Colorado Rockies: Should the NL Be Afraid of Rocktober?
The Colorado Rockies clinched a Playoff Berth with their 5-2 win on Tuesday night. Could they be a dominant team in the Playoffs?
The Colorado Rockies are returning to October baseball. Rocktober became official last night as the Rockies powered their way to a 5-2 win against the Washington Nationals. The team clinched a playoff berth as they won their 8th straight game, their longest streak since 2013.
The Colorado Rockies now control their own destiny as their magic number to capture a division title is down to two games. This playoff appearance will mark the first time that the Rockies see Rocktober in back to back seasons.
Friday’s win signified more than just a historic clinch. David Dahl continued his red-hot stretch by homering in his fifth straight game. Dahl became the fourth player in Rockies’ history to accomplish this feat.
Kyle Freeland also continued his great season by throwing six innings of two-run ball. The lefty recorded his 17th win and lowered his ERA to 2.85. His ERA is a Rockies’ single-season record. With all of that said, we are left to wonder if the rest of the National League should be afraid of the Colorado Rockies?
As of now, the Rockies are currently primed to face off against the Atlanta Braves in the Divison Series. If the Los Angeles Dodgers beat out Colorado, the Rockies will travel to Milwaukee or Chicago to play the Brewers or the Cubs in the Wild Card Game.
In my opinion, the Colorado Rockies will need to maintain home field advantage in order to be successful in the Playoffs. The Rockies’ struggles away from Coors Field have been well documented and they still persist in 2018. The club has scored 431 runs at home, compared to 333 on the road.
The Rockies have a negative run differential (-3) in games on the road, compared to a positive run differential (+41) at home. Even with this said, the team still has a great record at home (46-33), and on the road (44-37).
It is reasonable to assume that the club’s solid pitching has made up for the negative run differential, as the Colorado Rockies have an ERA+ of 109. This total is good for fourth best in the National League. The team’s strong bullpen, plus the strong pitching of Kyle Freeland, German Marquez, and Antonio Senzatela could make the Rockies a sneaky Playoff team.
The club could be a scary opponent if they are able to capture home field advantage. Some strong pitching, mixed in with the added benefit of having a Coors Field led offense, could lead to many Rockies’ victories.
In my eyes, I would argue that the altitude effects of Coors Field could be more of a weapon than an obstacle. As shown by ERA+, Rockies’ pitchers have excelled at Coors Field. They are a club that hits and pitches well at home, home field advantage will be a very valuable asset for the team.
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The Colorado Rockies will likely be an underdog throughout October, but I believe that they could be the team to win it all. They will need a little bit of luck and help with the seeding, but the Rockies could be a true surprise. Rocktober should be interesting to follow as the Playoff seedings will continue to lay themselves out over the next few days.