

plus 42, which amounts to a Pythagorean record of 50-41. For much of the season, FanGraphs’ BaseRuns estimate has

disagreed with Baseball Prospectus’s third order win percentage; however, they are now agree that the Rockies have

played like a 46-44 team. Both of these methods eliminate the sequencing of run differential and adjust the record to

reflect how many runs the Rockies should have scored.

The Rockies played 47 road games in the first half and 44 home games. The team has a winning record at home and on

the road so far. They are 26-21 on the road for a winning percentage of .553 and 26-18 at home for a winning percentage

of .590. The favorable road split from earlier in the season disappeared as the season progressed.

The team will play 71 games in the second half—37 at home and 34 on the road. The Rockies can have a losing record

on the road in the second half and still win around 40 road games. If they do that, they’ll need to rack up more home wins

in order to stay competitive for a Wild Card spot.

The Rockies had a relatively easy schedule in the first half. They played 37 games against teams with a .500 winning

percentage or better. In those games, they went 19-18, but with a run differential of negative 26. Conversely, the Rockies

played 54 games against teams with a losing record. They went 33-21 in those games with a plus 68 run differential.

The Rockies strength of schedule in the second half is somewhat favorable. Their opponents’ collective winning

percentage, as of now, is .495. For comparison, the Diamondbacks face a difficult second half. Their opponents’ win

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percentage sits at .507. The Dodgers, however, have it easier than both teams. Their opponents’ strength is .474. The

Dodgers have the great benefit of not having to play the Dodgers.

The Rockies’ chances

The Rockies are well positioned for a postseason run, despite the rough end to the first half and pronounced weaknesses.

This is a result of the Rockies getting off to such a fantastic start, as well as a weak field of competition.

The Nationals are running away with the NL East, as they are the only team above .500 in the division. And nobody is

running away with the NL Central. It’s quite possible that the division winner—either the Brewers, Cardinals, or Cubs—

ends up with a worse record than both the Diamondbacks and Rockies.

According to FanGraphs, the Rockies have a 62.2 percent chance to make the playoffs. That figure, however, is

calculated using pre-season projections. Using season-to-date stats, the Rockies’ playoff odds increase to 70.8 percent.

Baseball Prospectus is even more optimistic. They estimate that the Rockies have a 76.4 chance of appearing in the

postseason. As games begin tonight, the Rockies are a significant favorite to earn a Wild Card berth:

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Baseball Prospectus

Mark your calendar

The Rockies will have some competitive series the rest of the way, with most of the division play confined to September.

The team will have a tough road trip to end July, as they travel to St. Louis and then Washington for six games from July

24-30. It will be a classic “3-3 is a huge success” type of trip. The competitive Brewers come to Colorado for a weekend

series from August 18-20. When those teams first met for the first three games of the season, we didn’t know that the next

series in August would be a test between two competitive teams. But here we are.

The biggest Rockies games will be in September. The Rockies begin the month with three home games against the

Diamond backs, September 1-3. Later in the month, they’ll have an eight game road trip where they play four games each

against the Dodgers and then the Diamondbacks. That trip runs from September 7-14. Finally, the Rockies will wrap up

the season at home against the Dodgers from September 29-October 1. In all likelihood, the Dodgers will have wrapped

up the NL West by then, and the Rockies will be scoreboard watching the Diamondbacks’ games. They’ll be in Kansas

City for the final weekend of the season. The first half of the 2017 season is history. There were high highs and low lows.

Now, it’s time to push toward the finish line. Let’s hope it continues deep into October.

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Colorado Rockies: Stu Cole and the art of coaching third base By Kevin Henry / Rox Pile | July 13th, 2017

Stu Cole knows that the decisions he makes as third base coach for the Colorado Rockies have to sometimes happen in

an instant. He also knows that those decisions can have an immediate impact on a game’s outcome and the momentum

swinging one way or another.

Now in his 22nd year in the Rockies organization and fifth as Colorado’s third base coach, Cole has experience managing

for the Rockies at the Class A, Double-A and Triple-A levels. Those moments guiding teams in Visalia Oaks, Tulsa and

Colorado Springs have prepared him for the pressure-packed moments that happen nightly as a runner heads his way on

the basepaths.

“In the minor leagues, being the manager you also coach third base,” Cole told Rox Pile. “Working with the players, you

learn what they can and can’t do. You try to help them perfect their skills and talents and help them move on. It’s all about

progression and you are always trying to make a kid better. That’s the same thing we do here. You have to make sure

these guys are prepared to play every night.”

For Cole, preparation for his job includes knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the players involved in a play and

forecasting how a play will play out before it’s even occurred.

