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Rockies getting help from everyone in playoff run

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Tracy Ringolsby

Tracy Ringolsby is a Hall of Fame baseball writer. He is in his 36th year covering Major League Baseball, is a co-founder of Baseball America, and is in his third year as pregame and postgame analyst for Colorado Rockies games on Root Sports.

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Updated Oct 2, 2009 1:43 PM ET
     
 

DENVER

The Rockies' numbers don't add up. The sum of the parts, however, is equal to a second postseason trip in three years. The sum of the parts, however, is equal to a second postseason trip in three years. The Rockies clinched the NL wild card Thursday with a 9-2 against the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field, claiming the third postseason appearance in franchise history. The Rockies went into their regular-season home finale on Thursday afternoon against the Brewers needing one more victory of their own — or one more loss for Atlanta — to claim the third postseason appearance in franchise history. Known as a franchise that consistently produces eye-popping individual seasons, the Rockies only have a handful of players who even rank in the NL top 10 in any statistic. Todd Helton is fourth in hitting (.323) and third in on-base percentage (.413). Rookie Dexter Fowler ranks fifth in stolen bases with 27, and is tied for fifth in triples with teammate Troy Tulowitzki at nine. That's it. The Rockies set a franchise record with their 91st victory of the season on Thursday, and head to Los Angeles for the final three regular season games, having already won a franchise-record 40 games on the road. There are, however, no individual records in jeopardy. The only stat where the 2009 Rockies have even broken into the franchise single-season top 10 is triples. Tulowitzki and Fowler are tied for seventh. "What makes this team so special," said Helton, "is that there are so many parts, so many guys who really have been keys to what has happened here. There's no guy who has had to carry the load. This team has been about consistency." It's a team that stumbled early. Clint Hurdle was fired as manager after an 18-28 start, and then, after losing four of their first six games under the guidance of Jim Tracy, the Rockies regrouped. They won 71 of their next 107 games. They rallied from the second-worst record in the NL after the games of June 3 to matching St. Louis for the third best-record in the NL on Thursday morning. And they haven't even given up on the longest of long shots — an NL West title. No team has ever overcome a bigger deficit than the 14½ games that the Yankees fell behind the Boston Red Sox back in 1978. The Rockies, however, were looking at a 15½ game deficit to the NL West-leading Dodgers on June 3. Realistic? No. But with the Rockies win on Thursday, they head to Los Angels just two games of the Dodgers, and if they were to seep the regular-season ending series at Dodger Stadium, the Rockies have the first division title in team history. No team has ever overcome a bigger deficit than the 15 games that the Pittsburgh Pirates faced in 1915. But who's counting? Not the Rockies. They have been too busy winning. "This is what you play for," said Helton. "When you go to spring training you talk about playing in October. You don't talk about winning a battle title or leading the league in home runs. You talk about helping your team get into the postseason. That's not a one-man show." It certainly hasn't been for the Rockies.
"This is what you play for. When you go to spring training you talk about playing in October. You don't talk about winning a battle title or leading the league in home runs. You talk about helping your team get into the postseason. That's not a one-man show."
— Todd Helton
For the first time in franchise history — and the first time in the big leagues since 2005 — they have five starting pitchers with at least 10 wins. But then, they also have five starting pitchers who combined to start 151 of the first 158 games. They have eight players with 10 or more home runs — led by Tulowitzki with 32 — and have a shot at two more joining the group. Garrett Atkins went into Thursday with nine and Ryan Spilborghs had eight. They won't have a player drive in 100 runs, but they have five players with 70 or more. Oh, closer Huston Street has put together a dominant season, converting 34 of 36 opportunities, but when he was sidelined the first three weeks of September, Franklin Morales stepped in and converted the seven opportunities he was given. "The success of a closer is a reflection of what the rest of the team has done," said Street. "It means everybody else has done the job of putting us in a position to win."

Let's make a deal

The bidding for the Texas Rangers appears to have been reduced to groups headed by Pittsburgh sports attorney Chuck Greenberg and former player agent Dennis Gilbert. Greenberg's group has offered current Rangers president Nolan Ryan an equity position with the deal that he would continue to run the team. Word is two other teams are available — the Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks — although there is no indication that there have been any serious talks with a prospective buyer for either team.

Who's next?

Eric Wedge became the latest managerial casualty this week. He won't be the last. Dave Trembley appears on the way out in Baltimore, and the future is shaky for interim manager Jim Riggleman in Washington. Toronto manager Cito Gaston's future is most likely tied to the Blue Jays decision on how to fill the general manager job — it seems J.P. Ricciardi's reign of terror is coming to an end. Former Indians pitcher John Farrell, currently the pitching coach in Boston, is the early leader in the Cleveland managerial sweepstakes. Farrell's contract with the Red Sox has a clause that says he can't manage until after the 2010 season, but he could negotiate his way out of it. Former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle's name also has surfaced in Cleveland. Hurdle's agent since his playing days has been Ron Shaprio, father of Indians general manager Mark Shapiro. Rockies hitting coach Don Baylor is among those mentioned as candidates in Baltimore, the organization with which Baylor began his playing career.
Tagged: Franklin Morales, Rockies, Diamondbacks, Troy Tulowitzki, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Indians, Huston Street, Astros, Brewers, Dodgers, Ryan Spilborghs, Yankees, Rangers

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