You Can’t Eat Dinner, without setting the table first.

Wel, game 2 of the 2006 season didn't turn out as well as game 1.  Cook started where he left off last year, pitching 7 innings allowing 3 runs and 6 hits, and an impressive 16-3 ground-ball to fly-ball ratio.  

Helton also had a good day going 2-2 with 2 doubles, before seeing the Barry Bonds Treatment.

Other then that however, there was very little offense in the air tonight.   Holliday had 3 k's and went 0-4, Hawpe couldn't add on to his good day yesterday, posting a big 0-4, and well Ardoin might be a great catcher, but I don't think he could hit his way out of a wet paper bag.  More concerning is the 8 k's that Hernandez got tonight.  Lets be honest,  Hernandez isn't that great of a pitcher anymore,  and if a guy who has a hard time topping out at 90 MPH on the radar gun,  gets 8'ks thats not a good sign of things to come.  5 runs in 2 games for a team that plays in a hitters heaven, isn't a good sign.   Lets hope this team can turn it around on the road.

Anouther topic of discussion would be the table setters in the order, that means you, Barmes, and Sullivan.  Combined they are 3 for 17 with 1 walk so far these first two games, and the one walk was nullified by a stupid baserunning error by Sullivan in the bottom of the ninth.  So far this has not been a great model for a dynamic offense, and if the rockies have any hopes of improving their record this year, it starts at the top.  You can't eat dinner without setting the table first. 

Opening Day Wonders

Well, in 1995, we get Dante Bichette's dramatic 14th inning homerun to win the game. Just last year, we get a walk off homerun from SS Clint Barmes. This year…. well its a ground ball to D-Backs Rookie First Baseman, Coner Jackson, which brings home Matt Holliday for an 11th inning win. Though not as dramatic as a walk off homerun, game 1 of the 2006 season proved to be a great game.

Due to the fact that I had school (and would've had a test in my last class but it was cancelled) I couldn't get tickets to opening day, and had to look at ESPN Gameday during my breaks to find out what was going on. However looking at the box scores, here are the Hero's and Goats of Opening Day.

Heros

Jason Jennings – Jennings, who has been known to struggle in April, had a great start to the 2006 season, pitching 7 strong innings, allowing 6 runs, and 6 Strikeouts to 1 Walk. Jennings has figured out April, and can revert back to his ROY campain, then Rockies fans can look foward to a great season.

The Bullpen – Last years pen after spring training, was a train wreck. This years was effective and held the Snakes to 1 run – unearned. I'm don't expect great things from the soon to be 40 year old Mesa, but its nice to have some Vets to stablize the back of the pen.

Hawpe – He's the only one who seemed to be effective against Webb, knocking in 2 hits and the game winning RBI ground ball

Holliday – 2-5 with the game winning run, thats a good day by me.

Goats

The top of the order – Sullivan and Barmes went 2/10 with 3 strike outs. This tells me that they don't have what it takes to set the table for Helton and Co. If the Rockies are to do anything this year, they need to get at least a .350 OBP from there 1 and 2 hitters.

Tonight we Have Aaron Cook pitching against Orlando Hernandez,  even though we are down by 2 in the first,  I'm picking the Rockies in this one.