“You try to play out the play before it happens, just like a player,” Cole said. “There are guys you know can run and there

are guys who you know can probably score a little easier than others. Some guys you try to help them along the way to

give them a bigger lead at second base so they can score on a ball in the gap. You try to base it on your decision on

where the ball is in relation to where that player is rounding the bases. I try to know the arm strength of the outfielder and

the speed of the baserunner. If he’s in a position where a guy doesn’t have a strong arm and our guy is almost touching

third base, he has a chance to score. You use your judgment and hopefully it plays out for you.”

While Cole relishes his role as Colorado’s third base coach, he also takes great pride in the role he has played in the

development of countless Rockies.

“It feels good, especially when you know you had guys at the lower levels and watching them progress up here and do the

things they’re doing, and they’re doing them well,” Cole said. “Guys like Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado and DJ

LeMahieu, watching those guys and how they’ve put their talents to use at the highest level is really good to see.”

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Colorado manager Bud Black told Rox Pile in an exclusive interview about three key features that he sees within Cole

and third base coaches throughout Major League Baseball.

First, there is the knowledge needed behind simply sending a runner home or holding him at third.

“There’s an art to sending runners and stopping runners, but it’s an educational art that you learn over a long period of

time,” said Black, who is quick to remind me that he’s never coached third base in his Major League career. “You know

outfielders. You know ballparks. You know accuracy, arm strength. When a play develops, you know if a guy charged the

ball or went to his left or right. Did a guy go back on a fly ball? All of the subtleties of what an outfielder does and what an

infielder does, including the infielder’s arm strength on a relay. You have to know the opposition and angles. There are so

many things that determine two or three steps at the plate and the difference it will make.”

Second, Black discussed the importance of being like-minded with the manager and his signal calling on every play.

“Getting signs from the manager and being in tune every pitch, especially when the game dictates we might do something

like steal, hit and run or bunt,” Black said. “It’s about thinking like a manager on certain plays. Anticipation of a sign or play

is always apparent in a third base’s coach mind.”

Third, a very short memory is key to a third base coach’s success.

“You also have to have thick skin,” Black said. “Being able to handle the heat of sending a guy and having him thrown out.

To shoulder that and live that and not have it affect the next decision you make. You have to turn the page. There’s a lot

of inner strength and self-confidence that goes along with that. Thirty of them have that or they wouldn’t be there.”

Black says so much of the game happens in plain sight of fans every day, yet the nuances aren’t often noticed or

appreciated.

“There is so much going on that the fans will never know about,” Black said. “There are hundreds of decisions or no-

decisions that are made during a game and you have to be alert for every one of them. I might go through a bunch of

signs and he has to say, ‘OK, that’s nothing. OK, that’s nothing. OK, that’s nothing. Nothing’s on. Nothing’s on. OK, steal

is on.’ You have to be alert and on it for three hours.

“It’s a skill and it’s acquired over time. Nobody can just go there.”

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For Rockies, defense is key during low points in season By Alissa Noe / Mile High Sports | July 13th, 2017

The Colorado Rockies this season have experienced ups and downs with their performances on the mound and on

offense. At times, their defense has seemed to be the only thing holding steady.

For veteran players like outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, consistency on the defensive side can be vital in games where the

runs aren’t necessarily racking up.

“I think it’s one of those things that you can’t forget,” Gonzalez said ahead of the All-Star break. “You got to go out there,

no matter what happens at the plate. If you just missed a great opportunity to help the club, it was either with bases

loaded to put an important run on the board, you strike out or you ground out, whatever. You still have to take your helmet

off, put your glove in your hand, and try to make plays. I know it sounds easier than anything, but for some guys it’s hard

to concentrate and execute defensively when things are not going well.”

For the guys on the pitchers on the mound fighting to keep them in the game, it can give them a little more comfort

knowing the defense is always there.

“It’s great,” rookie Kyle Freeland said. “Our entire infield and outfield is littered with Gold Gloves.”

While every Rockies fan knows that fifth-year third baseman Nolan Arenado‘s defense is already legendary, it’s hard to

overlook the rest of the infield’s accomplishments thus far in the 2017 season, alongside high-flying Gonzalez out in right

field.

Right now, only three active Rockies players have earned the prestigious Gold Glove award – three-time winner

Gonzalez, four-time honoree Arenado and one-timer DJ LeMahieu. But this season, especially, it’s be hard to overlook the

stylings of Trevor Story and Mark Reynolds.

After what he describes as a somewhat lackluster start to his Major League career on the defensive end, Arenado said

that he practices his third base skills almost religiously to become perhaps the most feared fifth position player in all of

baseball.

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“I practice it all the time,” Arenado said. “It’s something I’ve always worked on and something I always took pride in. I tried

to get better at my defense. Earlier in my pro career, I wasn’t as good as teams wanted me to be, and that’s something

that I wanted. I wanted to be good. It’s just something I’ve worked hard for.”

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The rest of his teammates, however, chalk up their success in the diamond or in the outfield to one common thread, that

Arenado also identifies with to some degree.

“Definitely instincts, it’s all instincts. That’s what it’s all about and that’s what I work on,” Arenado said. “I try to let that take

over, and the good thing is that when my instincts take over, it’s because of the work I put in. I don’t have to worry about it

or think about it when it happens. When plays come at me, I feel like I’ve just done it before so I don’t have to second

guess myself.”

From the start of his career last year, shortstop Trevor Story has drawn comparisons to former Rockies six-man Troy

Tulowitzki, and for good reason.

“I learned a lot from him—just really how to work and what intensity to work,” Story said. “I try to make [practice] as game-

like as possible, and if you practice that way, the game almost becomes not easier, but it’s more familiar. I practice like

that, and that’s where I got it from, is Tulo.”

For fans who have been watching the team for years, the correlation on the field between the two young stars is

undeniable, which is something that Story said he strives for every day. He, too, said his success at short all boiled down

to impulse.

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“I’ll practice the one up the middle and the spin in the hole, but diving plays and things like that are mostly instinctual, and

you don’t really get to practice those a lot,” Story said. “Pretty much when you get in the game, it’s all instinctual, no

matter what the play. You just kind of rely on your practice to give you confidence and just rely on your instincts during the

game. That’s what I try to do.”

Throughout nearly every series this year, we’ve seen him pull off feats much like this one, where in a June 15 game

against the San Francisco Giants, he sacrificed limb and body to make an incredible diving play.

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In a similar thread, the Rockies have become accustomed to spectacular diving plays from Gonzalez, who’s not afraid to

get down and dirty, even when the game isn’t on the line.

During this play, on May 9 in a beat-down of the Chicago Cubs, he robbed Javy Baez of an easy base hit when he dove

forward to make the grab.

Because the majority of his phenomenal plays often involve the life-over-limb mentality in the outfield, he doesn’t have the

need to practice them outside of play.

“You don’t really slide during batting practice to try to get the best jumps possible and try to make the play,” Gonzalez

said. “It’s not something you train for. Just react and when the game’s on the line, and whenever there’s a play, you go out

there and execute.”

For LeMahieu, any “natural talent” description doesn’t seem to quite grasp how good he performs at second, specifically

with the ol’ slide and throw play he’s mastered over the years.

“I don’t practice that, I just try to get to every ball, I try to be in the right spot at the right time, just try to help our pitchers

out and try to get as many outs as I can,” LeMahieu said. “I’d say the majority of it is just instincts.”

And you can’t overlook first baseman Mark Reynolds who, although he almost didn’t get the starting bid at first for the

Rockies this year, has paired with his fellow infielders for spectacular play after spectacular play thanks to his great

flexibility at the bag, literally.

“He’s great. He’s one of the better first basemen I’ve ever had,” Arenado said of his teammate. “I had some good ones

with Todd [Helton] and [Justin] Morneau and stuff like that with those guys. They’d scoop up my stuff all the time. Todd

saved me from a bunch of errors, and Mark does the same thing and he’s done the same thing for our whole team.

“He’s done some great things on both sides of the ball and we’re happy he’s on our team. It’s funny, because spring

training, we didn’t know if he would make the team, and now he [was] a borderline All-Star. It’s just been a great year for

him.”

The Rockies offense and pitching struggled in the final two and a half weeks before the All-Star break

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How Colorado could land an All-Star catcher at the trade deadline By Ben Karp / BSN Denver | July 13th, 2017

Countdown to MLB Trade Deadline: 18 Days

The All-Star break is typically seen as a time for rest and relaxation. Players and coaches spend some quality time with

family. High performing talent has some fun in the summer sun of Miami. The San Francisco Giants clubhouse restocks

on hair gel.

Front offices, however, are preoccupied. They are fully aware of the countdown clock at the top of this page. With every

passing day, teams in divisional races get more and more desperate for a deal to put them over the top.

Every few days or so, another team throws up a white flag. Once they have surrendered for the season, the season’s

leaders begin to carve through every last limb of the laggards in order to locate the meat for a proper feast. So who are

these fallen franchises? What are they looking for? What can they possibly offer the Rockies, who, as established in

the first article of this series yesterday, are likely to remain more opportunistic in their shopping rather than an aggressive

overpay?

Based on current rumors, the White Sox, Giants, Phillies, Padres, Marlins, Tigers, Pirates, Reds, and Athletics are all fully

committed to selling Major League assets for future value at this point in time. Of those nine, only the White Sox and

Padres appear to have set course for a long-term rebuild. On the other end of the spectrum, it can be argued that the

Pirates, Reds, and Athletics all have reasonable chances to contend as early as 2018.

The Rockies would be wise to be in the market for a reliever. If all Jeff Bridich is after is good value on a middle reliever,

then the relative positioning of this year’s sellers is irrelevant. But, in the interest of extracting more premium talent, it will

be a lot easier for the Rockies to expend greater efforts negotiating with franchises who are further away from contention.

This concept has less to do with what these teams can make available as it does with what the Rockies would have to

sacrifice in order to make a deal happen. Realistically, no trade will be made with the Reds or Pirates without giving up

controllable starting pitching at the major league level. Of course, it makes sense that Gerrit Cole would have such a high

price. But even if Bridich were after something more complementary, such as catchers Francisco Cervelli or Devin

Mesoraco, a name like German Marquez would be headed the other direction.

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There may be merit to shopping Marquez in the offseason. At some point, a decision needs to be made as to which of the

many talented Rockies rookie starting pitchers doesn’t fit in long term plans. But Marquez is still 22 years old holding his

own on the mound at Coors Field. In order to protect a guy like Marquez from trade talks over these next few weeks, it’s

best to avoid talks with teams who think they are set up for a successful 2018 campaign.

Despite these characterizations of each seller, completely ignoring what one of them has to offer is still foolish. The same

can be said of focusing solely on traditional sellers. This is where a fun case study comes into play.

The Texas Rangers currently sit two games below .500. Like the Orioles, Cardinals, Angels, and Blue Jays (teams to

watch over the next two weeks, as things can change quickly), there has been no clear indication as to whether or not

they plan to be buyers or sellers at this deadline.

What is already known, however, is the willingness of Rangers brass to listen to offers on Jonathan Lucroy. Ken

Rosenthal lists bullpen as a need in return. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News echoes this sentiment with two

additional league sources. In reporting upon the claims of Rosenthal and Grant, Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade

Rumors speculates the Rockies as a contender fit for a catcher upgrade.

Due to the fickle nature of relief arms year to year, this seemingly points to Lucroy being considered as someone to deal

at the deadline despite the possibility of Ranger contention. This makes sense from an Arlington perspective. Not only

can Robinson Chirinos provide relatively solid offensive production for a catcher, but he can also make up for

Lucroy’s sudden deterioration of framing ability (Lucroy would still be exponentially better than Tom Murphy behind the

plate).

If Lucroy’s availability is tied to contention, then the Rockies would be a curious fit. As if landing someone as talented as

Lucroy wouldn’t cost much in the first place, but the fact that the Rangers are asking for relievers in return? That’s not the

business Bridich is in right now. There are possible solutions to make a deal happen, but it’s hard to see the Rockies

being a better team as a result, let alone one that will affect the playoff race.

Still, it’s hard to buy that Lucroy’s availability has anything to do with the Rangers’ performance. Rosenthal revealed

another interesting nugget in his tweets on the matter. Lucroy is “highly unlikely” to receive a qualifying offer after the

season. Assuming Rosenthal knows what he is talking about, there’s really no reason for the Rangers to keep Lucroy

around regardless of what the standings say.

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The difference then becomes what the Rangers will want for the future. In that scenario, however, they would fall under

the same category of teams as Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, on the lookout for German Marquez types. Is the development

of Marquez worth two months of Lucroy? Doubtful, but not an insane claim. The case could perhaps be made if the

Rangers take on the rest of Lucroy’s salary. It gets even more interesting if the Rockies think they can somehow woo

Lucroy long term.

At the end of the day, the Rockies must be wary of pulling the trigger on a major deal with little effect on the outcome of

the 2017 regular season. Understanding the archetypes and exceptions of traditional deadline buyers and sellers, though,

goes a long way in assessing fit.

Tomorrow’s column will discuss the reliever market in greater depth.

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Rockies' Chad Bettis sharp in two innings of first rehab start By ESPN.com News Services | July 13th, 2017

Colorado's Chad Bettis pitched two innings for Double-A Hartford on Thursday in his first rehab start, eight months after

surgery for testicular cancer.

According to The Denver Post, Bettis held the Trenton Thunder hitless over two innings, striking out three while allowing

one unearned run.

Bettis rejoined the Colorado Rockies last month after finishing treatment for testicular cancer in Arizona. The 28-year-old

had surgery in November to remove a testicle and rejoined the team in February but left again in March to get

chemotherapy after doctors found the cancer had spread. The right-hander went 14-8 with 4.79 ERA in 2016.